The most valuable email you’ll read for yourself and your kids in a few MOMENTS per week.
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MONEY TIP
Hear me out… buy frozen fruits & vegetables. I know what you’re thinking… “fresh is so much better.” Well, it’s not “so much” better, but sure, fresh is always the best option and if you’re eating it plain then buy it fresh, but if you’re cooking it or adding it to a dish, go frozen. That being said, when you buy frozen, you’re getting the second healthiest option (better than store-canned), and it’s not going to go bad (for a long, long time). This is a great compromise to cook nutritious food, practically and cheaper. Frozen is just easier, which means you’re likely to eat more fruits and veggies over the year.
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OPPORTUNITY
Nomad List is a pretty awesome tool if you’re just looking for a bunch of information about a city you’re considering visiting. It’s helpful to compare cities and get realistic expectations about what it’s like to visit other countries.
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MINIMALISM TIP
We recently downsized… again. As we organized the remaining things that we plan to keep, but don’t use every day, we sorted the items into tubs. Instead of writing the contents on the outside of the tub, we numbered the tubs and saved a note in our phones with the number of each tub and the contents inside said tub. Now we can add to or remove things from each tub and just update the note instead of having to make a new label each time. You can see what it looks like here.
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ESSENTIAL READING
I’ve read a lot of Christian books that say basically the same thing, but every once in a while I come across a book that is truly different. For Christians and non-Christians, the book Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Not-Evangelism by Carl Medearis is a solid read. Carl has had a lot of experience working with Christians and Muslims in the Middle East – mostly in Lebanon. His work toward reconciliation in that area is beautiful. And no, this is not a Universalist book. I highly recommend checking it out to open your mind and perspective a little bit more. That’s what it did for me.
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NOTION
Sorry, this one is a little long. We’ve talked about credit; now a brief word about discussing credit cards with your kids. Credit card rewards are great, and I love and use them as much as anyone, but it’s more often the case that credit cards will ruin your life. Statistically speaking. They’re more than capable of doing so, and we all know at least one person, if not many, who has proven that. With the average credit utilization ratio hovering around 30%, credit cards are posing a huge risk to families across the country. While it’s been falsely believed that a 30% ratio is where you want to be, it’s actually the maximum ratio credit bureaus want to see, and many people are crossing the line. When it comes to rewards, 3 in 10 credit card users never end up redeeming them anyway, according to a 2017 Bankrate study. There are plenty of simple and obvious facts kids should learn about credit cards in the classroom, but the most important thing is that they understand the potential dangers. Credit card companies are now required by law to show you how long it will take to pay off the card if you pay the minimum payment. That’s how you know it’s got pretty bad. We’ll talk more about rewards later on. They can be beneficial, but understanding the dangers of credit cards is step 1, and then later on, they can look for the benefits and rewards.
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TRAVEL TIP
A little airline research goes a long way when you’re planning a trip on a budget. Getting out of the US is the expensive part. Look into airlines within the country you’re traveling to. If you’re headed to the Pacific, airlines like Kiwi, ANA, and JAL often have a few flights from the States. On the other side of the world, there are affordable European airlines. Once you’re in Europe, flights are dirt cheap with airlines like RyanAir, EZ Jet, and Wizz, but travel light, because most of the budget airlines charge for checked bags. You may not need a checked bag. This is a video I did on light travel with a large family. We only take a single checked bag for all 7 of us; not one each… one. Pack light and you won’t have to worry about extra baggage fees.
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SCRIPTURE
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
Romans 12:12
Closing Question
Is there something you’re in the process of researching and learning how to do? Is it time to take action? You can learn along the way, but experience is the best teacher.
