Labor

3 And there was a strict command throughout all the churches that there should be no persecutions among them, that there should be an equality among all men;
4 That they should let no pride nor haughtiness disturb their peace; that every man should esteem his neighbor as himself, laboring with their own hands for their support.

Mosiah 27:3-4

Labor-Intensive Investing

There is a post on The Simple Dollar describing how much work it can require to "beat the market" while investing: Investing and the Time You Have.

I don't want to spend that much time just deciding how to move my money around. That's why I stick with low-cost, low-maintenance index funds. It gives me more time for things that are more fun and important, like my family, work, community and church activities, and my part-time degree.

What Do We Seek?

As a child of God, our deepest hunger and what we should be seeking for is what the Lord alone can provide-- His love, His sense of worth, His security, His confidence, His hope in the future.

Robert D. Hales, Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually

Here is the latest "Mormon Messages" video from our church. Elder Hales explains beautifully how we can live within our means and live well.

Finding a Happy Money Medium

I just read a great post titled The Balance Between Splurger and Miser. It's from one of our favorite sites, Get Rich Slowly. April Dykman writes about how she has struggled with money, first spending money she didn't have, and then later almost refusing to spend at all, even though she had money to spare. Now she's finding a happy medium. Everyone should read it.

Dykman's post is a reminder that money is not just something to keep or lose. It is a way of expressing our priorities. If we truly value something, maybe we should spend more on it. (And we can always cut back on things we care less about.)

At the end of her post, she makes a list of things that are important to her, things that are worth a little extra.

My list would include eating healthy food, having supplies to build and create, helping people, and visiting family, among others.

What would you include? Does your spending reflect the things that are most important to you?

Tip of the Day: Freeze Rice

When I was in college, someone told me that rice freezes beautifully, and that it doesn't go dry and stale nearly as fast as refrigerated rice. I wish I could thank her a hundred times!

Rice was one of the staples that helped us survive working/teaching/studying/pregnancy the first couple years of our marriage. I would cook up a big pot of rice for dinner and freeze the extra in individual portions. Then we could take it with us whenever we had access to a microwave.

Now, my kids love rice. I mean, really love it. Cooking brown rice takes an hour, but I freeze it in bags so we can eat it whenever we want.

To reheat, I open the bag partway and microwave as is. For bigger bags, I stir the rice halfway through cooking time. Don't overheat! The bag can melt.

Four ways to make sure it tastes great:

1. Start with cooked rice that isn't too wet or dry. Rice that is wet can take on a funny texture when frozen.

2. Add a little oil sometime during or after cooking. This also enhances texture.

3. If you find your rice is coming out of the microwave a little dry, just sprinkle a small amount of water on it before reheating.

4. For rice on the go, sprinkle seasoning on individual portion bags of frozen rice and take them with you. We love lemon pepper or seasoning salt on rice.

$25 for Groceries

Q: You have $25 to feed yourself for a full week. You’re starting from scratch, with nothing in your pantry, freezer, or refrigerator. What do you purchase?


That is the question posed (and answered) on the latest post from food blog Cheap, Healthy, Good. I just found this site based on a recommendation from Lifehacker. I like their philosophy, and I'm excited to explore some more. I'll let you know how it goes.

Over Budget

Okay, it's time for a confession. I am currently $64 over on my allowance. I am in debt to my own budget. Ick.

The good news is, I'm making progress. I have been trying to dig myself out since January, when it was much worse (and the allowance debt rolls over every month, no freebies).

I'm going to make it out, though. I am determined. No new German bakeware this month :-).