Stressed or Depressed: A Practical and Inspirational Guide for Parents of Hurting Teens

Book Description

This book will inspire and equip parents to help their hurting teens. The well-known and widely respected author team of Dr. Catherine Hart Weber and Dr. Arch Hart helps parents discover and identify nervousness, irritability, negativity, and low self-esteem, and determine whether their teen's symptoms are caused by physical problems, raging hormones, stress, or depression. Offering practical suggestions, spiritual solutions, and encouragement, this resource helps parents and teens face their own feelings of fear, anger, and hurt.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Resource.......2007-09-07

This book was so helpful to me. Biblically based and just made sense. I have found raising teenagers to be one of the most challenging things and this book is and excellent resource.

relevant book.......2006-05-11

I received a copy of this book when I needed it most. It not only helped me understand the turbulence in my teenagers' lives , it acknowledged the heartache and stress of parents like me during these years.

A practical book that educated me, opened my eyes and encouraged my heart.
It should be required reading for all parents. I highly recommend this book.

Organic Housekeeping: In Which the Non-Toxic Avenger Shows You How to Improve Your Health and That of Your Family, While You Save Time, Money, and, Perhaps, Your Sanity

Average customer rating:

This Book Is Awesome
Fun to read, Great reference
Down to Earth with REAL, EVERYDAY advice
Well scrubbed book
Excellent Book

Organic Housekeeping: In Which the Non-Toxic Avenger Shows You How to Improve Your Health and That of Your Family, While You Save Time, Money, and, Perhaps, Your Sanity
Ellen Sandbeck
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Cleaning, Caretaking & Relocating | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Home Repair | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Healthy Living | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Naturally Clean: The Seventh Generation Guide to Safe & Healthy, Non-toxic Cleaning
The Naturally Clean Home: 100 Safe and Easy Herbal Formulas for Non-Toxic Cleansers
Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living
Home Enlightenment: Practical, Earth-Friendly Advice for Creating a Nurturing, Healthy, and Toxin-Free Home and Lifestyle
How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office

ASIN: 0743256204

Book Description

Longing for a kinder, gentler world? As the old saying goes, everything begins at home, and odds are, if you live in the all-American household, the air inside is more toxic than the air outside, even if you live in the most polluted of cities. You regularly handle the filthiest object in your home -- the kitchen sponge -- and put the same chemicals on your face that are used in brake fluid and antifreeze.

The cleaning agents and personal care products commonly marketed to and used in American homes contain not only some very dangerous, toxic chemicals, but they also create an "overly clean," chemically bombed-out house that compromises immune systems. And with more than fifty million Americans suffering from allergies and other autoimmune diseases -- not to mention the developing and fragile immune systems of children and seniors -- large numbers of people are actually being made sicker and sicker by their homes.

Learn to live a clean, healthy, more economical way with Ellen Sandbeck, the nontoxic avenger. In this must-have book for the twenty-first- century home, this passionate, witty advocate of all things organic will teach you how to maintain every part of the home -- from living room to septic tank, kitchen floor to bathroom sink -- using safe, simple cleansers and quick preventative measures as well as the most effective organic products on the market to get the job done.

Learn time-saving, preventative housekeeping, such as taking thirty seconds to clean the shower while you shower. Take care of bathroom stains with baking soda and vinegar rather than commercial, toxic bathroom "bombs" peddled to you with such force by manufacturers. Need whiter whites? There is no bleaching power on earth stronger than the sun. Snow clean your fine rugs. Choose fruits and vegetables from the relatively pesticide residue-free list. Clean felt-tipped pen stains with vodka. Make furniture shine with olive oil and lemon. Your house will also smell as great as it looks.

Customer Reviews:

This Book Is Awesome.......2007-08-22

I saw this book at a bookstore and rushed home to Amazon to get it. :) It is a great reference for housekeeping. I couldn't believe all the things you can do with random household products. Like baking soda... Awesome!

Fun to read, Great reference.......2007-08-03

In many ways, this is a good Organic Living 101 book. I received this book as a Christmas gift and wasn't sure what to think at first. I was pleasantly surprised. This book has not only been enjoyable to read but has become a valuable reference as well. Lately, whenever I've had a question regarding safe cleaning or home maintenance, I find the answer here - from concerns about ants to cleaning carpets to cleaning the shower. I've also found great advice and ideas for getting organized around the house. I appreciate the author's goal to spend LESS time cleaning - not more!

Down to Earth with REAL, EVERYDAY advice.......2007-07-07

This is the 1st time I have taken the time to write a review about any book. That should say something at least. This book has become my bible as I have bought and begun to renovate my first-ever home. While my mom is nagging about bleaching out the basement and hiring a pest control service, I am able to come back to Organic Housekeeping for advice that is in line with my morals. This book is NOT preachy. Instead, it offers practical advice for straight-to-the-point how to do ____ without poisioning your family (pets included!). Thank goodness for this book! I recommend it to everyone who has an interest in being green. :)

Well scrubbed book.......2007-05-13

This book includes a lot of common sense/tried and true methods for cleaning (and yes they do work) along with many new ideas I had not heard of before that are simple to carry out. I like that fact that the material is not toxic and will not set off my asthma like some of the store-bought items do.

Excellent Book.......2007-04-03

This book is full of excellent advice. I have been concerned about the products that I use for cleaning for a while and this book gave me a great one-stop resource to start doing something about it. The introduction on how to handle the mountain of stuff we tend to accumulate was a welcome bonus (buying a copy for my ex-wife just for that!).

You Can Choose To Be Happy: "Rise Above" Anxiety, Anger, and Depression

Average customer rating:

One of the best self help books
A Marriage & Family Therapist from California

You Can Choose To Be Happy: "Rise Above" Anxiety, Anger, and Depression
Tom G. Stevens
Manufacturer: Wheeler-Sutton Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Depression | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Motivational | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Emotions & Feelings | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

How We Choose to Be Happy: The 9 Choices of Extremely Happy People--Their Secrets, Their Stories
You Can Be Happy No Matter What: Five Principles for Keeping Life in Perspective
You Can Feel Good Again: Common-Sense Strategies for Releasing Unhappiness and Changing Your Life
Pursuit of Happiness
ACT on Life not on Anger: New Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Guide to Problem Anger

ASIN: 0965337715

Book Description

* Do you want to discover the causes of happiness and unhappiness?
* Would you like to develop greater self-esteem?
* Do you want a more positive, but realistic, view of the world?
* Would you like to learn how to achieve more mental control over emotions such as anxiety, anger, guilt, and depression?
* Do you worry too much about pleasing others, rejection, or gaining approval?
* Are you too dependent on others for your happiness? * Would you like to get more internal control of your life or become more assertive? * Are you too codependent (take too much responsibility for others)?
* Do you want to improve your ability to motivate yourself, achieve your goals, and have a greater impact on the world?
* Would you like to feel less stress and make your time more productive?
* Would you like to advance in your journey to self-actualization (be more like self-actualizing people, who are extremely happy and productive)?

Overcome stress, low motivation, unhappiness, loneliness, codependency, shyness, emptiness, and negative thinking. Develop self-esteem, assertiveness, emotional control, time-management, confidence, spiritual harmony, success, and self-actualization.

If you want to maximize your happiness, this book is for you!

Many books may help you with some of these issues. How is this book different? Readers of prepublication copies say that it really works. Dr. Tom Stevens is not the type of author who just writes about what others have done. Dr. Stevens' knowledge about how to be happy--despite difficult circumstances--comes from helping hundreds of clients as a licensed psychologist, from his years of study and research, and from his own life. He lives the ideas he writes about. He views emotional problems from philosophical-spiritual, psychological, and personal perspectives. He considers his greatest accomplishments to be a happy life, a wonderful marriage, and his contributions to the happiness of others. He believes we can learn to do what we enjoy or enjoy what we do. His unusual background and experience has helped him assemble one of the most complete and up-to-date books about HOW TO BE HAPPY.

This book is for people who are serious about being happy. You can develop your inner power to "rise above" negative emotions, and You Can Choose To Be Happy. Each chapter is packed with valuable information about how to be happy even in the most difficult circumstances--even if you have a history of unhappiness or depression. The book is especially for people who value self-growth and development to become happier healthier people. It teaches how to explore deep causes of stress and unhappiness and how to find alternative routes to happiness no matter what the situation is. It explores underlying beliefs that lead to pessimism versus realistic optimism.

People often look for a book about how to overcome past low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, procrastination, shyness, lack of assertiveness, or other specific problems. However, these problems are often just symptoms of deeper beliefs that cause the person to think or act dysfunctionally. What is "broken" usually isn't just a habit, but one's basic beliefs. In contrast to the specific, problem-oriented approaches of many books on the market today, a primary goal of this book is to empower the growth-oriented core of our personality--something Dr. Stevens calls the "Higher Self." Inner harmony and growth are keys to happiness. Each of us has a Higher Self that can remain a weak voice within; or it can become a strong leader--the executive of our personality. Providing change in the top-level of our personality is a necessary part of transcending our history and progressing toward self-actualization. To become strong, the Higher Self must develop a positive, functional philosophy of life and must learn the knowledge and skills required to bring all of our subparts into harmony--like a maestro conducting a great symphony.

Happiness is not just a good feeling; it comes from a feedback mechanism built into the brain that measures how our lives are doing overall. The big secret of how You Can Choose To Be Happy helps you become happier (in even difficult circumstances ) comes from striking new insights about the causes of emotions. The "Harmonious Functioning Model" of emotions will teach you how to adjust your emotions almost like adjusting a thermostat to turn up the emotional heat or to turn it down. Learn how to "rise above" anxiety, anger, and depression. The Harmonious Functioning Model of the relationship between thoughts and emotions provides a simple state-of-the-art model that readers can use to better understand and control their emotions.

The harmonious functioning model assumes that the brain is an information processor and assumes that the main functions of the cerebral cortex are (1) to learn at an optimal rate and (2) to carry out the executive functions of running our lives. Therefore, it should be no great surprise that learning and mental control are among our strongest [higher] human motives.

The primary function of the sensations--like pleasure and pain--is to provide feedback about the innate, lower need states [hunger, thirst, sex, etc.]. The primary function of the emotions--like anger, anxiety, depression, and happiness--is to provide feedback about the learned, higher need states information and managing our lives. For example, sex normally produces powerful, innate sensations of pleasure. However, the thought that one might get AIDS can overshadow any biologically-based pleasure and create emotions like fear.

Think of a time when you had a "peak experience." What was happening? What caused it? When the brain is learning at an optimal rate (when its inputs or tasks are optimally challenging at all levels), then it hums along in a state of harmonious functioning. Our mind is functioning in the way "it was designed" to optimally function. If we are overstimulated or overchallenged with too much input for our abilities, then we feel the overarousal emotions such as anxiety and confusion. If we are understimulated or underchallenged, then we feel bored or depressed.

Being "in the zone" of harmonious functioning creates the "Big 3" outcomes of peak learning, peak performance, and peak happiness. This model explains why people who seem to have all life's advantages are often less happy than people who have much less. It is mental control of events--not external control--that is the key to happiness.

Our happiness level tells us how healthily our body, mind, and "spirit" are functioning. Our emotions tell us if our lives are in proper balance and harmony. We cannot be maximally happy if we only live for today or only live for ourselves. An innate brain mechanism controlling our emotions scans our personal world and will not let us completely ignore important issues.

Knowing that in any situation we can choose one of many internal or external routes to happiness gives us optimism and confidence--mental control of the situation. However, all these routes eventually end in thoughts; thoughts measured by this harmonious functioning-emotions brain mechanism. Therefore, harmonious thinking--not just getting what we want--is the key to happiness. It is the match between inputs and our expectations, abilities, and other thinking processes that determine our emotional reactions. When the match is harmonious, the result is happiness.

Understanding and planning increase mental control of emotions. Chapter 8 summarizes six powerful mental control strategies for raising or lowering our emotional temperatures. It provides the reader with specific tools for "rising above" anxiety, anger, and depression.

Relationships and loneliness are key sources of happiness or unhappiness. Readers can learn how to overcome fears of rejection and criticism or unhealthy needs for acceptance or codependence. They can become more internally controlled and assertive. Chapter 6 tells how.

Finally, O-PATSM is a time and life management system that Dr. Stevens has taught to thousands of people through his workshops and has proven to help people reach their goals, get more control of their lives, be more productive, and have more fun!

Customer Reviews:

One of the best self help books.......2004-06-11

said it all above plus it's free on author's website.

A Marriage & Family Therapist from California.......2000-05-05

Only read this book if you want to change your life. This book is for people who want to help themselves and believe that they have choices in their lives. As a therapist, I believe this concept is one of the most important awarenesses you can have. Once a person accepts this they know they can have more control over their reactions in every life situation. Dr. Stevens book is not to entertain but to give well thought out strategies for rising above difficult situations and moving towards "harmonious functioning", which he defines as having happiness and harmony in your life.

Average customer rating:

The Wisdom of the Ages
Pure relationship gold!
Brilliant for Friendships and Work, As Well As Marriage!
Incredible new possibilities
A phenomenal and groundbreaking book!

How To Create a Magical Relationship
Shya Kane , and Ariel Kane
Manufacturer: ASK Productions, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Love & Romance | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Marriage | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: A Book About Instantaneous Transformation
Make Every Man Want You (or Make Yours Want You More): How To Be So Damn Irresistible You'll Barely Keep From Dating Yourself!
The Proper Care and Feeding of Marriage
Working on Your Relationship Doesn't Work, A Transformational Approach to Creating Magical Relationships
Relationship Rescue

ASIN: 1888043148

Book Description

How To Create a Magical Relationship, winner of the 2007 Nautilus Book Award in the category of Relationships / Men & Women's Issues, is based on the idea that you don't need to "work on" your relationship in order to "fix it". Relationship coaches for nearly two decades and married for over 20 years, authors Ariel & Shya Kane have identified 3 simple Principles of Transformation that allow people to create a relationship that surpasses their dreams. The Kanes reveal how to recognize and bypass the pitfalls to having a happy and satisfying relationship. This book provides a road map to realizing a love relationship to its fullest and it is also a guide to self-discovery and well-being, since the ability to create a magical relationship starts with one's relationship to oneself.

Customer Reviews:

The Wisdom of the Ages.......2007-09-16

Some people might think that it is impossible to create successful relationships immediately, but the Shyas' discuss the concepts that will allow you to do just that. Combining Eastern and Western philosophies, this book deserves a its devoted following and its high, customer ratings. The concepts in this book are timeless and infinitely valuable. I'd also suggest a separately produced, newly-released DVD that is complementary to this book and provides very specific techniques for applying these Shya insights: see the web site of www.tcap.us (the DVD is about building confidence, but it it much more than that).

Pure relationship gold!.......2007-09-10

The golden cover is appropriate, because what's inside is pure gold! In this book, Ariel and Shya Kane share three timeless principles and many real-life examples that will help you to have satisfying relationships with everyone, from the most important people in your life, to the people that you meet each day. Whether you're looking to connect with new people, to reconnect with your loved ones, or are just intrigued by the possibility of "Magical" relationships, this book is for you. It transformed my life - give it a shot!

Brilliant for Friendships and Work, As Well As Marriage!.......2007-08-22

How to Create A Magical Relationship is deceptively simple, yet brilliant. At first, I felt one of its major ideas--that seeing a behavioral pattern, without fixing it, is enough to complete it-- was too simple. Then I began to see how it applied to my own life in ways I couldn't have imagined.

An example: I decided a long time ago that my mother should have learned to speak my father's first language, Spanish. I was embarrassed that she couldn't speak it well, and thought that she should work harder to learn it. As a result, I decided that when I grew up, I would study languages. Well, I did, but because I learned in a very competitive way, I was overly-sensitive to criticism, and I frequently got burned out. I even destroyed a couple of friendships by insisting that bilingual friends divide languages equally- in other words, if I had a Korean friend, I wanted us to spend half of our time speaking Korean, even if the friend was fluent in English. If they didn't agree to this, I'd feel they were cheating me.

This book helped me to recognize that pattern and even see small ways I competed in my own marriage! I still study languages, and I have a great relationship with my husband, but when my competitive side shows up, I recognize it, and in the seeing, I am able to avoid it. As a result, I'm able to listen better, take correction, and have more fun. My marriage AND friendships AND my work life are easier, and yes, more magical.

Incredible new possibilities.......2007-06-05

"How to Create a Magical Relationship" is a perfect guideline for possibilities. It touches on all aspects of relationships: the one with
yourself, your partner, parents, friends, colleagues - just every relationship! Easy and fun to read, Ariel and Shya Kane explain the principles of transformation and living in the moment. How awareness and not working on yourself open up doors. A whole new approach that makes all the difference! I highly recommend it.

A phenomenal and groundbreaking book! .......2007-06-01

This book is incredible and inspiring. The authors approach relationships (both to ourselves and to each other) from a very pragmatic angle. They put the onus of the relationship on the individual: "It takes two to fight and one to end the fight" is something that I really can see now. I recognize myself and my patterns of behavior in my relationships more clearly than ever before. For example, how my unexamined, mechanical behaviors can trigger unwanted reactions and patterns from other people (especially people who are close to me like my parents). I see how I can cause a chain reaction to occur and I now have the ability to either 'go there' or take a brand-new road. I don't have to be a victim anymore and can instead take 100% responsibility for my life. To the spiritual seeker, a book like this is a blessing!

Thin Again: A Biblical Approach to Food, Eating and Weight Management

Average customer rating:

Not the same book
Thin Again: A Biblical Approach to Food, Eating and Weight Management
The Truth
Inside Out
This was AWESOME!

Thin Again: A Biblical Approach to Food, Eating and Weight Management
Arthur W. Halliday , and Judy Wardell Halliday
Manufacturer: Revell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Healthy Living | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Family Health | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Thin Within
Faithfully Fit: A 40-Day Devotional Plan to End the Yo-Yo Lifestyle of Chronic Dieting
The Joy of Eating Right!: Spiritual and Nutritional Principles for Weight Control (A Bible Study for Women)
PrayerWalk: Becoming a Woman of Prayer, Strength, and Discipline
Daily Word for Weight Loss

Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 0800758110
Release Date: 2002-01-01

Book Description

There is a universal hunger experienced by every person-the God-given hunger for genuine intimacy, security, and significance. Unfortunately, instead of seeking satisfaction from God, many people try to fill the void with counterfeits like food. This concept is the basic message of Thin Again-now back in trade paper-and the main focus of Thin Within workshops. Using personal examples, Thin Again reveals how disordered eating is used to guard against emotional pain, and it unabashedly points to freedom through a relationship with God. Readers will be challenged to think about food and hunger in a whole new way and will live a more fulfilling life as a result.

Customer Reviews:

Not the same book.......2007-08-09

There are two books from the same authors, with similar titles. Thin Within, and Thin Again are not the same book, though they espouse the same principles. Thin Again has a more overtly spiritual approach. No problem for me, but I preferred the more complete Thin Within, which I had gotten from the library. It was so good, I wanted my own copy. But when ordering from Amazon, I could not tell if these two books were the same with different titles, or not. The reviews were almost identical. I ordered Thin Again, which was not the one I really wanted. Just a "heads up" for buyers.

Thin Again: A Biblical Approach to Food, Eating and Weight Management.......2006-02-01

Excellent Book. Simply written but loaded with information. If you are tired of the ups and downs of dieting, this book is very helpful.

The Truth.......2005-09-16

I found this book to be one of the most life changings books I have read todate. The author gives you a really clear path that makes you focus on your life and you as a person. The insight that I have gained about myself was really freeing. I read the book through once and then I started all over again with Chapter One. I got a journal and I have begun writing, meditating on the scriptures from the book and really learning how to connect my poor eating habits to the stressful or negative events that occur in my life. I will be using this book for the next few years. This book can really be applied to any addiction that a person may be dealing with.

Inside Out.......2004-08-04

This is the last weight-loss book you will ever need! Thin Again teaches the reader how to deal with the inner causes of over-eating first. I have never read anything like it! It's not man-made psychological principles that will make permanent changes. It's the application of Scripture and the healing ministry of the Holy Spirit. Thin Again is a gentle, non-threatening, non-judgmental treatment of the problem of obesity and food-addiction. I have read volumes on these subjects, but this one changed my life, and I am encouraged for my future as a much thinner person.

This was AWESOME!.......2002-06-06

I absolutely loved this book! Since my purchase two months ago, I have lost 43 pounds! Just reading the book makes you understand so much, but more importantly, it allows you to give up the dieting "thing" and give it to God. He is the only one that has perfection and can give the support you need. This book also helped me understand why I have failed so many other times. I admit that in giving up my "legalism" it has been very hard to throw away the scale, but I have never ate my favorite foods and still lost weight.

In the past I tried Diet Center, deal a meal, shots, starvation, and numerous pills and vitamin programs. I always lost weight, but always felt deprived, and once I would overeat or eat the wrong thing, that was the end. Not so today!

In some ways I'm glad the other ways I tried to lose weight never really worked. Now I can say that my success is all to the glory of the Lord!

Little House on the Freeway: Help for the Hurried Home
Average customer rating:

Worthwhile Insights

Take Time to Read this One!

Little House on the Freeway: Help for the Hurried Home
Tim Kimmel
Manufacturer: Multnomah
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Stress Management | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Grace-Based Parenting

Raising Kids for True Greatness: Redefine Success for You and Your Child

Surviving Life In The Fast Lane: A Discussion Guide Based On The Book Little House On The Freeway

Raising Kids Who Turn Out Right

Why Christian Kids Rebel : Trading Heartache for Hope

ASIN: 0880706287
Release Date: 1994-02-24

Book Description

More than 300,000 copies in print! Enjoy learning how to maintain true priorities and restore calmness to marriage, family life, your relationship with God, and the workplace. Includes individual/group study guide.

Customer Reviews:

Worthwhile Insights.......2004-06-09

This book addresses the vast majority of American families today that are rushed, rushed and rushed some more. With parents and kids alike trying to cram more and more activities into an already-crowded schedule, this volume is a God-send. The message that families should focus on the eternal rather than the temporal is communicated in relevant and realistic ways.

If you don't have time to read a book on this subject, then you need to TAKE the time! This title is well-worth the small investment of money and time required for the reading.

Take Time to Read this One!.......2001-04-13

Hurry up and wait! The theme for our world. Everyone seems to be so intensely busy. Never enough time for the real things we want to do.

This book will help. It won't be cure-all. But it is great start.

God wants His children to have rest, rest for our bodies, souls and minds. Rest from anxiety, etc., so at the heart is our rest in Christ.

From this, Kimmel proceeds to apply it to relationships, work, children, suffering, forgiveness, etc.

Book Description

Feel like you’re trying to dig out from under a mountain of debt without a shovel? Tired of working your tail off just to break even? Is the high cost of living taking all the joy out of life? Unless you’re one of the top two percent of wealthiest Americans, all of the above should sound painfully familiar. While they’re trying to decide between the ski lodge in Telluride and the Tuscan villa, for the rest of us, it’s an endless litany of corporate lay-offs, stagnant wages, crushing credit card debt, skyrocketing medical costs, exorbitant utility bills, the high cost of higher education.... And they call this “the good life.” Is there a better way to live? Can you get what you need and what you want without killing yourself to get it? “Absolutely,” says frugal-living guru Deborah Taylor-Hough, and in Frugal Living For Dummies, she shows you how.

In this warmhearted guide to living the good life on less, Deborah shows you how to live within your means and enjoy doing it. Among other things, she shows you how to:

Eat like a king on a peasant’s budget
Take the sting out of gift-giving
Dress well on a shoestring
Save big bucks on family expenses
Slash household expenses
Save on medical expenses
Involve the whole family in saving money
Save more for the things you want

From basement to attic, cradle to grave, Frugal Living For Dummies covers all areas of life with common sense advice and guidance on:

Working with your partner to achieve financial goals
Going to the grocery without being taken to the cleaners
Quick and thrifty cooking techniques
Providing kids the basics on a tight budget
Putting kids through school without going broke
Looking good and feeling good on a tight budget
Frugal holiday fun year round
Saving money around the house and driveway
Finding quality in pre-owned merchandise

Packed with tried-and-true techniques for cutting costs and stopping the insanity, Frugal Living For Dummies is the ultimate financial survival guide for the rest of us.

Customer Reviews:

Not the best frugal living book out there.......2007-03-18

This book would be great for "beginning" to live and think frugally. If you've got a home, and kids then this would be a good book to just look at if you are thinking about becoming more frugal.

I guess I would refer this book to people who definitely have a budget to live off of - and maybe those who really aren't hurting that bad money wise.

And, you don't have to be a dummie to read this book.

The introduction was probably the best part of the whole book.

Very helpful book.......2006-08-23

This book has tons of great tips and overall is helpful to anyone looking to become more frugal and live more simply. Highly recommend.

Great for those new to the lifestyle.......2006-03-18

If you're new to frugal living then I'm sure this book will be of great help to you. I've been living a frugal lifestyle for a few years now and was hoping I might get a few new suggestions by reading this book but unfortunately I was wrong. I would recommend this book to those who are interested in saving a bit here and there. Frugality doesn't mean that you need to move to a teeny tiny apartment, clip coupons and eat rice for every meal. If you're looking to get out of debt or maybe try to simplify your way of living, this book would be a great start.

Intro to frugality 101.......2004-12-24

I see this book as an intoduction to frugality. In the last 2 years I have read everything I could get my hands on frugality. I am now debt free, my only bills being my mortage and utility bills. No credit card debt! I think this book is an introduction to being frugal. It is not as comando as the tightwad gazette, and the ideas can be easily adapted for a newby.
Geting started is always the first step, and this is a friendly introduction to the concepts of frugality. I think it is laid out well. And can help anyone it does not seem so radical. A lot of these books make the reader feel deprived, this book does not, it is an alternative. When ever we feel deprived we don't stay on track. Thats budget wise, diet wise, or anything else in our lives we want to change. This is the book for you if you want to change your spending habits. I would buy it if I were new to frugality, if you have been frugal for a while you may want something diffrent as this book has a lot of ideas I have read in other books. I think it is great for a beginner, but not for advanced frugal zealots.

Keep in mind, this is a "FOR DUMMIES" book!.......2004-07-14

Just a quick reminder for all of those reviewers who seem to have forgotten this one little fact: "FOR DUMMIES" books are written for self-proclaimed "Dummies" ... people who know nothing about a given topic, but want to learn the basics.

For example, when I wanted a basic book on birdwatching (because I knew NOTHING about the topic but wanted to get a good, solid start with basic, accurate information) ... I bought "Birdwatching For Dummies". When my teenage daughter needed help with her classes in Algebra and Biology ... I bought her copies of "Algebra For Dummies" and "Biology For Dummies".

These "FOR DUMMIES" books have a particular place in the book market ... they're written for BEGINNERS -- people who know absolutely NOTHING about a topic. "Frugal Living For Dummies" accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do ... it provides a basic introduction and simple framework for people unfamiliar with frugal living basics.

Keep in mind when reading reviews of this book that say things like, "It barely scratches the surface of frugal living," that this book is part of the trademarked "FOR DUMMIES(R)" series ... it's a book that's obviously NOT written to people who've been living frugally their entire adult lives and already know a-thousand-and-one ways to recycle styrofoam meat trays.

If you're a long-time frugal person, buy a copy of "Frugal Living For Dummies" as a gift for your spendthrift friends ... but if you've read every frugal book on the market, you'll honestly be happier just sitting around hugging your Tightwad Gazette books.

REMEMBER: Don't buy a "For Dummies" book on ANY topic if you're not looking for a simple overview of the absolute BASICS! I just hate seeing people bash a perfectly good book just because they don't "get" the purpose of the book. Silly, silly people. What are they thinking?

Book Description

The breakthrough book for a time-pressed generation. Major features in USA Today, The Washington Post, Boston Herald, Chicago Tribune, and 75 other newspapers, plus Executive Female, USAir, Office Systems 98, Leaders, and Mens Health. Explains why the information age is not here yet; for now, most people are drowning in the over-information era. If you face too much paper, too much to read, or simply too much to do, this book will change your life. Get in control of your space, and control of your time and life will follow.

Customer Reviews:

Read this book & see how much more you can accomplish in a day & how much more you can enjoy it!.......2007-02-12

Breathing Space: Living and Working at a Comfortable Pace in a Sped-Up Society
by Jeff Davidson

During the early nineties when I was embarking on my departure from the corporate world & entering the Corridor to pursue my entrepreneurial interests, one book caught my personal attention. At that time, I was told that "information doubled once every eighteen months". Alvin Toffler, John Naisbitt, & Richard Saul Wurman were already riding high on the information anxiety phenomenon, even though each of them has his own perspectives.

The book I am referring to is 'Breathing Space'. I am gratified to note that this book is still available. Although some stuff may be dated as it was written during the pre-internet era, a lot of the strategies & tools advocated by the author are still applicable in today's context.

First, the author defined 'breathing space' beautifully as: "You know it when you have it. It is the feeling of having time & space, of being in control, or content or relaxed. It is the room to be, to explore or to do nothing."

Let me outline here the major parts of his work:

1. The root causes of the pressure you feel;
2. Hand tools;
3. Power tools;
4. Cerebral tools;
5. Metaphysical tools;

Back in the early nineties, the book fueled me with a lot of valuable fresh insights, which empowered me to live & work at a comfortable relaxed pace in a 24-hour society:

- information only becomes knowledge when it's applied;
- choose to acquire knowledge that supports or interests you;
- about 80% of papers retained in office environments are never used;
- periodically, the sweetest choice is choosing from what you already have, choosing to actually have what you've already chosen;
- whenever you catch yourself making a low-level decision, consider: Does this really make a difference? Get in the habit of making only a few decisions a day - the ones that count;
- consider the value of any product, service or plan as two fold: (1) the intended benefit & (2) the ease with which you can understand, receive & enjoy those benefits. If it doesn't, don't buy it;
- Rules of Thumb: any item that saves you one hour per week for a minimum of one year & costs US$1,000 or less is an excellent buy; never mind if you purchased the latest or fastest model; there will always be later & faster models;
- any activity consuming 30 minutes of your day consumes two solid years of your life;
- to get to know someone better, ask him what his life priorities are;
- if you don't know what you have & you can't find it, it is of no use to you;
- just because it is interesting or expensive doesn't mean you have to keep it;
- being neat & being organised are not the same thing;
- a powerful way to gain breathing space, perpetually, is by seeking completions;
- preserve your weekends for recreational activites. You're worth it!;
- if you're serious about having more breathing space, give up fast food forever!
- you can increase the likelihood of experiencing time warp effect by removing yourself from the time measured environment - by hiding the clock;
- one hour of uncluttered thought can yield more benefits than days of common desk work;
- jump starting often enables you to capture your first & sometimes best thoughts;
- use the day units as a convenient measure for charting progress in pursuit of your goals;
- living in the moment does not mean living for the moment or living to get to the next moment. It means total, unconditional acknowledgement that what is now, is your life; that now is the only moment there is;
- the relentless quest to move on to what's next keeps you from fully enjoying what's here;
- longing more strongly for what you no longer have, rather than reveling in what you do have, is a guarantee that you will miss the present & all the magic it holds. Revel in what you have;
- how you elect to feel is always your choice. the act of choosing is a simple but powerful technique that will further aid you in attaining breathing space;
- when people make decisions based on instinct, they end up happier than those who make decisions based on careful analysis;
- choosing to feel at home frees you to experience the present moment, wit its surrrounding scenery, to the fullest;
- when you are off course, re-direct your energies. Ask: "What do I want right now?"
- go for a walk if you are stymied;
- most decisions you could make are of little consequence. Not choosing can be restful!
- some people remain poor is that they accommodate poverty...as difficult as it is for them to live in abject poverty, they are not willing to accept the difficulty of making a better life for themselves (according to Prof Kenneth Galbraith);
- get ruthless, drop what doesn't support you;
- constantly read your priorities & goals list;
- clear all your files of deadwood;
- count twice; look for all the ways to re-apply the work you have already done;

Even up to today, the insights from the book still work for me! Many thanks, Jeff, for a wonderful exposition!

To conclude my review, let me say this: Read this book & see how much more you can accomplish in a day & how much more you can enjoy it!

Great book!.......2006-06-07

This is a very insightful book and one that is unlike most others that I've encountered. The author maintains that the typical person in our society today is in a super-rush because of forces that uniformly impact us all. He then proceeds to lay out in a very logical fashion how to counter-act these forces and take control of your day as well as the spaces in your life, like your desk, your car, your closets, and so on, so that you're in control more of the time. I particularly like the sections called "Fresh Air" which are bulleted points offering innovative ideas for getting back in charge of your life.

Overcome stress.......2005-05-05

This book is nothing short of a sensational. It is one of the most forward-thinking texts I've encountered in quite a while. Starting with the premise that an over-populated world creates more information and communication than the typical person can keep up with---more media, more paper, and more choices---you begin to gain a sense of why each day feels as if there's too much to do, too much to know, too much to keep on top of. With this book, you gain a perspective that enables you to approach your day, your week, your month and so on in a more common and reasoned fashion. Some of the tips in the middle and latter chapters I have seen in otherbooks, but in this context they seem to work particularly well. I like theauthor's approach in giving out the tips based on hand tools, power tools,and cerebral tools. If you are experiencing increasing time pressure or stress, this is the book for you.

Easy read, VERY helpful!.......2005-02-01

"Breathing Space" is a wonderful concept and is laid out nicely by the author in this easy-to-read book. It's only about 210 pages but mercifully, most pages don't contain a lot of text. So it's easy on the eyes, and easy on the mind. I agree whole-heartedly with the author's premise that the pace of life has sped up because of what he calls "macro-realities," a sort of mega-trends that are here now and continue to impact every element of our lives. Buy this book for yourself and for people you care about. It'll give you insights and perspectives that are unique and vital. More important, you'll have a broad-base understanding as to why we all seem to be in such a hurry all the time, and have a real good chance of getting past this trap.

Breathing Space.......2003-04-03

This is a very good book on a topic that a lot of people will start to be aware of. I mean, gosh, can we all just keep rushing around, working like dogs, and not taking any time off for personal growth? It focuses on things how all got into this culteral rat race, the imprtance of balance, rediscovering aspects of yourself, cultivating new interests and new hobbies and taking appropriate personal risks that you weren't up to taking before reading it.

Shattering the Two-Income Income Myth: Daily Secrets for Living Well on One Income

Average customer rating:

Par Excellence
This guy is crazy! I love it!
Perfect book for families switching to one income living.
Great title, important book!

Shattering the Two-Income Income Myth: Daily Secrets for Living Well on One Income
Andy Dappen
Manufacturer: Brier Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Budgeting & Money Management | Personal Finance | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Family Relationships | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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Accessories:

Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers
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ASIN: 0963257714

Customer Reviews:

Par Excellence.......2001-05-08

Two words sum this book up .. Par Excellence . I got Andy Dappen's book from the library and hated to part with it when its renewal limit was reached . I would strongly recommend this book for newly weds , single income families and people who are knee deep in debt and want to get out of the money trap.

When will this book come into print again ???

This guy is crazy! I love it!.......1999-08-21

This guy is a frugal maniac and proud of it. Some of his ideas are really batty, but most make a lot of good sense. I read an excerpt in Reader's Digest and then got his book from the library. Don't let his crazy ideas like using old bread as a frisbee distract you from his main concept that you can be happy with less, and even have fun trying to find ways to save. I would think Mr. Dappen would prefer you don't spend your money on this book though. Check the book out of the library instead!

Perfect book for families switching to one income living........1998-11-20

Andy Dappen's book, "Shattering the Two Income Myth," critically examines the idea that two incomes are a requirement for family life in the modern world. He draws some interesting conclusions. Dappen refers to a U.S. Labor Department study that has shown the average dual-career family loses up to two-thirds of its second paycheck to work-related expenses, and if children needing daycare or after school supervision are in the picture, the percentage of work-related expenses is even higher. To truthfully calculate the earnings from a family's second set of wages, they would need to subtract all work-related expenses from their income. Dappen asserts that many second income-earners are "spending big bucks for the privilege of joining the nine-to-five parade."

Dappen also takes the view that one of the main reasons people feel unable to live on a single income is due to inflated expectations of what a family truly "needs" to live well. He calls it "our love affair with consumerism." Trophy houses, sport utitlity vehicles, new mini vans, designer clothes, big screen TV's and $100 running shoes are just some of the so-called "needs" many parents are working to supply for their families.

Dappen encourages a change of attitude---a refocusing to a mindset that embraces contentedness and fullfillment rather than following after consumer-driven forces. Dappen says, "Making your life happier, more directed, and less stressful distills down to the acceptance of five simple words: You can't have it all."

"Shattering the Two Income Myth" would be an ideal book for any family contemplating the change from two incomes to a single income situation. The book offers practical suggestions for preparing for, and actually making the switch to, living on one income. There are also numerous personal inventory questions to help with the decision making process.

Great title, important book!.......1998-11-06

Had enough of the fast-paced, latch-keyed, two-earner treadmill? This book can help put quality back into your family's time. Andy Dappen's advice and money-saving tips, at least one for every day of the year, are great for all families -- whether or not you choose to become a one-income household.

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