Book review: Happy Birthday Kit! (from the American Girl series)

"American Girl? Aren't those dolls like a hundred dollars a piece? Why would Michelle being talking about those on a website for free stuff? Is she crazy??"

Answer: Yes, I am actually crazy. But that's not important right now. We're talking about a book, not my mental health, right?

If you are looking for an entertaining story that incorporates a wholesome message along with lots of great frugal tips for living, Happy Birthday Kit! is your book. One of many books in the American Girl series, this will appeal to young girls and women alike. I read it to my six year old twin daughters and I think I enjoyed it just as much as they did!

Kit, who is a 10 year old girl living during the 1930's, learns a lot about frugal living from her Aunt Millie, who comes to stay with Kit's family for an extended visit. At times Kit is embarrassed by her aunt's flagrant frugalness, but in the end she learns about living simply doesn't have to be a burden.

Here are some of the things I learned in the book:

* Collect dandelion greens from your yard while the dew is still fresh and have a free salad (don't do this if you put chemical fertilizer on your lawn!)
* When your bedsheets wear out in the middle, cut them in half down the middle (where the worn part is). Then sew the outside edges together. Good as new!
* You can remove the collar and cuffs from a shirt and sew them back on reversed to hide the wear.
* Go to the bakery right before they close and they will sell you the day's remaining goods at a reduced price.

You can find the book for FREE at the library. As soon as I return it, that is. :-)

Cooking: lessons from Clara, a woman of the Depression era

I thought this would be a great first post. I stumbled across Depression Cooking with Clara while doing a simply Google search on "cooking depression era". I believe we can learn to much from our grandparents about living simply. Clara, the star of the show, is very charming as she tells little anecdotes about her childhood while showing us how to cook simple, inexpensive dishes. Once you watch one, I bet you'll want to watch all of her videos!