The number one complain of people today is the lack of meaning in their hectic lives. In her second book, A Simple Choice: a practical guide for saving your time, money and sanity, author Deborah Taylor-Hough addresses societal emptiness and the personal search for contentment. With an aim toward returning to emotional replenishment using clear, concise and uplifting examples, A Simple Choice not only examines the futility of keeping up with the Jones' but depicts the simply joy and fulfillment of keeping up with ourselves. Through practical help in the areas of home-keeping, family unity, saving money, spending plans, cooking and more, Deborah Taylor-Hough guides us down a simple life path. In an era of self-reflection, A Simple Choice holds the mirror of life's simple joys that are available to everyone.
Over twenty years ago, we bucked the tide of late-20th Century American life. My husband and I (along with our three children) became a one income family in a two income world. We set out on a journey toward frugal living and simplicity that quickly became an education in itself -- and a rewarding, joy-filled lifestyle.
Through hard work and determination, our family:
~ paid off outstanding consumer debt and medical bills...
~ radically reduced spending in every area of our lives...
~ and most importantly, lived to tell about it!
During our family's lean times, we learned creative ways to stretch our limited finances while not sacrificing our quality of life. Between the demands on our time and a very limited budget, I discovered the benefits of preparing meals ahead of time to store in the freezer. My family of five regularly sat down for homemade meals -- for less than $300 per month -- without sacrificing nutrition, variety, or flavor.
I share my knowledge of cooking for the freezer in my first book, Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month (Champion Press, ISBN 1891400614). I've taught freezer-meal techniques to thousands of people through in-person workshops, discussion groups, radio programs, television spots, and a variety of on-line resources.
In my second book, A Simple Choice: A Practical Guide for Saving Your Time, Money and Sanity, I share some of what I've learned firsthand about raising a family and managing a household with limited time and money. And staying sane in the process.
I have several other books on the market including Frugal Living For Dummies (Wiley Publishing, Feb 2003), Frozen Assets Lite & Easy, Mix and Match Recipes: Creative Ideas for Busy Kitchens, and Frozen Assets Readers' Favorites.
I regularly teach classes and workshops through women's groups, churches, conferences, and community education programs on the topics of:
~ living within your means
~ simple living
~ cooking for the freezer
~ general homemaking
~ identifying personal priorities
~ simplifying the holidays
~ easy educational ideas for children
~ Christian growth and Bible study
... and more!
I also edit several free email newsletters including Simple Times, one of the longest running consistently published email newsletters online. You can subscribe via my website at: TheSimpleMom.com
