Author Topic: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?  (Read 54571 times)

Miamoo

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Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« on: February 18, 2014, 12:50:36 PM »

http://theprudenthomemaker.com/index.php/frugal-living/saving-money

I find others referring to her and just wondered.  Many great ideas.

skyler

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2014, 01:22:53 PM »
Great list...


"18. Find a new home for your pets, unless they are a food source (chickens, goats, pigs, cows)"
sounds extreme...Maybe limit the amount of new/replacement pets??

Gerard

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2014, 01:52:37 PM »
Really good list. Now let's each customize it!

1. What's a "car" and why do people need one?

2. Get rid of your landline and use your cell phone infrequently.

15. Turn your thermostat way lower at night.

20, 29, 37. My total electrical bill is less than she was paying to keep her kitchen lights on during dinner and her computer on at night. Remind me not to move to wherever she lives.

27. Remember to re-evaluate whether you even need to insure whatever it is you're insuring.

36. Dryer > clothes drying rack

38. If you're using baking soda solely for cleaning, buy non-food-grade baking soda from the feed store.

But on the whole, this nails so many little and big things that people can do. No mention of bikes, though, as far as I can tell...

<edited for spelling>
« Last Edit: February 18, 2014, 02:18:58 PM by Gerard »

wordygirl

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #3 on: February 18, 2014, 02:07:39 PM »
I like it. I do alot of these things already, but some I hadn't thought much about.

I do think the pet advice was a bit harsh, but I get where she is coming from. One companion animal I understand, but if it's just for that you don't need more.

Fortunately, our non-meat-producing animals have jobs. The dog is our security guard/alarm system and my fitness partner (having a high-energy dog ensures I get out to run/cycle/hike even on days where it's tempting to stay inside), and the two cats earn their keep by hunting and killing the mice that make their way into our home (happens a lot here in the country), not to mention the rabbits that plague my garden.

Now, I need to get back to making bread.


reginna

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #4 on: February 18, 2014, 02:22:52 PM »
+1
I enjoy her blog and facebook page. As with the posts everywhere I take what I can apply now and file the rest  for the  future as needed.

CommonCents

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #5 on: February 18, 2014, 02:28:43 PM »
I've read her blog some.  I find that her lifestyle is very very different from mine, so I don't find all of her advice helpful.  (I am a DINK, living in cold New England, she is a stay at home mom homeschooling a fleet of kids in Nevada, with strong religious beliefs.)  She has some great meals, and an astonishly beautiful garden, but I have to remind myself she feeds the family on 40/cents per person per day out of necessity and it's ok to spend more.  (Her "job" and my "job" leave us different amounts of time.)  I like to integrate some of her cheap meals into my menu planning.  Overall she has some good stories/advice.  Other times the advice is less adaptable (e.g. living in an apt, I wasn't able to buy in bulk to the same extent as she does).

ETA: Corrected location.  Still a warm spot with a climate very different from mine!
« Last Edit: February 18, 2014, 03:06:32 PM by CommonCents »

Ellen

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #6 on: February 18, 2014, 02:53:23 PM »
I'm a married mom of two who works outside the home, (gladly and gratefully) sends my kids to public school, rarely sews or embroiders, doesn't attend church, leaves all gardening to my spouse, and lives in one of the most liberal towns in the U.S.

I really, really like the Prudent Homemaker blog (she's in Las Vegas, not Arizona, BTW). Though I don't do many of the things on it, I enjoy PH's positive outlook, even when things are financially tough. She's practices an Amy Dacyczyn level of frugality, yet, like Amy D., PH is incredibly creative and aesthetically inclined. I love the positive nature of her posts--and the comments--and find it fascinating to read about a world that is unlike my own. I cannot help but respect how much she accomplishes every day--with 7 kids under 14 (?), no less!

Gin1984

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #7 on: February 18, 2014, 03:32:57 PM »
I have read her and personally, I don't like her.  She seems to not understand that not everything works for everyone and that people may have other priorities.

MayDay

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2014, 05:17:26 PM »
I found her blog through this site.  It is interesting.

She obviously has a very different life than me (god, 7 kids, her climate, etc) but a lot of it is good thoughts. 

I would die if I had to eat what her family appears to eat based on her shopping posts.  Die, I tell you.  Of course her shopping posts don't include everything from her extensive garden, and in her climate she can garden most of the year.  But still.  All those canned goods, blech!

I wonder why she doesn't monetize her blog, and I wonder what the heck kind of terrible real estate agent her husband is that he has made such a minimal salary from 2007 until now.  Maybe its time for a new job, dude. 

I imagine the lack of focus on biking stems from the whole 7 kids thing.  Biking with little kids sucks big time when you have screamers in the burley, and are hauling a combined 150 lbs between a burley, trail a bike, and 3 little bodies.   Plus trying to herd the older ones. 

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #9 on: February 18, 2014, 06:09:52 PM »
I hadn't heard of her. It does seem like a lot of it wouldn't apply to our family of four. We live in an apartment, and I work from home. So instead of busting my butt canning things and cooking bread from scratch, I'm on the computer making a few bucks that way. To each his own. But holy cow, if she's doing all that while blogging and homeschooling... I better read more often. It might remind me to get off my ass and get more done!

I have trouble identifying with the choice to have a large family on a small income and with no health insurance, but I can respect how hard she's working to make that work.

NV Teacher

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #10 on: February 18, 2014, 09:31:45 PM »
I would die if I had to eat what her family appears to eat based on her shopping posts.  Die, I tell you.  Of course her shopping posts don't include everything from her extensive garden, and in her climate she can garden most of the year.  But still.  All those canned goods, blech!

I would say our panty looked just like hers as we were growing up.  Pretty much if we didn't grow it we didn't eat it.  Summers were great because we could eat out of the garden but we had to can lots of stuff to get us through the winter.  We bottled peaches, pears, cherries, raspberries, fruit cocktail, apricots, apple slices, apple sauce, carrots, green beans, corn, tomatoes, beets, pickles, venison, chicken, and all kinds of jams and jellies.  We also had a cold storage room in the basement where we could store potatoes and winter squash.  My mom would buy a box of apples and a box of oranges at Christmas time but I don't ever remember her buying fresh veggies in the winter.  This was pretty common for where I grew up.

Simple Abundant Living

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #11 on: February 18, 2014, 09:46:29 PM »

I wonder why she doesn't monetize her blog, and I wonder what the heck kind of terrible real estate agent her husband is that he has made such a minimal salary from 2007 until now.  Maybe its time for a new job, dude. 


I actually asked her about this. She said she has reached out to sponsors with very little interest. Her blog attracts viewers, but not consumers, so I can see the problem. I told her she should add a "donate now" button, but she won't do it. She feels that a lot of her readers would try to donate out of their limited funds.  She feels that she receives blessings for sharing this with others, and I respect that.

But yeah, hubby needs to think of a new profession. 

happy

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #12 on: February 19, 2014, 04:36:06 AM »
I dip into her blog from time to time. As others have said, her life is very different to mine, but I learn lots of interesting things from reading what she has to say and she certainly is creative and artistic as well as very positive.

Initially I just accepted it, but the lack of income for so long recently struck me as a little odd or at least very passive. Maybe they've adapted and like things the way they are, maybe there's another part of the story we don't know that prevents hubby from increasing their income.


BPA

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #13 on: February 19, 2014, 04:41:32 AM »
I would have fewer kids and more pets.  ;)  To each her own.


happy

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #14 on: February 19, 2014, 05:31:43 AM »
I would have fewer kids and more pets.  ;)  To each her own.

Indeed, I have 2 kids, ahem children and 6 cavies

rocksinmyhead

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #15 on: February 19, 2014, 06:05:48 AM »
interesting. just checked out her site for the first time... I agree with others, her life is SO different from mine but I definitely think I can get some good ideas out of it!

one thing I don't understand is her twofold justification/reasoning behind stocking up on food. I understand doing it to take advantage of sales and/or bulk pricing, but then she also seems to emphasize that "when we didn't have an income for months, we still had food because I had stocked up." why not stock up on... money? like, when your husband DOES make a sale, don't spend it ALL on pantry food, save some so you can  buy fresh food... right?

Gin1984

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #16 on: February 19, 2014, 06:47:07 AM »
interesting. just checked out her site for the first time... I agree with others, her life is SO different from mine but I definitely think I can get some good ideas out of it!

one thing I don't understand is her twofold justification/reasoning behind stocking up on food. I understand doing it to take advantage of sales and/or bulk pricing, but then she also seems to emphasize that "when we didn't have an income for months, we still had food because I had stocked up." why not stock up on... money? like, when your husband DOES make a sale, don't spend it ALL on pantry food, save some so you can  buy fresh food... right?
Personally, I'd keep my kids protected even if it meant a night job, or an early morning one (when kids/dad are asleep).  Staying home but not having health insurance seems so irresponsible and selfish.

MayDay

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #17 on: February 19, 2014, 06:57:53 AM »
I would die if I had to eat what her family appears to eat based on her shopping posts.  Die, I tell you.  Of course her shopping posts don't include everything from her extensive garden, and in her climate she can garden most of the year.  But still.  All those canned goods, blech!

I would say our panty looked just like hers as we were growing up.  Pretty much if we didn't grow it we didn't eat it.  Summers were great because we could eat out of the garden but we had to can lots of stuff to get us through the winter.  We bottled peaches, pears, cherries, raspberries, fruit cocktail, apricots, apple slices, apple sauce, carrots, green beans, corn, tomatoes, beets, pickles, venison, chicken, and all kinds of jams and jellies.  We also had a cold storage room in the basement where we could store potatoes and winter squash.  My mom would buy a box of apples and a box of oranges at Christmas time but I don't ever remember her buying fresh veggies in the winter.  This was pretty common for where I grew up.

I garden and can a ton, too, but we still eat fresh eggs, some fresh veggies, some fresh fruit, dairy other an powdered milk, etc during the winter. 

It isn't the idea of canning 100 lbs of pears (I have probably 100 quarts of applesauce in my basement) but the idea that there is nothing fresh, ever.  I know she now has a garden and in LV does get fresh stuff from it most of the year, but the first year her H lost his income she said they bought no groceries for an entire year.  That is the year I object to!  She said the market crashed in the spring, so they had income for the first few months of 2007 then nothing the rest of the year.  I'm thinking that after a few months of that, maybe one of them could have gotten a minimum wage job to put some eggs and fresh fruit on the table. 

So basically I majorly side eye her lifestyle choices while also finding her interesting and getting some entertainment if not new ideas from her blog.  I can't say that her list of frugal ideas includes anything new to me but it is still good to be reminded. 

netskyblue

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #18 on: February 19, 2014, 07:29:16 AM »
I garden and can a ton, too, but we still eat fresh eggs, some fresh veggies, some fresh fruit, dairy other an powdered milk, etc during the winter. 

It isn't the idea of canning 100 lbs of pears (I have probably 100 quarts of applesauce in my basement) but the idea that there is nothing fresh, ever.

Fresh fruits & vegetables are seasonal foods, though.  If you want fresh fruits & vegetables in winter,  you either must live in a climate where they grow at that time of year, grow them yourself under grow lights, or have them trucked "green" over great distances.  I applaud the ability & dedication required to eat one's own produce year-round, fresh in summer, canned & frozen through the winter.

Gin1984

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #19 on: February 19, 2014, 07:47:10 AM »
I garden and can a ton, too, but we still eat fresh eggs, some fresh veggies, some fresh fruit, dairy other an powdered milk, etc during the winter. 

It isn't the idea of canning 100 lbs of pears (I have probably 100 quarts of applesauce in my basement) but the idea that there is nothing fresh, ever.

Fresh fruits & vegetables are seasonal foods, though.  If you want fresh fruits & vegetables in winter,  you either must live in a climate where they grow at that time of year, grow them yourself under grow lights, or have them trucked "green" over great distances.  I applaud the ability & dedication required to eat one's own produce year-round, fresh in summer, canned & frozen through the winter.
There are winter veggies though. 

Gin1984

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #20 on: February 19, 2014, 11:14:25 AM »
interesting. just checked out her site for the first time... I agree with others, her life is SO different from mine but I definitely think I can get some good ideas out of it!

one thing I don't understand is her twofold justification/reasoning behind stocking up on food. I understand doing it to take advantage of sales and/or bulk pricing, but then she also seems to emphasize that "when we didn't have an income for months, we still had food because I had stocked up." why not stock up on... money? like, when your husband DOES make a sale, don't spend it ALL on pantry food, save some so you can  buy fresh food... right?
Personally, I'd keep my kids protected even if it meant a night job, or an early morning one (when kids/dad are asleep).  Staying home but not having health insurance seems so irresponsible and selfish.

I won't judge what she feeds her children because there are tons of kids that survive on worse.   However, I didn't realize she didn't have health insurance for her children.  If her husband makes so little, shouldn't there be some low income health coverage for children?
In most states, yes.  And surviving is not thriving, so I do judge.  Then again, I am sure people could judge me for a lot too.  :)

CommonCents

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #21 on: February 19, 2014, 11:29:30 AM »
Some religions prohibit health insurance as a type of gambling.  Some communities "self insure" (e.g. Amish).  Some folks also do not believe in public assistance of any kind.  I don't know her stance, but I think more people choose to not have health insurance than you might expect.

Gin1984

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #22 on: February 19, 2014, 12:09:23 PM »
Some religions prohibit health insurance as a type of gambling.  Some communities "self insure" (e.g. Amish).  Some folks also do not believe in public assistance of any kind.  I don't know her stance, but I think more people choose to not have health insurance than you might expect.
And that very well may be true, I still can find it selfish and irresponsible.  People can make choices for themselves that put them at risk, but forcing certain choices on minors, risking them when they have no choice is something I can't find acceptable. 

greenmimama

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #23 on: February 19, 2014, 12:36:58 PM »
I am impressed she can do so much, I mean she could have just sat down and cried and signed up for welfare, she seems to be a go getter who loves her family and get it done! We should have more with that kind of attitude.

greenmimama

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #24 on: February 19, 2014, 12:38:01 PM »
Although everytime I eat meat I think of her and how she says they can't afford it, then I feel a little guilty and a little luxurious eating the delicious meat that we often eat.

CommonCents

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #25 on: February 19, 2014, 12:49:33 PM »
Some religions prohibit health insurance as a type of gambling.  Some communities "self insure" (e.g. Amish).  Some folks also do not believe in public assistance of any kind.  I don't know her stance, but I think more people choose to not have health insurance than you might expect.
And that very well may be true, I still can find it selfish and irresponsible.  People can make choices for themselves that put them at risk, but forcing certain choices on minors, risking them when they have no choice is something I can't find acceptable.

Fair enough.  I'm a health care lawyer myself, so I consider it important too!  I just can see how some people don't.  (For the record, the Amish model actually works very well though, through donations and pre-negotiated immediate cash discounts, and a healthier more active population in general.)

Left

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #26 on: February 19, 2014, 12:57:33 PM »
"18. Find a new home for your pets, unless they are a food source (chickens, goats, pigs, cows)"
I read this as find a new home for your children unless they are a food source... (they paying rent)

Yeah... I don't begrudge people having kids/pets but I don't want any... but I'm not "too" old yet at 27

Simple Abundant Living

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #27 on: February 19, 2014, 01:14:29 PM »
Some religions prohibit health insurance as a type of gambling.  Some communities "self insure" (e.g. Amish).  Some folks also do not believe in public assistance of any kind.  I don't know her stance, but I think more people choose to not have health insurance than you might expect.

She is LDS (Mormon), so health insurance is NOT prohibited by her religion.  In fact, Mormons believe in self-sufficiency first, then family help, then church help, and then govt. assistance.  So providing a healthcare safety net would be very important.  I would be shocked if she didn't have Medicaid for her family.  Also, to clarify, Mormons do value and cherish their children and families, but the church does not limit contraception or tell people how many children to have.  Her views on homeschooling are totally her own, as well.

I think she does a great service with the blog and website, because it shows what you can do with very little.  Her posts are so lovely and do not look "deprived".  However, I do disagree with her choice to homeschool, not work (I would have my kids in good public schools and at least have a night job), and to keep supportive of her husband's career.

4alpacas

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #28 on: February 19, 2014, 01:15:24 PM »
"18. Find a new home for your pets, unless they are a food source (chickens, goats, pigs, cows)"
I read this as find a new home for your children unless they are a food source... (they paying rent)

Yeah... I don't begrudge people having kids/pets but I don't want any... but I'm not "too" old yet at 27
This made me snort! 

snuggler

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #29 on: February 19, 2014, 01:19:40 PM »
She does have some good tips, but I agree that some of their decisions strike me as irresponsible. Her main post says that they had her 5th child after her husband's income dramatically dropped. Since then, their income has not recovered, but they have chosen to have 2 more! I can't imagine choosing to bring in more people into the world, knowing that there is a good chance I wouldn't be able to feed them or get health insurance for them.

MicroRN

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #30 on: February 19, 2014, 01:31:54 PM »
I read it from time to time.  I'm an atheist working mom who reads a lot of christian homemaker blogs.  Oh well, I get a lot of great tips and recipes from them!  I wouldn't want to live her lifestyle, especially the lack of health insurance, but there are definitely valuable things to pull from what she writes. 

C. K.

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #31 on: February 19, 2014, 01:46:15 PM »
"18. Find a new home for your pets, unless they are a food source (chickens, goats, pigs, cows)"
 
Who says cat isn't a food source?

rocksinmyhead

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #32 on: February 19, 2014, 02:31:13 PM »
Some religions prohibit health insurance as a type of gambling.  Some communities "self insure" (e.g. Amish).  Some folks also do not believe in public assistance of any kind.  I don't know her stance, but I think more people choose to not have health insurance than you might expect.
She is LDS (Mormon), so health insurance is NOT prohibited by her religion.  In fact, Mormons believe in self-sufficiency first, then family help, then church help, and then govt. assistance.  So providing a healthcare safety net would be very important.  I would be shocked if she didn't have Medicaid for her family.  Also, to clarify, Mormons do value and cherish their children and families, but the church does not limit contraception or tell people how many children to have.  Her views on homeschooling are totally her own, as well.

interesting. that explains the food storage too, although I am surprised she didn't mention that in her main food storage posts (maybe she did and I missed it, I was kinda skimming).

I think she does a great service with the blog and website, because it shows what you can do with very little.  Her posts are so lovely and do not look "deprived".

agreed! I also find that inspirational.

wordygirl

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #33 on: February 19, 2014, 03:52:20 PM »
There seem to be an awful lot of judgemental opinions about this woman and her lifestyle, which I find a bit disheartening.

I don't know what her situation is in terms of income, but she obviously has clear priorities and values that are important to her and her family (staying home with the kids, homeschooling, not practicing birth control) and is not complaining about where that leaves her. I admire and respect that.

I confess, however, the whole "you should get a job so your kids have health insurance" blows my Canadian mind. Are not poor people covered by some kind of health care in the US? Would these kids be turned away from hospitals if they got sick or injured? I don't get the "selfishness" here.

1967mama

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #34 on: February 19, 2014, 03:56:52 PM »
Yes! I read the Prudent Homemaker! I find it so inspirational how much she accomplishes in a day with such a cheerful heart. She motivates me to work harder and smarter in my own home. I have found many of her frugal living ideas well in line with MMM, though clearly, her lifestyle is drastically different. As with anything, I take what I find useful from many blogs (including MMM) and leave the rest behind :-)

Susan in Vancouver

BPA

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #35 on: February 19, 2014, 04:54:29 PM »
There seem to be an awful lot of judgemental opinions about this woman and her lifestyle, which I find a bit disheartening.

I don't know what her situation is in terms of income, but she obviously has clear priorities and values that are important to her and her family (staying home with the kids, homeschooling, not practicing birth control) and is not complaining about where that leaves her. I admire and respect that.

I confess, however, the whole "you should get a job so your kids have health insurance" blows my Canadian mind. Are not poor people covered by some kind of health care in the US? Would these kids be turned away from hospitals if they got sick or injured? I don't get the "selfishness" here.

But she is also judgmental about having pets.  I think that's okay.  Everyone has to use his/her own judgment to decide what works best. 

I have not one car, but no cars.  So I'll keep my cat (which as someone else pointed out, I guess I could eat, but he'd be pretty tough ;)). 

Cassie

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #36 on: February 19, 2014, 05:17:11 PM »
In Nevada with that low an income & that many kids they would qualify for Medicaid if they applied.  I will have to read the blog to see what i think. I hate when people talk about getting rid of pets to save $. It would be one thing to decide not to get more when they all die but to get rid of them when you have made a commitment is terrible.

CommonCents

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #37 on: February 19, 2014, 05:21:37 PM »
Pets are on the list, yes, but it's being blown out of proportion in terms of the time she talks about it. (This is the first I've seen.). And let's be fair - pets DO cost money.  If you are in a serious hair on fire debt emergency we'd likely all reject a suggestion that the person go get a pet.  And if you had no money to feed your kids, I'd agree to give up existing ones. I think she comes from a place of frugality by necessity, which is different than many choice of frugality here (including my own).

Gin1984

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #38 on: February 19, 2014, 05:22:14 PM »
There seem to be an awful lot of judgemental opinions about this woman and her lifestyle, which I find a bit disheartening.

I don't know what her situation is in terms of income, but she obviously has clear priorities and values that are important to her and her family (staying home with the kids, homeschooling, not practicing birth control) and is not complaining about where that leaves her. I admire and respect that.

I confess, however, the whole "you should get a job so your kids have health insurance" blows my Canadian mind. Are not poor people covered by some kind of health care in the US? Would these kids be turned away from hospitals if they got sick or injured? I don't get the "selfishness" here.
ERs are required to make sure you won't die, but that is it.  No, they do not get preventive care, they also don't get anything past "don't die" in the ER.  This means lack of shots, this means no doctors visits to check for concussions etc.  Basically, her kids are likely not getting the same treatment as a kid with parents who have health insurance.  They are more likely to be sick, more likely to have permanent issues because of this woman's choice.  So yes, I think it is very selfish to not give your child basic care.

Cassie

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #39 on: February 19, 2014, 05:50:45 PM »
Commoncents, I did not say you should get a pet if your hair is on fire but you should certainly not get rid of an existing pet.  It is an obligation that you need to fulfill.  Also she is being irresponsible with her kid's medical care by not signing up for free Medicaid.  If she does not want government help then one of the adults should take on more work to buy their insurance. YOu have a responsibility when you have kids to adequately take care of their basic needs if at all possible.

HappierAtHome

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #40 on: February 19, 2014, 06:51:08 PM »
I assumed that the reason why they have no/low income was because her husband owned his business and chose not to draw any income from it rather than fire staff... I assumed it was some kind of religious belief around looking after your employees before yourself, and that he was giving the employees all the listings instead of taking any for himself, so that they would still get sales commissions.

But I don't think that's listed anywhere on the site so I probably made it up! I don't know very much at all about their religion, so I could be way off base.

Her choices are so, so not the ones I would make in her position, but I admire her attitude and her garden is incredibly beautiful. She leads an extremely frugal life and I get a lot of value out of reading her blog, even if I do occasionally wonder about continuing to have so many children while living in poverty. Much like with MMM, I take what inspiration I can from her blog and leave whatever doesn't work for me.

BPA

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #41 on: February 19, 2014, 07:17:17 PM »
Pets are on the list, yes, but it's being blown out of proportion in terms of the time she talks about it. (This is the first I've seen.). And let's be fair - pets DO cost money.  If you are in a serious hair on fire debt emergency we'd likely all reject a suggestion that the person go get a pet.  And if you had no money to feed your kids, I'd agree to give up existing ones. I think she comes from a place of frugality by necessity, which is different than many choice of frugality here (including my own).

If it's on her list, I think it's fair game (ha ha love the pun) and not blown out of proportion.


Little Nell

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #42 on: February 19, 2014, 07:24:17 PM »
I like her positive attitude and her craftsmanship. She models finding the beautiful in everyday items and processes. But as one who does her best to eat pasture-raised meat and eggs from free-range hens (and not too much of either), I wince when I hear about another cheap turkey or ham, because I know that those animals did not have good lives. In short, she has made me aware of yet another luxury I enjoy.

No way could I home school. Heck, we threaten our son with home school, as in Mom and Dad hovering 24/7: "there is no recess in Home School; there are no vacations from Home School." He feels he gets quite enough schooling at home, even though he escapes us all day.

wordygirl

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #43 on: February 20, 2014, 04:45:43 PM »
No way could I home school. Heck, we threaten our son with home school, as in Mom and Dad hovering 24/7: "there is no recess in Home School; there are no vacations from Home School." He feels he gets quite enough schooling at home, even though he escapes us all day.

Be careful. If your kids find out what homeschooling *really* looks like they may call your bluff. ;-)

Around here, we (jokingly) threaten to SEND the kids to school, lol.

PintSizedMustachian

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #44 on: February 20, 2014, 05:19:58 PM »
There seem to be an awful lot of judgemental opinions about this woman and her lifestyle, which I find a bit disheartening.

I don't know what her situation is in terms of income, but she obviously has clear priorities and values that are important to her and her family (staying home with the kids, homeschooling, not practicing birth control) and is not complaining about where that leaves her. I admire and respect that.

If she is Mormon, then there aren't any religious reasons for her not to use birth control. I was raised Mormon & it was always emphasized that you should have as many children as you can afford. I think that being financially sound & self-reliant was a big deal. Their decision to have more children when they can't afford to feed the ones they already had was not really a religious decision. I'm fairly certain no LDS leader has ever said "Have more children, even when you need to depend on gift cards from family & friends to feed them."

I have a crazy amount of respect for how she manages to feed her family off of what she does. It reminds me of my grandparents & how they raised their children. At the same time, I think it's crazy to rank staying home with your children above making ends meet. Boggles my mind, really. My parents & siblings have the same priority and are Mormons, but I don't think they'd take it to this extreme. I know my SILs have given music lessons, tutored, babysat, & done other jobs at home when their budgets have been tight, so color me confused regarding this situation.


CommonCents

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #45 on: February 20, 2014, 05:28:30 PM »
There seem to be an awful lot of judgemental opinions about this woman and her lifestyle, which I find a bit disheartening.

I don't know what her situation is in terms of income, but she obviously has clear priorities and values that are important to her and her family (staying home with the kids, homeschooling, not practicing birth control) and is not complaining about where that leaves her. I admire and respect that.

If she is Mormon, then there aren't any religious reasons for her not to use birth control. I was raised Mormon & it was always emphasized that you should have as many children as you can afford. I think that being financially sound & self-reliant was a big deal. Their decision to have more children when they can't afford to feed the ones they already had was not really a religious decision. I'm fairly certain no LDS leader has ever said "Have more children, even when you need to depend on gift cards from family & friends to feed them."

I have a crazy amount of respect for how she manages to feed her family off of what she does. It reminds me of my grandparents & how they raised their children. At the same time, I think it's crazy to rank staying home with your children above making ends meet. Boggles my mind, really. My parents & siblings have the same priority and are Mormons, but I don't think they'd take it to this extreme. I know my SILs have given music lessons, tutored, babysat, & done other jobs at home when their budgets have been tight, so color me confused regarding this situation.

Well, she does manage to feed and make ends meet with the 7, even if some here disagree with choices. Re extra cash, she charges $35 pp for garden tours. Also charges for speaking, I think.

wordygirl

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #46 on: February 20, 2014, 08:02:23 PM »
At the same time, I think it's crazy to rank staying home with your children above making ends meet.

For some people, the decision to stay home with the kids is based on convictions (not religious beliefs) that doing so is the best thing for the children. For others, they feel that their children are not harmed, or perhaps are even better off, having both parents working.

I've heard arguments on both sides and they are equally compelling - the difference comes down to the personal value that a family places on either one, not to mention the conditions that are unique to their situation. There is no "right" answer, but you cannot convince a working-by-choice mother that her children are going to be better off if she stays home, any more than you can convince a stay-home-by-choice mother that her kids would be better off if she went to work.

My point is that we shouldn't judge her decision to place being home with her children as a higher priority than having health insurance, for example, or anything else. Those are clearly her priorities and the fact that she is not complaining and is making do is, IMO, admirable and worthy of respect. 

Gin1984

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #47 on: February 20, 2014, 08:12:27 PM »
At the same time, I think it's crazy to rank staying home with your children above making ends meet.

For some people, the decision to stay home with the kids is based on convictions (not religious beliefs) that doing so is the best thing for the children. For others, they feel that their children are not harmed, or perhaps are even better off, having both parents working.

I've heard arguments on both sides and they are equally compelling - the difference comes down to the personal value that a family places on either one, not to mention the conditions that are unique to their situation. There is no "right" answer, but you cannot convince a working-by-choice mother that her children are going to be better off if she stays home, any more than you can convince a stay-home-by-choice mother that her kids would be better off if she went to work.

My point is that we shouldn't judge her decision to place being home with her children as a higher priority than having health insurance, for example, or anything else. Those are clearly her priorities and the fact that she is not complaining and is making do is, IMO, admirable and worthy of respect.
Health insurance is a basic NEED, it is like shelter and food.  It is part of taking care of your child.  So, yes a want (being home) being prioritized over a need (health insurance) is going to make me judge and judge hard.  If she wanted to be home, go work at night, take a early morning shift, something.  You don't just say, oh well, let me not provide the BASICS for my child so I get what I want.

PintSizedMustachian

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #48 on: February 20, 2014, 09:43:23 PM »
@CommonCents, I didn't realize that she did garden tours & other things to earn some money. That's really great to hear. I still don't think I agree that she does make ends meet. She wrote in her About section that she got donations from friends & family members for fruits, toothpaste, and other things. She even has a whole section about what to do when you run out of food that essentially consists of "tell other people & hope they give you stuff."

@wordygirl, I'm not starting a WOHM vs SAHM war. Please don't turn it into that. I understand that people have convictions & opinions that are different than mine. More power to them. But when your convictions expose your children to the instability of not knowing if they'll have enough to eat (as evidenced by her posts about needing help from friends), that weirds me out. As Mustachians, we judge people who open themselves up to financial instability by going into debt, etc because of their convictions about money. I don't see this as much different, I guess.
« Last Edit: February 22, 2014, 11:27:01 PM by PintSizedMustachian »

mm1970

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Re: Who else reads The Prudent Homemaker?
« Reply #49 on: February 20, 2014, 09:46:10 PM »
I assumed that the reason why they have no/low income was because her husband owned his business and chose not to draw any income from it rather than fire staff... I assumed it was some kind of religious belief around looking after your employees before yourself, and that he was giving the employees all the listings instead of taking any for himself, so that they would still get sales commissions.

But I don't think that's listed anywhere on the site so I probably made it up! I don't know very much at all about their religion, so I could be way off base.

Actually I believe she had a blog post recently (she has a blog AND a site) where she discussed that fact - that her husband owns the business and chooses not to fire staff.  Or maybe it was on her facebook page.

I really enjoy her blog (as a working mom of two and an atheist to boot)!  Her meals are simple and nourishing, and not too far off from what I ate growing up.  We gardened and canned in the summer and ate canned food in the winter.  I am now spoiled in California though.

I am kind of "meh" on the health insurance.  Personally, I think we need a single-payer system in this country.  But truthfully?  Much of my life as a child we didn't have health insurance.  We rarely went to the doctor or dentist, and paid out of pocket when we did.  I had surgery when I was 12 (twice) and my parents paid off those bills $100 a month for YEARS.  If her family and church are supportive, they can probably make it through.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!