Budget Books

This is a pretty good book, but if I had to have only one on hand for interpretation this would not be it. I appreciated a lot of the information-especially the case studies of what other people have done, but the slide shows info. and making interp. signs seemed outdated or unrealistic.


Conductiong Meaningful Interpretation was/is a much better book in my opinion, but this is an interesting read.

This fun-to-read, chock-full of useful ideas book should be in any Interpreter's library. In fact, if I could only buy one book for my interpretive library, this would be it. Several rangers I know (inc. myself) refer to this book as 'the Bible'. This was the book I chose for the required textbook for the Interpretive training course for docents at the Desert Botanical Garden. The chapters are concise and full of examples of interpretive theory IN ACTION. Lots of whimsical pictures to illustrate main points-- but don't think just because it has pictures that it is full of fluff. It's a reference book you will pick up again and again to review interpretive techniques. Definitely a 'how-to', hands-on book.

Once again, Linda has come out with a FABULOUS new cookbook. I own every one of her books and this one is just as good as the others. Sorry, Kiwanis lady, you are waaaaaaay off mark! :) She's too literal as far as the costs go; I mean, fuel prices are causing everything to skyrocket, and regionally there can be wide variations in those costs. I use this book as a valuable guide and would never quibble about a penny here or there. With gas prices so high right now, every tip I get on how to save money is VERY MUCH appreciated, so thanks, Linda!!

After I graduated from college and became responsible for my own kitchen, I decided that a required course in all universities should be "refrigerator management!" My hubby and I threw out so much food! Linda addresses this subject in her introduction, as well as giving tips on clipping coupons and shopping more efficiently. (A personal tip: My father does all the grocery shopping for himself and my mom, and if something is spoiled, i.e. produce, he always takes it back to the store for a refund. Some people might think that's a waste of time, but think about it: he's alerting them to a potentially unacceptable supplier and raising their standards. I feel I have him to thank for higher-quality produce at the market we both visit! So don't settle for rotten food right off the shelf. Return the item on your next visit to the store and you won't even waste gas money.)

Back to the book -- Linda's tips on refrigerator management, as I call it, are invaluable. So are her food-safety tips, which all of her books have featured and are SUCH an integral part of working in the kitchen! I especially liked the money-saving tips in the first chapter (p. 8), and tips on storing food (p. 12). DON'T MISS her SUGGESTED MENUS at the back of the book, complete with space for your own shopping list. I always struggle with menu combinations, and Linda's a master at it.

I've had a chance to try several of her recipes, and these are my favorites so far:

Big Batch Guacamole (p. 24) -- My husband adores this, and I can't believe the tip on stretching it with LIMA BEANS! Who knew?! I got an extra veggie in him and he was none the wiser. Really cuts down the cost, too.

Peanut Butter Bread (p. 36) -- My picky, picky kids just love this one. As the school year goes on, they hit the snooze button more and more, leaving them less time for breakfast. I stick a piece of this in their hands as they run to the bus and all is well in the world. I like to buy large sizes of the really good, fresh peanut butter at Costco or Sam's to really save money, although Skippy would probably be fine, too.

Cottage Cheese Oatmeal Pancakes (p. 61) -- After giving up on mixing wheat flour into the kids' pancakes (again, picky!), I loved this tip of "sneaking" oatmeal and cottage cheese into pancakes! Ha! And they are delish.

Pizza Burgers (p. 92) -- Once again, my kids would never consider eating beans, but they love ground beef. I love the fact that the beans not only cut the cost in this recipe, but also provide quality protein and allow me to cut back on the red meat. Very good.

Fork Tender Pot Roast (p. 124) -- Just like Grandma used to make. . . sigh. The house smells heavenly. I watch the Sunday circulars and buy my roasts on sale, of course.

Freeze Ahead Cheese Puffs (p. 30) -- The ladies in my neighborhood love cocktail hour and Bunco. These were a big hit with them! And I did splurge and add the crab meat - yum!

French Bread Braids (p. 38) -- One of my daughters loves to make yeast bread with me. It's a very cozy time for us! We have made French bread together many times before, but we loved this recipe with the addition of an egg.

Chocolate Tassies (p. 246) -- My other daughter has a wicked sweet tooth and is a chocolate-chip cookie master. These were a neat take on the classic C.C. cookie. It's fun to use the mini-muffin cups, too. Her friends gobbled them up. . . and only 13 cents per cookie. WOW!

So, there you have it -- my overview of Linda's latest book. You've got to pick this one up! You won't be disappointed. Bon (marche) appetit!

Much good advice for making a grocery list, keeping track of pantry items, making a pricebook, using less meat to begin with and not throwing away food. It's often known we throw away, she says almost half, of what we have on our plates. If you don't believe that then look at your kids plate the next time they head to the trash can. Or watch them pour a glass of milk to later dump half of it down the sink. We do waste a lot as this author mentions.

And one of the biggest ways to save is to eat less. It's an epidemic in this country that we all eat too much, do we really need to eat a whole bag of chips? And it certainly would save money to eat less.

Some of the author's suggestions was to grow your own food, start a compost pile, can your own food, use food dehydrators, go vegetarian, etc. While all good suggestions I'm not sure most families have the time or capability of start their own garden or willing to go vegan but it certainly is worthy advice. Also, buying food in season was listed as a saving suggestion but there were no lists given as to when in season was "in". Check "producepete" for a list of in season fruits and vegetables. Also the website quoted in book was mistyped, it's "yourgrocer" (not yourgrocery) if you want to find it.

One of her budget saving suggestions was to have breakfast for dinner. Our family has always enjoyed that, the kids love to have a "breakfast dinner". I've seen some families go so far to call it an inside out dinner and they turn their clothes inside out for dinner to make it a silly event for the kids!

I've tried her suggestion of making my own milk with the milk powder and water and it never "tastes" as good as real milk. I don't know that I would follow that suggestion either but if you were budget conscious enough it's helpful. One I have heard people do use is to purchase a gallon of whole milk and then when it gets to half a gallon refill it with the powdered milk/water mixture and most family members will never tell the difference.

I did love the suggestion about buying meats on sale and making 2 or 3 meals and putting the extras in the freezer. Our family has practiced that for years using "Don't Panic Dinner's in the Freezer" or "Super Suppers".

Her meal price was $2.00 or less per serving and in many cases, less. The recipe for quick and easy salsa was labeled as .26 cents per serving with a serving being 1/4 cup. The recipe served 12 so if I did the math right the total is $3.12. I'm not sure where'd you buy 3 tomatoes, 1 green bell pepper, 1 japaleno pepper, red onion, garlic, lemon juice, and the other spices (assumed you had them in your pantry already) for $3.12?

Another recipe was spicy pita chips listed as .03 cents per serving. It was using 4-4" pita breads cut into 8 wedges making 64 chips. I guess a serving is 2 wedges? That total came to $1.92. I've never seen pita bread sold in a 4pk but a 10pk of pita bread is $3.99 plus adding roasted garlic vinaigrette, cotija cheese, and other spices I don't see how it's .03 cents per serving. What am I missing?

The Big Batch Guacamole recipe calls for making your own lima beans by soaking them overnight, simmering for 80 minutes and then pureeing. On top of all that you add onions, butter, spices, and 3 ripe avocados and the per serving price was .34 cents serving 8-10. That comes to $3.40. I think I'll just buy the Wholly Guacamole for $1.99 at Kroger and save 2 hours of cook time plus the overnight soak the night before. whew.

Also, the entree serving suggestions are per serving not per meal. So if you're trying to be truly budget conscious you'll have to add the cost of the entree and its sides to get a total cost figure. Her suggestion for the swiss steak which serves 6 was to add mashed potatoes and sauteed peas and radishes which only serve 4 (hummm..which 2 people go without?). In this example, the swiss steak is listed as $1.90 per serving of 6 so for $11.40 you'd have to buy 1.5 lbs of cube steak, 2 cans of diced tomatoes, carrots, can of mushrooms, plus have on hand onions, worcestershire, marjoram leaves, etc. I think that's possible. Now add the mashed potatoes of .22 cents a serving and the sauteed peas with radishes of .34 cents a serving to get a meal price of $2.46 per serving. The sauteed peas and radishes for $1.36 you'd have to purchase 2 radishes and a 16oz bag of peas. I know the birds eye frozen vegetables are $1 something and I don't know if you can get 2 radishes for .30 cents?? I'm not saying it's not possible but you'll have to know if it is to determine if the cost per serving is legit for you.

I did make the baked tuna mac and cheese and her .84 cents per serving suggestion was realistic. It calls for a packaged box of kraft macaroni and cheese adding onions, tuna and other spices. For a total of $3.36 I was able to buy a packaged version of kraft mac n cheese for $1.33 and a can of tuna is $1.50 (I have gotten it on sale for $1.00). I'm guessing the difference was to cover the onions, salsa, egg, parmesan cheese, etc. Another recipes calls for making the boxed mac n cheese and adding peas for a price of $1.89 for 3 servings. ouch.

Lots of good recipes, with menus in the back. Lots of good suggestions for your budget, but you could also find them at "frugalmom" ; "couponmom" ; "dollarstretchertips" or "livingonadime" for free.

Check it out at the library first to see if it will benefit your family. As a cookbook it's OK as a realistic budget helper...iffy.

If you want good advice on using leftovers or planning your menu around using leftovers, better option is Better Homes & Gardens Cook One Eat Twice for that.

There are a few in-colors pics on the inside of the front and back flaps. The lay-out is similar to the Dummies books layout in that there are shaded boxes with tips, hints and tricks in them. The "Everything" layout calls them "facts", "alerts" and "essentials". I like that design but I know it does bother others because it interfers with reading the recipe. There is no pantry list so you don't know up front which items the author considers you'd have already thus not included in the prices. No nutritional or calorie information so if you need that it's not listed.

HTH.

I purchased this book to help me and my fiance determined where we could cut costs in planning our wedding. The information was extremely helpful.
I received the book with 5 days of purchase. I would order from this party again.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It had a lot of helpful and realistic tips for brides on a budget. The author even made me smile a few times with her humor. I hate reading anything that's too stuffy, so I like the fact she provides moments of light heartedness in her writing. I do wish there had been a checklist included, but other than that this is probably one of the best books for weddings I have purchased to date!

My husband and I have planned an upcoming trip to Santa Fe based on the information and ratings of Fodor's New Mexico. The book is very informative and the maps are really helpful. We have never traveled to the southwest, but feel confident after reading this book (and talking to people who have been there before) that we have choosen the best destination for our vacation.

I recently, for 10 days, drove around New Mexico, seeking this and experiencing that, and I took with me five guides (Fodor's, Moon's, Off the Beaten Path, Roadside History and NM Sanctuaries, Retreats, and Sacred Places). Fodor's was the most used, referred to and dog-eared of the lot, and here is why.

Every time Fodor's recommended a restaurant or a lodging it was accurate and excellent. The descriptions of the properties were superb. After you were done reading about the place you had the feeling you had been there. For example, the comments on the Austing Huas in Taos Ski Valley states, "The breakfast room has large picture windows, stained-glass paneling and an impressive fireplace. Aromas of fresh-baked goods, such as owner Paul Austing's apple strudel, come from the kitchen."

Fodor's strength is it's coverage of major cities, prominent towns and "must see" attractions. It is more contemporary and weak on the history, in fact it completely omits an introduction to New Mexico section that usually covers the land, flora and fauna, history, economy and the people (Moon is excellent here and Roadside History for regional history). You will find that Fodor's occasionally skips Interstate places that could be lodging stops (IE: Lordsburg, etc. [Moon does better at this]). Most irritating is the quirky, icon dollar sign rating that is supposed to delineate the cost of accommodations and eateries. Four dollar signs equal this much, Three this much, etc. but not in Santa Fe. It would be much better to tell the reader what the cost of rooms or food will be. Keep it simple Fodor's. And, the maps could be much better as well

That said, this is still the most trustworthy guide for you to use when you are selecting accommodations, dining establishments and sights to see. Get it. 4.5 stars.

Exceptionally detailed, very easy to follow, doesn't leave much to be desired as far as guide books go. One thing that would have made it better is a Stockholm underground map.

I am planning a trip to Sweden this Summer and bought 2 books on sweden. (the only 2) This book is good but I like the berlitz Sweden book better. It had more details. I suggest that you get both of the books.

Overall a good book, because it covers most topics related to planning and budgeting.

Some chapters need serious updating. For instance Chapter 32: "Computer applications in Budgeting, 'Microcomputer' Overview and needs assessment.." is totally out of date with respect to software applications in budgeting (Who still uses the term "Microcomputer" ?.
I have found this to be unnacceptable for a book with this price tag.

As a new financial manager I was searching for a book which will show me to prepare a budget and understand a budget process. No doubt understanding budget is the most immportant role in this field and this book I found was most helpful. I strongly recommend this to all finaltial professionals.

As a native citizen of Germany, I can testify that the book "Let's go Germany" is quite remarkable. My wife Hilda and I are frequently underway in Germany and we find this book very useful and organized in a logical and humourous fashion. In particular the chapter of my "home town" (Berlin) is quite contemporary and extensive. Also, the research of known only to German vacationers resorts like Frisia-islands and "holstein switzerland" is very good. We hope, that other travellers will be able to have enjoyment from this book as well. Best, H. Müller

I received both the Let's Go Germany and the Let's Go Italy guides as gifts for my three months of travel, and, recognizing the "Let's Go" moniker, assumed the guides would be valuable. I was wrong.

The hostel picks proved to be American frat party hang-outs and the sights listed could be found in any other guidebook or in the tourist information pamphlets handed out in train stations. Most of the restaurants listed had either closed or changed management (resulting in higher prices) and most of the unique, out-of-the-way listings were impossible to find because the directions provided were as descriptive as "take the U-Bahn to Rotkreutzplatz and go east."

One redeeming element of the guides were the pension listings, which were usually accurate. However, if you can afford the luxury of a private room every night, why would you bother with a budget guide? I advise all budget travelers to opt for one of the Lonely Planet or Rough Guides.

I spent a year in South Africa in 98/99. The SA guide wasnt available before I left and I really wish it was. I saw it through others who came over after I arrived and it had current info and stuff you wouldnt find inthe other guides. Lonley Planet is good to have but I've found that a good chunk of the info is out of date. I'm going back to the area in June and the first book I got was the most recent edition of Lets Go South Africa. If your headin to southern africa get the Lonely Planet BUT dont forget to leave without your copy of Lets Go SA, its a tool you cant do without.

I visited South Africa in May of 2000. I had the Let's Go 2000 South Africa book with me and it was like my bible. It explained customs and suggested the best places to visit. I also visited Namibia and Botswana and this book was a tremendous help. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone visiting South Africa...you'll love it. You'll need it!

The Guide is okay. It has all the usual stuff. But content and printing issues reduce its quality. It contains advertising. Lots. Maybe this is our (dim) future: Ads imbedded in novels and in your Bible or Koran or.... The ads are made worse because most are printed on weighty, glossy paper and get in the way of thumbing through the book. The thumbing problem is partly because the rest of the book is printed on paper that's one notch up from newsprint. Illustrations are black and white and the index is inadequate. All in all, a disappointment. I'll leave my copy behind. The Millennium Edition Rome (Eyewitness Travel Guides) and Globetrotter Rome and the Vatican (Nichols, New Holland) cost less and have more content (not to mention being fill color throughout).

I recently purchased this book for a proposed trip. It is full of all sorts of useful information for the budget and independent traveler. Its descriptions of attractions and sites are well researched and straightforward. The book includes numerous Black and White photos and contains a chapter on side-trips. The chapters on Acomondations and Dining are largely geared to the budget traveler. However, numerous higher priced places are discussed for those who want to splurge. The "Let's Go city guide to Rome, 2001", is one of the finest books on the Eternal City I've seen. I highly reccommend it for its wealth of info and detailed destination accounts.

Here's my quicky summary of this book:

1. An overall budget predicts income, expenses, and cash flow.

2. Don't bother building a budget if you're not going to look at actual spending and try to determine the cause of any variances. If the variances come from reasonable causes--as they almost always do--the budget must be changed to reflect the new conditions.

3. Researching and documenting assumptions are the key to good--and justifiable--forecasts and budgets. Don't budget based on pie-in-the-sky sales wishes or broadly-stated percentage increases over previous periods. What's going to increase and why?

4. An expense can be estimated from current and historical information, reasonable growth projections and timing estimates. It should include the effects of current or improved controls (approval processes, expense reports, centralized purchasing, appropriate categorization, etc.).

5. Working capital matters: set aside reserves, collect accounts receivable promptly, plan inventory and capital purchases, use controls. Use a Cash Flow Statement to project cash balances and avoid running out of cash.

6. When a variance occurs, determine whether the problem is due to a false assumption--in which case the budget must be revised--or a failure of controls--in which case, processes may need to be introduced.

This book is a bit dated. It seems unaware of spreadsheets and other computerized financial management tools. Even forgiving that, its proposed forms for changes and documentation seem a bit simplistic and therefore unhelpful.

On the other hand, it's a very good introduction to budgeting, and the main message ("Document your assumptions!!") seems like a great one to learn.

--Eric

recently needed to create a large budget and discovered that i bought this book in May 1990. it never leaves my desktop. great insight into creating budgets that really work. and what to watch for before they break. great examples. excellent index!