"Ruth Soukup is the very successful founder and writer of the popular blog Living Well, Spending Less. In this, her first book, she shares some of her own journey to finding the Good Life and also provides her readers with all the practical advice and real life help they need to give their family a truly abundant life on a realistic and healthy budget"--Provided by publisher.

A child, her waitress mother, and her grandmother save dimes to buy a comfortable armchair after all their furniture is lost in a fire.

"With college costs increasing at twice the rate of inflation, it is important to start saving early. Interest working for you now in a regular savings program is much better than having interest work against you in the future in the form of education loans. Use our college savings calculator to determine how much you should be saving for college on a regular basis." --

A bear, modeled on a young Henry Thoreau, appears frugal to his friends as he sets about building a cabin. Includes biographical information about Thoreau.