Life can be hard without money, that's why we need to save.

Update your knowledge

For yourself

There's so much information around. What's your information source? TV? Internet? How long do you spend reading something and educating yourself?

Reading skills are very important to get information. Since I am Japanese, it is still hard for me to read fast in English and understand, but reading skills can improve if you train everyday.

Subscribe to a major newspaper or go online every day

I subscribe to the Los Angeles Times. At first I just read the horoscopes and some comics, but as time went by, I started reading the California section top page, then Business, then Calendar section. I check the Front page after that since my husband reads that section first.

My reading skills have improved a lot over a few years. After I started reading the newspaper everyday, I started getting a better idea of what I should click on Google after I search for something, because my speed of reading improved.

Medicare information, social security update, interest rate, identity theft... as the world gets more & more complicated, the more need to be responsible for yourself. Just watching major news programs on the TV may not give you enough information.

For children

For parents, the money you spend on your children is like an investment, but I think you can educate your kids without spending lots of money, just through your lifestyle, especially while your kids are still small. You just need to be patient, take time, and use lots of love.

1) Read to them often

2) Put up an alphabet poster

I remember my parents put Japanese alphabet posters on the wall. My husband has Japanese alphabet posters on the walls of his office and it's helping him in his quest to learn Japanese.

3) Take them to the library

You don't have to buy books for them, just give them a chance to get interested in books. Books will be read just once or so and will be piled on the corner of the room, so it's good to buy some books, and go to the library for the rest of them.

4) Keep a dictionary near by

There are some books that they need to have near by; dictionary, maps, something informational references like describing some science, body parts, and so on..