Minimalist Lifestyle is Healthy for Kids, Parents

 My out-of-the house son and I were recently discussing the minimalist lifestyle. We noticed how many people claim to be minimalists but in fact aren't. Case in point: money. It's easy to talk about living simply, but much harder to do it. And now that our son is paying his own way, he realizes why dad and I were so frugal when he was growing up. He sees first-hand how expensive things are and how easy it is get deep in debt. Avoiding debt is one reason parents should live simply. Here are others. Minimalism is Good for Families

Cheap, Homemade Donations for Lent, Easter

Don't let the title of this post throw you. I don't mean that the donation suggestions are cheap as in "tacky." These donations are inexpensive (which makes them ideal for families and those on a tight income). I developed these ideas when I homeschooled our four kids. As a Catholic homeschool family our education focused around the liturgical year. Holy Week is the pinnacle of the church year. We practiced acts of fasting and almsgiving, in solidarity with our Lord and in preparation for our Easter celebration.

Over our homeschool career, we explored many avenues of sacrifice and service. One activity that was very meaningful to us was really quite simple, but relevant. We are fortunate to live near several mission sites which provide immediate care and help to those in need. Our church also has a twin parish in Haiti. Many Staples outlets gather school supplies. I tweaked donation requests from these venues into an annual almsgiving activity. I think these activities would qualify for Jewish families as tithe and Muslim families as zakat offerings, too. Here's how it worked. Lent Almsgiving Activities