I haven't had steady work in almost 3 years. I supplement my sporadic musician's income by canning and selling. I buy my friend's knitting and eggs and produce from local farms (OK, an hour or so's drive north) as often as I can for a lot of reasons including: It's better quality. it's better for the local economy. I hate wal mart.

My two oldest daughters babysit for their discretionary money. They are a lot more judicious with their spending than if I just gave it to them. They save for what they want, and the oldest will give me gas money fairly frequently because I drive her and her friends places when I don't have to and they know gas isn't free or cheap. Concert tickets or movies, she pays for herself. And the last two school years she paid for all her own school clothes and supplies, and it was her idea to do it. She made lists, and budgets, and stuck to them. She came out ahead so treated her sisters.

Now, I'm not saying that to brag on my own parenting skills but because I think many young people, her age, and even a bit older, have no concept of work ethic or "if you don't work you don't eat (or go to the movies or whatever)" and I am glad she knows and understands this. She also does all the oil changes and tire rotations to earn her car 'rights'. She handles her own laundry. She is very annoyed with her own generation lack of ambition and something-for-nothing attitude (and a lot of adults) Having said that, her room is ridiculous and I can't get her to do regular chores for anything.

Also, my husband does most of our home maintenance/repair and some auto repair and maintenance as side work in our driveway.

We don't do a lot of hunting or fishing, but we can and have the tools.

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Soli Deo Gloria