Like most average American heads-of-household, Bill and Mary Toohey found themselves increasingly stressed by their financial responsibilities, with no real job security, their standard of living in constant jeopardy, and little promise of ever having enough time for their children or each other. The realization that their familys financial future was entirely dependent on benevolent employers, a lifetime of full-time work, and the fate of social security was a disheartening condition they wanted to change & quickly. Unlike most Americans, in eight short years, the Tooheys managed to save nearly half of their modest annual income & and add almost half a million dollars to their net worth. They now have enough money to cover most expenses for the rest of their lives & even if they never earn another paycheck. With a daughter headed for college and a son with costly health problems, do the Tooheys claim this was easy? No. But it was doable. And it can be for you, too.

Named among the "Best Personal Finance Managers in America" by Money magazine, the Tooheys have taken their story, and their strategies, public in the hopes of helping others achieve the financial independence to enjoy their lives & and even their work.

Easy-to-understand and conversational, here is the Tooheys groundbreaking formula for building assets without earning more money, relocating, or changing jobs & and without suffering. In addition to practical planning and investment suggestions, covered here are crucial issues in developing a money saving mindset, including:

• The impact of money on relationships--featuring the Tooheys personal "Killer of Love" list
• The value of work beyond a paycheck
• The importance of a varied reading in order to build a network of ideas and stimulate creative thinking
• Maintaining normal family routines in times of crisis
• Deriving comfort, satisfaction, and beauty from your home & your most inexpensive place to be
• The simple truth that spending less is easier than saving more
• How adapting an "attitude of gratitude" can help break the spending cycle
• Defining financial freedom

. . . and more, to help you turn your average income into above-average wealth.

BILL and MARY TOOHEY lecture widely and have written several magazine articles on their sound money strategies. Bill is a vocational rehabilitation counselor, and Mary is an office manager. The couple live in Iowa and have three children.

HOW ONE FAMILY QUICKLY WENT FROM "GETTING BY" TO FINANCIAL FREEDOM & AND HOW YOU CAN, TOO

"If youve got the grit, determination, and vision, the Tooheys astonishing plan will lead you to financial security."& Jeff Davidson, author of The Joy of Simple Living

"If you think you cant build wealth on what you earn, read this book. Bill and Mary Toohey will show you exactly how to achieve financial freedom for yourself and your family. Inspiring!"& Gerri Detweiler, coauthor of Invest in Yourself: Six Secrets to a Rich Life

"The Average Familys Guide to Financial Freedom is an excellent resource for people who are serious about changing their financial lifestyle. Moderation is the key. The point is that it doesnt require a huge fortune to achieve financial freedom. This book teaches the reader in a sensible, realistic fashion how to control spending by reducing needs. As the authors say, its not easy, but doable."& Kerry Hannon, author of Suddenly Single: Money Skills for Divorcees and Widows

"Hooray for the real-life version of getting financially fit. All of us coping with families, middle income, and mortgages can relate to this energetic, practical book. If they can do it, so can we!"& Janet Luhrs, author of The Simple Living Guide and editor/publisher of The Simple Living Journal

Financial Freedom—without Suffering Like most average American heads-of-household, Bill and Mary Toohey found themselves increasingly stressed by their financial responsibilities, with no real job security, their standard of living in constant jeopardy, and little promise of ever having enough time for their children or each other. The realization that their family’s financial future was entirely dependent on benevolent employers, a lifetime of full-time work, and the fate of social security was a disheartening condition they wanted to change—quickly. Unlike most Americans, in eight short years, the Tooheys managed to save nearly half of their modest annual income—and add almost half a million dollars to their net worth. They now have enough money to cover most expenses for the rest of their lives—even if they never earn another paycheck. With a daughter headed for college and a son with costly health problems, do the Tooheys claim this was easy? No. But it was doable. And it can be for you, too. Named among the "Best Personal Finance Managers in America" by Money magazine, the Tooheys have taken their story, and their strategies, public in the hopes of helping others achieve the financial independence to enjoy their lives—and even their work. Easy-to-understand and conversational, here is the Tooheys’ groundbreaking formula for building assets without earning more money, relocating, or changing jobs—and without suffering. In addition to practical planning and investment suggestions, covered here are crucial issues in developing a money saving mindset, including:

• The impact of money on relationships—featuring the Tooheys’ personal "Killer of Love" list
• The value of work beyond a paycheck
• The importance of a varied reading list in order to build a network of ideas and stimulate creative thinking
• Maintaining normal family routines in times of crisis
• Deriving comfort, satisfaction, and beauty from your home—your most inexpensive place to be
• The simple truth that spending less is easier than saving more
• How adapting an "attitude of gratitude" can help break the spending cycle
• Defining financial freedom

…and more, to help you turn your average income into above-average wealth.

? Janet Luhrs, author of The Simple Living Guide and editor/publisher of The Simple Living Journal

Introduction.

BUILDING A MONEY-SAVING MINDSET.

Love: The Impact of Money on Relationships.

Crisis: Maintaining Normalcy in a Crisis.

Comfort: How to Be Comfortable in a Modest Home.

Study: How Learning Contributes to Peace, Order, and Financial Freedom.

Gratitude: Grandma's Red Brick House and Why We Need to Have an "Attitude of Gratitude".

SPENDING LESS IS EASIER THAN SAVING MORE.

Saving: Why Saving Doesn't Work.

Spending: The Double Whammy of Spending Control.

Categorize: Categorize Your Spending and Zero In on Problem Areas.

Surprise: Avoiding the Trap of Failing to Plan for All Expenses.

Borrowing: Despising Debt.

Creep: The Perils of Increasing Your Standard of Living Too Quickly.

NECESSITIES AND A FEW EXTRAS.

Home: Choosing the Right House Will Make You or Break You.

Wheels: Car-Buying Secrets.

Supermarket: How a College Class Assignment Changed Our Approach to Grocery Shopping.

Entertainment: Having Fun Without Breaking the Bank.

Impulse: How to Control Miscellaneous Spending.

Splurge: Coming Up for Air.

BIG TICKET MONEY SAVERS.

Research: Money-Saving Strategies for Big Ticket Purchases.

Scholarship: A Debt-Free College Education for $7000!

Taxes: Taking Advantage of Tax Breaks.

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE.

Supplies: Office Supplies You Must Have.

Files: Building a Bulletproof Filing System.

Bathroom: Strategies That Keep a One Bathroom Home Running Smothly.

Sleep: The Costs of Losing Sleep.

PRACTICAL MONEY-SAVING SKILLS.

Refunds: Recouping Your Money on Shoddy Work, Products, or Insurance Denials.

Maintenance: Make Your Things Last Forever.

Skills: Do It Yourself and Save.

Commissions: Avoiding Sales Commissions and Insurance Company Financial Products.

BE YOUR OWN FINANCIAL EXPERT.

Planners: The Best Financial Planner for You Is You.

Foundation: Building Your Financial Future on Solid Footing.

Homework: Investing Knowledge ... Where to Get It.

INVESTING.

Stocks: Breaking Through the Minimum Wage Mentality.

Bonds: Smoothing Out the Dips.

Cash: A Risky Investment.

Allocation: Asset Allocation--The Family's Most Important Investment Decision.

Funds: No-Load Mutual Funds--The Way Families Should Invest.

Choosing: Drowning in a Sea of Choices.

When: When to Buy, When to Sell, When to Adjust.

Dumb Moves: Our Investment Mistakes.

RETIREMENT.

Plans: IRAs, Roths, 403(b)s, 401(k)s, SIMPLES, SEPs, Keoghs ...

Withdrawing: Getting Your Money Out of Retirement Plans Whenever You Want--Without Penalties.

Enough: Keeping Our Money from Petering Out Before We Do.

Threats: A Sample of Things That Can Go Wrong.

PARENTING.

Supper: We Raise Our Kids at Dinner.

Indulge: Spending Money on Kids.

Discipline: Chaos Poses a Threat to Your Family's Financial Health.

Expectations: Setting High Expectations for Children Without Driving Them Crazy.

Teens: Getting Through the Tough Years Without Losing Your Money or Your Mind.

Afterword.

Index.