Is Economides Really Your Last Name?
Economides is our real name. It’s pronounced Econo mee’ dis (it’s Greek and means “Son of the Steward).
Who are the Members of the Economides Family?
Dad – Steve Economides
Married Annette in 1982
Born: 1957
Grew up in Chicago
Graduated Arizona State University (ASU).
2-time All-American Gymnast at ASU.
Worked as an advertising account exec and graphic designer for 23 years.
Writes and publishes MoneySmartFamily.com website.
Co-Author of America’s Cheapest Family Gets You Right On The Money (A NY Times Best Seller), Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half with America’s Cheapest Family and The MoneySmart Family System
Hobbies: Weight training and home improvement projects.
Is of Greek descent.
Mom – Annette Economides
Married Steve in 1982
Born: 1960
Grew up on Long Island, NY
Scottsdale Community College
Sings with the Phoenix Symphony Chorus
Writes and publishes MoneySmartFamily.com website.
Co-Author of America’s Cheapest Family Gets You Right On The Money (A NY Times Best Seller), Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half with America’s Cheapest Family and The MoneySmart Family System
Hobbies: Reading books, sewing, crafting, and canning.
Is of Italian descent (mostly).
John Economides
Born: 1983. Works as a technical engineer/manager, producing events and running sound and lighting. Eagle Scout 2001. Married to Rachel a SAHM, and has 2 children Stark (son) & Hudson (daughter).
Becky Economides Ludwig
Born: 1985. Earned the Congressional Award Gold Medal in 2004. Has a business, Facebook page, and Etsy store called Whimsical Whinnies. She is gifted at crafting custom clay animal ornaments, tabletop carousel horses, and half-size replica carousel horses. Married Nolan in 2016 and has one child, Felicity.
Roy Economides
Born: 1989. Eagle Scout 2006. Currently living in Texas.
Joe Economides
Born 1992. Earned Eagle Scout in 2008. Married Sarah in 2014, and has two children Jason & Missy.
Abbey Economides Nevitt
Married to Collin in 2016. 3 Pit bull mix doggies which are like her children for now. Masters degree in Mental Health and Wellness with an emphasis on prevention.
What is your view on Debt?
We’ve seen debt destroy so many lives that we encourage people to do as much with the money they do have as possible. Use Creativity Instead of Credit!
How quickly did you pay off your home?
We paid off our first house in 9 years on an average income of $35,000. Our current home has 5 bedrooms and is set on 3/4 of an acre with a citrus orchard— it’s paid off too.
Where do you Live?
We live in Scottsdale, Arizona.
How much do you spend on Groceries?
When we had 5 children living at home we spent $350 per month to feed the entire family—an average of $50 per person. The average family of four spends about $800 per month ($200 per person). We now spend less.
Have you ever had a car payment?
We’ve never had a car payment. We have always purchase pre-owned cars and paid cash for them. In a city our size, there is always someone looking to sell the very car we want. When we find that person, we always find a deal.
What’s your view on Kids and Money and Allowances?
We don’t believe allowances teach anything but an entitlement attitude. Rather than giving money to our kids, we invested money in them by teaching them to work for the money they earned from us. We’ve developed the MoneySmart Kids system to teach our five kids to earn, save and spend their money wisely. As a result they have paid cash for their cars and paid for their own college educations.
Do you have any pets?
We currently have two rescued German Shepherd dogs. In the past, we’ve had lots of hamsters, two noisy parakeets, and a breeding family of 5 box turtles.