If you've read my book "7 Money Rules for Life," you know that rule number one is so simple it would be easy to overlook as being too elementary. Here it is: Spend less than you earn.

Now, think about it. Spend less than you earn is not the same as "don't spend more than you earn." That implies it would be OK to spend all that you earn. But no. The operative word is "less." You need a gap between what you earn and how much of it you spend. That is the fundamental secret for living below your means.

It's within that gap that financial freedom can grow. You really need to read the rest of the book, but for now let's just say that growing the gap is the challenge.

An easy way to increase your gap this week — even if only by a few dollars — is to make your own bread. Wait! Hear me out. I have a recipe that is so amazing, so simple and so foolproof you'll be tempted to call it Einstein Bread because it will make you feel like a genius.

Actually, this is English muffin bread. And trust me: Toasted with butter and jam, it is pure heaven. It's so much better than commercial English muffins and way cheaper (a package of six Thomas English Muffins costs around $4.29, or 72 cents each, at my local supermarket).

This recipe makes the equivalent of 24 English muffins for about $3 total, or just 13 cents each slice, depending on how you purchase the ingredients (I buy flour and yeast in bulk). It makes awesome grilled cheese sandwiches, too.

ENGLISH MUFFIN BREAD

—5 1/2 cups warm water

—6 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (equal to three 1/4-oz packages)

—2 tablespoons salt

—3 tablespoons sugar

—11 cups bread flour (can use all-purpose flour)

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until just incorporated. They will turn into a very wet sticky dough. Leave the dough in the bowl, and let it rise until double the size.

Spoon this sticky dough into four well-greased loaf pans. Let rise until dough reaches the top of the pan.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Ten minutes before it's done, brush with melted butter. Makes four loaves.

The bread will be moist at first. It's best if allowed to cool completely before cutting. It makes the best toast. It can be frozen. This recipe can be cut in half to yield two loaves.

Mary invites questions, comments and tips at [email protected], or c/o Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Suite B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com, a personal finance member website and the author of "Debt-Proof Living," released in 2014. To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.