Customer Reviews

Cheap Talk with the Frugal Friends: Over 600 Tips, Tricks, and Creative Ideas for Saving Money

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

After seeing the "frugal friends" on Houston's "Debra Duncan" show, I was completely amazed. They shared a few common sense tips that made one of my girlfriends with 2-year-old twin girls say, "Oh my GOSH, what a GREAT idea!" when I told her the frugal friends' tips just on bandaids! (Again, buy the book.) Try cutting down a $400 grocery bill to about $140 or so. Think it can't be done? Think again, and buy this book!

The tips will more than pay for your investment in the book. I am a single person, in my early 30s, and I LOVE this book. I love it so much, I carry it around with me everywhere now since I can't remember all the tips and might need to look something up when I'm about to reach into my purse to spend money.

What's even better is getting an immediate response from them when I emailed through their site (frugalfamilynetwork.com). That's almost unheard of!

If you think you need a part-time job for the holiday season or you're living paycheck to paycheck, get this book. You'll be forever grateful. You'll have more time and more money without quitting your job or getting a salary increase!

Great buy!
Angie P.
Houston, Texas

I hate to sound too dramatic but this book changed my life. I accumulated a lot of debt as a single person (and nothing to show for it). When my fiancee proposed, I knew I didn't want to bring these bad habits into our marriage. I got the book as a gift from a friend at a bridal shower. It was the best gift I received! I read it through twice in the first week! I lowered my utility bill, started shopping smarter, and finally understood how to cook healthy inexpensive meals. I'm getting married this fall and should be out of debt by the end of summer.

I learned about Frugal Family Network a couple of years before their book came out. Between using their ideas, setting up our finances on Quicken software, and applying principles I have learned through bible study, my family has been able to do the following:

* Live within my husband's yearly take home pay (I stay at home with the two kids);
* Maintain a savings account for emergencies (and splurges);
* Set up college funds for both of our children;
* Pay cash for a minivan (the exact one we wanted);
* Pay our credit cards off each month;
* Eat good meals prepared at home as well as have date nights with babysitting;
* Purchase those things we really want and need; and
* Enjoy a comfortable and content existence.

Many of Angie and Deana's ideas have helped us to focus on what's priority in our lives and save money on those items as well as on everyday purchases. One of their best ideas is the Price Book-it has saved us literally hundreds of dollars over the past couple of years.

The price of "Cheap Talk" is miniscule compared to the amount of money you will save implementing their ideas...

I found this book quite useful and helpful in certain respects, but in some areas, I would question the practicality and truthfulness of the authors' claims. For instance, in the 'Beauty on a Budget' section, one of the tips is that no beauty products can prevent or reduce signs of ageing. While I understand that many beauty products on the market probably do not do all that they promimse, I do think that good moisterizers will go a long way in preventing ageing. The authors also say that it is not necessary to buy a separate moisterizer for face and body, but I have found that body moisterizers are often too rich for faces, and often cause breakouts and greasiness. I also expected to find help on issues that were not covered -- utility bills, for one, are a place where I would have welcomed tips on saving money.

I found the sections on buying food and household cleaners to be very helpful.

Be warned that if you're already pretty thrifty, this book probably won't change your life.

Wow! I haven't read a book with this much useful information in ages!...I've been using their grocery shopping tips and have already shaved off $50 a week from my bill. Their tips on Pet Care and Save On Sports are real creative and I'm trying them out now. My favorite part was the unique recycling ideas they have. I never thought of using those free CDs I get in the mail to keep birds out of my garden! These ladies are great. I feel like I know them after reading just a couple chapters. Can't wait for Cheap Talk 2!

I learned about Frugal Family Network a couple of years before their book came out. Between using their ideas, setting up our finances on Quicken software, and applying principles I have learned through bible study, my family has been able to do the following:

* Live within my husband's yearly take home pay (I stay at home with the two kids);
* Maintain a savings account for emergencies (and splurges);
* Set up college funds for both of our children;
* Pay cash for a minivan (the exact one we wanted);
* Pay our credit cards off each month;
* Eat good meals prepared at home as well as have date nights with babysitting;
* Purchase those things we really want and need; and
* Enjoy a comfortable and content existence.

Many of Angie and Deana's ideas have helped us to focus on what's priority in our lives and save money on those items as well as on everyday purchases. One of their best ideas is the Price Book-it has saved us literally hundreds of dollars over the past couple of years.

The price of "Cheap Talk" is miniscule compared to the amount of money you will save implementing their ideas. Yeah Deana and Angie!

Maria R. -- Austin, TX

My wife brought this book home swearing she was going to save us money. I was skeptical but after a month of using the Frugal Friends thrifty tricks, she dropped our grocery bill by $100. I couldn't believe it! And our freezer to stuffed. She's also saved money with our pets and with making her own cleaning products. Ok, so I started reading the book too after that. I'm using their ideas on how to "drive down car costs." And I thought this was just a book for women!

I am a big fan of the Tightwad Gazette and I would say about 90% of the tips in this book are in the Tightwad Gazette I, II, and III, which was published seven years ago. The only tips that are different is anything pertaining to Texas. I found this book boring and would recommend the Tightwad Gazette instead simply because there is more information and the graphics make it more interesting.

Cheap talk was full of good ideas that I had not heard or thought of before. I had been reading alot on frugality lately and was glad to finally get a book with some fresh, useful ideas. Borrow it from your local library today!(being frugal are we are)

I don't agree with the review knothead11 wrote. She (or he) stated a couple suggestions that may not be very useful (for her). I believe this book is loaded with many valueable bits of information and great ideas in saving money. Not all ideas are for everyone. Everyone has different levels of thriftiness, and if you are very frugal, you may have already learned many of the tips in this book. However, I believe the higher percentage of people truly need this book and will find a great deal of the Frugal Friends tips very very useful.