Customer Reviews

Miserly Moms: Living Well on Less in a Tough Economy

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I was kind of leery when I first began reading Miserly Moms Living Well on Less in a Tough Economy by Jonni McCoy and published by Bethany House because I wasn't sure if a family who has two children and who has a lot of other differences compared to our family would be able to help me with ideas on living frugally. I was proven wrong and again taught not to assume or judge a book or an author by it's cover. This book is indeed a great help no matter the size of your family.

As gas prices go back up, food prices continue to climb and trying to make sure we have enough money for a house payment, one van payment, electricity, water, food, etc I try to find ways to cut corners. For my family, food is one way we look to cut corners and I have been already been doing a lot of scratch baking and freezing. It's amazing how one can stretch a $1.55 (on 'sale' at Aldi's) bag of flour! So that was one thing I concentrated on this book, the food. Also by cutting out cable and satellite *GASP* and not having a cell phone *GASP AGAIN** we don't live like most Americans.

Jonni McCoy offers Eleven Miserly Guidelines that are easy to implement and keep with it. Some of these I had already been doing such as not shopping at the same store, making and freezing food, making meals from scratch, etc but she offers other ideas for taking it further. She gives idea for baby care including whether to use disposable or cloth diapers, making your own baby food (we save on this by my nursing for however long the baby wants and not starting solids until 7 or 8 months when the baby can generally some of the foods I make for everyone else). There is also a section for working moms, although she does advocate for mom's who stay home she knows this isn't always a possibility for all moms.

The section on clothing was the one section I disagreed with as she said she she figures out how many outfits her family needs each month or two and tries to find the best deals for the items needed. I couldn't imagine being able to buy new clothing or even buying clothing at thrift stores every couple months - it's not in our budget. So that to me was a bit much, but I don't have an issue with my clothes not being the latest fashion either.

Overall, I was very impressed with the ideas in the book and she has included several recipes. I made the taco seasoning, I hate buying the store bought seasoning with all the MSG and other junk, so I made the recipe in her book and it was GREAT! My husband said he liked it better than the store bought as well. It had more taste and definitely more healthy and cost effective (it makes 12 servings). There are many more recipes and ideas for "pre-packaged" convenience foods to make at home - like baking mixes you can use for biscuits and pancakes. If you'd like to learn how to save money I would definitely suggest you get this book!

Miserly Moms: Living Well on Less in a Tough Economy (4th edition) is a great resource for those struggling with the current conditions of the economy. Written by a mom who wanted to stay home with her children and had to learn how to economize, while living in expensive area of California. This book is the outcome of her research and "continuing education."

Being a fan of Jonni McCoy for more then 10 years and having frequently visiting her website (http://www.miserlymoms.com/), I was wondering if purchasing an updated version of her book would be all that helpful. I was pleasantly surprised by the thoroughly updated and new information that was contained in the book. There is a new opening chapter with testimonies from moms who came home. Then there are a few new chapters more relevant for today's world such as a chapter dealing with special diets, Five Things I wish I Knew About Money When I was Young, How To Save $10,000, and 5 Questions I Get Asked Most Often, information that has come with experience. The titles of many of the chapters are the same, but there is enough new information in them, you can hardly recognize the old. I did also appreciate the new information on debt reduction and budgeting. However, I did find that most of the recipes, gift ideas, cleaning supplies, and children's crafts are the same as the second (1996) edition of the book that I own.

There are items that are just common sense like shopping for items on sale, making your own food from scratch, washing laundry in cold water, and lowering your thermostat and hot water heater temperatures. Other suggestions I find great, like how to make homemade products for every day use and inexpensive gift ideas. The recipes are simple to make and taste great. There are also tips for teaching children and getting your husband on board to this lifestyle. This book would make good reading material for your older children, especially girls who are potential stay at home moms in the future. Great gift also for the new mom!

The book overall has a lot of good information. I don't really think there is anything in the book that you can't find simply by googling "frugal living." She said that cloth diapering doesn't save much money. The way she talked about certain expenses like fabric softener with cloth diapers showed me that she did not do her research in this area as any cloth diaper mom knows that fabric softener takes away the absorbancy and is a big no no. I am cloth diapering baby #3 and have saved thousands of dollars.

I don't think there is anyone who can't benefit from making their money work harder for them. We'd be surprised to learn the areas in our expenses where we are needlessly throwing money away. I've been on the lookout for a practical tool for stretching my dollars, and I found it in Miserly Moms: Living Well on Less in a Tough Ecomony by Jonni McCoy.

I was one of those people who thought they needed more money to make ends meet. But McCoy showed me, through strategies she used in her own household, to budget the money we have now to cover more of our expenses.

McCoy shares ways she cut her household budget that turned out to be more profitable than getting a part-time job! The author notes, "I was inspired by the challenge of reducing our budget instead of increasing our salary" (p. 14).


McCoy first offers eleven miserly guidelines and tips that will immediately help you save money like, "Don't buy everything from one store," and my personal favorite, "Make your own whenever possible". A lot of time is spent on money-saving tips for groceries, because the author maintains this is where money can be saved the most. Then there are chapters dedicated to other places to save money like on baby care, the eye-opening real cost of working, medical expenses, utilities, etc., all organized from the most cost-saving to the least.

Every time I opened the book, I found a useful strategy to use in my own household. I did not read the book from front to back rather chose topics for which I immediately needed advice. Chapter 31: "An Easy $10,000: Various Ways to Pocket Some Money" is worth the price of the book alone.

If you've wondered how to make more money without increasing your salary, and to make cut backs without cutting out all luxuries, invest in yourself by reading Miserly Moms. Even if you're not a mom, singles and empty nesters can benefit from the cost-saving tips found in this book.

I've been living the frugal/miserly/pennysaver lifestyle for 20 years now as an at-home mom and wife. I've read every book that promised to help me save thousands of dollars and really, they're all the same. Miserly Moms has been updated in part but there's nothing in here I haven't already seen in a dozen other books. It's good solid advice as far as it goes, but it doesn't go any further than the rest of the pack.

In addition, depending on your political orientation, you may be turned off (as I was) by the author's editorializing. Referring to one's time as a working mother as 'my feminazi days' is neither necessary nor edifying. I'm looking for financial advice, not El Rushbo rhetoric.

Jonni McCoy has compiled several excellent practical guidelines for saving money. While not all of these ideas are new, but they are still helpful none the less. One of the greatest aspects of McCoy's book is her ability to inspire the reader to save. Many financial guidelines can seem burdensome and overwhelming, but McCoy has a way of encouraging the reader to want to take these guidelines and put them into practice. I highly recommend this book.

I loved this book. I got it in the mail and started reading it and finished it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. Some things seemed like common sense because I am by nature somewhat frugal. But there were lots of good ideas for how to shop and save. I would suggest this book to everyone!

About 10 years ago, I borrowed and read a copy of Miserly Moms by Jonni McCoy. It was one of the first books on frugal living that I read. I needed the encouragement at that time as we tried to stretch one income to provide for our young family, surrounded by double income families.

10 years later, I still need that encouragement, and Miserly Moms still provides it. Jonni McCoy has written an encouraging how-to book for living WELL on one income. She wants to help families cut their expenses and find creative ways to save money, so that Mom can come home to be with her children.

Jonni McCoy made that same decision and had to learn to be a careful spender and savvy shopper in order to be able to live on one income in one of the most expensive parts of the United States: San Francisco, CA. She discovered that when she added up all the hidden costs of working, she was actually spending money to go to work, rather than getting paid. So, Jonni developed The Eleven Miserly Guidelines to help herself save money, and she shares them with us in Miserly Moms.

Miserly Moms is broken down into easy steps. A large portion of the book is focused on one of the largest expenses for a family, and the easiest to take control of ... the grocery bill. Jonni teaches you how to shop wisely, mistakes to avoid, and even includes frugal recipes for your family to enjoy. As she teaches us how to save money, she cheers us on with examples of how she learned these lessons.

Many of the chapters include lists of additional resources (more books!) that can give further information on the topics discussed in the chapter. The book also includes recipes for handy cleaners, ideas for holidays, gift-giving ideas, ways to dress well for less, and so much more.

Miserly Moms: Living Well on Less in a Tough Economy is an excellent (and encouraging) resource for any Mom who needs to lower her family's expenses! Whether their husband has taken a cut in pay, or whether they are longing to come home to be with their children ... Miserly Moms has something for everyone.

Even though I've read Miserly Moms before, I found it refreshing to be reminded WHY we make the frugal choices we make, and to be encouraged that it is possible to live well on less ... even in a tough economy.

I just thought I knew the tricks of frugality. I grew up being frugal, but after reading this book, I am armed and ready to save even MORE money. Thank you Jonni McCoy! You are a lifesaver.
Gina Burgess Blog: http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com

What this book is about:

Have you been thinking about becoming a full-time stay-at-home mom? Are you trying to cut costs and save money for your family? Maybe you would just like to learn to live frugally but comfortably? Then this book is for you!

Okay, so in my opinion this book is for anyone - moms, dads, singles... anyone who would be interested in some great tips on saving money and living healthier can benefit from Miserly Moms. I find it to be an invaluable resource that I'm sure moms will love as much as I do!

Why this book is different:

There is nothing theoretical in the way Miserly Moms is written. Author Jonni McCoy has lived and practiced this way of living - she is proof that it can work. And not only that, but she has testimonials from readers (this is a reprinting) sharing their success stories as well! I'm not surprised. Reading through this book, you'll note the ring of truth in her words - what she says makes total sense!

Refreshingly, Miserly Moms is neither boring nor a slow read. It's so easy to find what you're looking for and to pick and choose what tips you want to follow - I love it! And it's written with the goal of being a stay-at-home mom in mind. I found this extremely helpful (though I'm still working part time at home) and was very interested in reading Jonni's thoughts on working moms. Did you ever think about how money is spent by working moms? By the time you've paid for work clothes, convenience foods (at home and at work), gas going to and from work, daycare bills, and whatever else comes up (car expenses, etc), you're practically paying for the privelege of working! I don't know about you, but I'd rather be at home taking care of my kids... that's just an aside, of course. Something I noted. I know not all of us can stay home, but if you're wondering if it is possible to stay at home, survive, and save money - well, you'll see that it can be done.

Anyway, on with examples of what Miserly Moms is all about...

Topics covered in Miserly Moms:

* Budgeting
* Food-buying tips (don't buy everything at one store, etc)
* Frugal and healthy recipes
* Celebrating frugally
* Baby care (now that's not easy to save money on)
* The cost of working
* Getting the kids and husband involved in saving
* Saving on medical expenses
* Saving on Utility expenses
* Craft ideas (for less!)
* Cleaning (safer and cheaper)
* Even a FAQ area
* And much more!

This book is like the bible of money-saving ideas for moms. I highly recommend it and know I'll be gifting copies to my mom friends!