Customer Reviews

The Penny Pinchers Club

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

...is a great read!

The first book I read by Sarah Stohmeyer was the Sleeping Beauty Proposal - a great fun chick lit read that I enjoyed. So on a rainy Sunday I happily settled down with her latest - The Penny Pinchers Club.

Kat Griffiths is unpacking her husband's luggage after his business trip. But when she discovers two Mint Tingle Trojan wrappers and a receipt for a fancy dinner on a night she couldn't reach him at the hotel, she is caught unawares. Convinced he is having an affair with his young assistant, Kat visits a divorce attorney, who advises her that she will need at least $15,000 of her own money to land on her feet. The problem is - Kat loves to shop. What she doesn't love is knowing what she spends - Visa bills are the enemy. But forced with no choice, she vows to stop shopping, cut corners and save money. To that end, she joins the local 'Penny Pinchers' club. The plot thickens when a former lover appears back in her life.

Strohmeyer is a witty writer. The dialogue is funny and fast paced. Her characters are warm and engaging. The members of the club are an eclectic interesting group that I enjoyed. The secondary plots involving their lives added to the story. The group has some good realistic ideas on saving money - especially timely in today's economy. There's a list of their suggestions included at the end of the book. Although it's a light hearted entertaining read, the degree of happiness Kat achieves without the purchase of 'things' is worth noting, as is the degree of satisfaction she finds in taking control of her own life. The ending isn't quite what I envisioned or would have preferred, but I enjoyed it very much. If you're looking for a fun light hearted read, this would be a great choice. A little more hen lit than chick lit.

This is my third Sarah Strohmeyer book, and it is by far my least favorite. It's difficult to explain what exactly I didn't like without giving something away, so if I seem vague, it's because I don't want to spoil anything for anyone.

The overall readability of the book is just fine. Ms. Strohmeyer keeps the story going at a great clip, revealing just enough to keep you eagerly turning the pages. Some characters (Elaine comes to mind) are not really developed well at all though, so when you meet them throughout the book, you have to struggle to remember who they were, and where Kat knew them from. On a good note, I really liked the tips given on how to save money. Some were a bit extreme, like canceling the cable, and trading in the car, but others I've actually started doing myself...flipping the power strips my TV's are connected to whenever they're not in use, and unplugging gaming devices which eat up electricity, even when they're turned off. Also making a consious effort to turn off fans and lights in rooms that aren't being used.

My main issue with the story though was the predictability. I guessed very early on what the outcome was going to be, and I was disappointed to see that I was correct. I also had a hard time swallowing how neatly everything wrapped up. Even the outcome of the Penny Pinchers themselves. It was all WAY too convenient. Kat's husband Griff; while I believe Ms. Strohmeyer was out to make him seem likeable, he wasn't really. I never trusted him, and (here's where I have to be careful with what I say) while he was a pleasant, easy going guy, and all his explanations added up, for things to end the way they did, those emails were worded VERY strangely. Who would talk like that? Ok...that may not make sense to some people, but read the book and you'll get it.

In the end, I don't discourage anyone from reading this since it wasn't that bad of a story, but it's certainly not her best work. If you've never read Sarah Strohmeyer before, then do not start with this. Try 'Secret Lives of Fortunate Wives', or 'The Sleeping Beauty Proposal' instead, both of which are GREAT books.

What a book! It's just in time to make us laugh AND help us think of ways to save a little money. Well written and witty. Grab a bag of chips, a big glass of iced tea and get ready for an afternoon of non-stop, sizzling fun! A must read.

In Rocky River, Griff and Kat Griffiths have been fighting for a long time over her out of control spending habits. She thinks he is a penny pinching miser and he feels she is a spendthrift with no discipline. As their daughter leaves the nest for the first time to attend college, Kat is stunned to find Griff has a secret bank account and seems to be spending an exorbitant amount of time with his research assistant. Those two findings open up Kat's eyes that she nothing in her name, which means a sudden change in demeanor before filing for divorce.

Kat joins the Rocky Rivers Penny Pinchers Club to learn how to save money whole also having a support group. She cancels cable television and stops drinking gourmet coffee. She begins scavenging dumpsters near the groceries to find thrown away food. Kat saves money, but apparently not her marriage. When a wealthy former lover reenters her life, Kat knows she must choose between an apparent failed marriage and a new start, but love is making her selection difficult.

This entreating timely contemporary drama is an enjoyable often amusing but always poignant tale with a deep message subtly included. The fast-paced story line focuses on Kat who has spousal issues while obsessing to squeeze the penny starting with no more Starbucks; in fact she pulls a reaction formation so much so she gives Lincoln a headache with her squeezing. Fans will enjoy the newest penny pincher as she begins to understand more than just saving money; though in her forties and a mom, she begins to understand what matters; something many people never learn.

Harriet Klausner

Strohmeyer writes really many funny stories that take place in NJ and as someone from that state, I like when authors cite places or sitations where I can relate. That said, this story has some interesting elements but is, as others have also indicated, somewhat predictable. The reader is led down a path, along with the main character, toward an expected conclusion. The end has elements that just don't seem plausible and wrapped up many loose ends too. Though I like closure in a story, I don't like when it seems rushed or convenient.

The Penny Pinchers Club has great money saving advice though and the fact that the main character starts the book so clueless about her spending is rather distressing. It is disconcerting to know that there are many folks who are in similar circumstances regarding their finances; however, Strohmeyer offers excellent suggestions for regular folk to cut back and ultimately save quite a bit of money in a relative short time, allowing for debt reduction.

Perhaps a book club would like to read and discuss, as much from the conversation about the main character and her husband's behavior, as well as to share ideas for cost cutting.

The Penny Pinchers Club begins with the main character, Kat Griffiths, unpacking her husband's luggage and discovering two mint tingle condom wrappers. Upon further searching, she finds a receipt for an expensive dinner at a restaurant and an exchange of emails. Her mind begins to question what's really going on in her marriage. Is her husband having an affair? Is he sleeping with Bree, his young pretty assistant?

Eventually she seeks the advice of an attorney who advises that Kat needs approximately $15,000 for a divorce. With no prior knowledge of her finances, a fear of bills, and a $240 monthly Starbucks habit, this is a task that Kat needs outside help with. She joins the Rocky Rivers Penny Pinchers Club. The members analyze her spending and support Kat in her quest to save cash. Meanwhile Kat's ex, that she was almost married to, returns to town.

In this economy, most of us have scaled back on splurging. No more shopping excursions on the weekend. Instead we spend Saturday morning balancing checkbooks and modifying our budgets. Our Sunday afternoons are spent clipping coupons and window shopping...on the internet. We flick off lights around the house that aren't being used. Hey, drastic times call for drastic measures.

This book was recommended quite some time ago by a fellow chick lit lover (Steph B. "Chic Princess Petite"). So when I read the description and saw the title, I figured this would be the perfect time to finally read this book. It's a light, quick read and offers money-saving tips in a story format. The author closes all loose ends, so a sequel is highly unlikely. I recommend that you borrow from your local library (as a true Penny Pincher would) and enjoy this fun read.

L. Marie

This book had some good ideas about saving money and really showed some growth for Kat. However I didn't like that fact that it really did seem that Griff checked out on the relationship. He sought outside support instead of seeking within. Seems the book was more about her, Kat's, growth rather than her relationship with her husband.

The story begins with a slight flashback of life events involving Kat Griffiths, the main character. Kat, in her early years, is a fun-loving woman with a desire to take the interior design world by storm. She is head over heels in love with Liam (a very rich guy) and her life is on course to be fabulous. Until... she meets Griff, a poor scholar. With Griff there is an immediate attraction and Kat trades her steady love for Liam for the passion she feels for Griff. Move forward 20 years and the question Kat is asking is .. did she make the right decision, particularly as it pertains to Liam and Griff? Unlike Liam, her husband Griff doesn't have a lot of money and they are a couple seriously in debt because of Kat's spendy ways. It's the fear that Griff is having an affair that motivates Kat to change her ways. She starts to take her career more seriously and also, joins a club called The Penny Pincher's. The club meets regularly at a library and is a really unique bunch of characters, all brought together with the common purpose of saving money and never buying new again. Kat joins the club for about 8-9 months and we can really see her grow and mature through her interaction with the other group members and her new life choices. Kat is a 40-something woman and you are definitely on her side throughout the story. The book isn't funny, dramatic, etc., it's just an enjoyable read that lets you into the life of Kat for a few hundred pages. The ending is pretty good as well, and the author never leaves issues unresolved - full closure for the book and its characters. A recommended read for sure.

Lost in the lush, comfortable world of shopping-as-sport, suburban mom, wife and interior designer Kat Griffiths is about to get one serious reality check on the world of consumerism, wants and needs. When Kat digs into her family's finances for the first time in her life, she can't believe how bad the damage has become.

There's really so much to love about Sarah Strohmeyer's THE PENNY PINCHERS CLUB -- it was funny but had plenty of heart; was light-hearted without being cheesy; felt realistic but not depressing. Though I knew from the get-go that some of the "secrets" couldn't possibly be true, I didn't have too much trouble going along with it . . . though I did keep thinking Kat would wake up concerning a few matters! It took a while before that happened.

I loved so many of the auxiliary characters, especially Kat's sister Viv and Steve. The Penny Pinchers themselves were really fun, sweet people, and I loved learning about their lives and how they'd come to be so cost-effective! And the appearance of an old flame added a lot of depth to the plot.

I really felt for Kat, a realistic main character I adored rooting for. The conflict between the many spheres in which she resides -- spender and saver; wife and ex-girlfriend; mom and worker -- added depth to what might have otherwise been a pretty ordinary story. A quick and worthy read!

Strohmeyer brings her sense of humor and playful romance to bear on the current economic crisis in a hilarious novel that also offers up some tips for budding penny savers. Kat is a happily married interior decorator, or at least, thinks she is. In reality, she works for a woman who is a pretty dreadful boss, and suspects her husband is having an affair. In the meantime, her former love, who she ditched for her now-husband, Griff, is back in town, newly single, and very interested. Liam is also unbelievably wealthy, while Griff subsists on a professor's salary. To prove her frugality, Kat joins the titular group, a wacky assortment of once-wealthy or simply coupon-happy friends who promptly overhaul her finances. She goes from a Jersey spendaholic to a thrifty sleuth as she tries to hang on to her marriage.

This fast, playful read is a laugh-out-loud delight, as well as being relevant to the reading recessionista. Kat's snooping, shopping and saving, combined with Strohmeyer's knack for the ridiculous side of married life, suspicion, and spending, equal a fun, frothy book that I highly recommend you check out of the library (Penny Pincher style) or, if you just can't wait, purchase and then pass along to a friend.