Meet the Frugalwoods audiobook

4 stars! Meet the Frugalwoods is a book I’ve been looking forward to. About 2 years ago, a friend on Facebook who runs a group about finances recommend a blog in her group- The Frugalwoods (www.frugalwoods.com for anyone interested). I read a ton of their blog posts and got some fantastic finance tips. There were certain things I was never going to do, give up makeup, buying books, clothes ban etc, but I did participate in several no spend months and was able to cut my grocery bill pretty low a few times. In any case, I find what they do commendable and interesting! 

This book is their story. If you’ve followed them like me, there is still some new info and background, if you’re new to them, it’s a great place to start. I listened to the audio book and the narration was great. It was a short read, and I finished it the same day I started it. I will say, some of their ideas seem a little radical and won’t be for everyone, but I think most people can take away something through reading this book!

Before reading this book, understand that you are going to be reading a memoir, not a step by step guide to frugality. Also, this book will challenge your notions about what it means to live reasonably, and comfortably. Personally, I loved the whole thing, and will probably will start looking at my own consumeristic tendencies, because even if I never get to the author’s level, adding a bit of frugality to my life will not hurt. Some people have criticized this book for using a literary voice for what looks like a manual on money saving. It is not a manual. It is kinda like a Walden for the modern era, so it is okay if it sounds literary. I hope some day this will sit next to Thoreau’s masterpiece, as people learn about the great second romantic period of American literature, and compare and contrast it. Other people are mad because the author sounds smug, and a little arrogant at times. How could she not? I don’t think she does it on purpose. It’s just hard not to sound like you’re getting away with something when you managed to disengage from the traps that 99% of the world fall for. I think the whole arrogance is a projection, or jealousy. Yes I am jealous of the author’s foresight and careful planning. Although I would never want to imitate her lifestyle, exactly, I can see that frugality is desperately needed in this world and in my life. I really loved this book!

My husband bought me this book to get me excited about financial independence, and it worked! This book is full of good personal finance information without being dry and number-filled, and really reads like a novel. Thames is a good writer: concise, honest, thorough, and full of funny similes. My husband and I are already pretty frugal, but Thames opened up my eyes to additional opportunities to be frugal and I can’t wait to apply it to our budget! Plus, her book isn’t really about money, it’s about freeing yourself from consumerism so you can find peace and joy in your life on your own terms. “Joy is...the ability to appreciate and savor the simplicity of each day’s routine. To not feel that you need a vacation from your life.”

I really liked this book but it’s not realistic and practical for everyone.

I really enjoyed this book. I preferred the more memoir style this book had and as someone who follows the frugalwoods blog I already knew I enjoyed her writing style. I appreciated how multiple times the author acknowledges how privileged she and her husband are and how she related that as one of the reasons she was able to become financially independent so early in life. I enjoyed the portion where she talks about how her year in NYC was her almost trying on poverty. I thought it was very honest. I will say if you're looking for a book full of tips, recipes, or a how to book on personal finance, this isn't it. This book does have some great ideas but they are more broad ideas on frugality as a whole, not really a step by step type of thing. I've seen some reviews saying that the vocabulary in this book was needlessly complex at times and I don't agree with that. The one thing that does bug me a little is that the author says a few times that her and her husband never made banker salaries but they did still make likely a good 6 figure amount each for them to be able to save as much as they did. I think the author kind of downplays how much they were making. My spouse and I make nothing near what they likely made (and may not for many years if ever) but I did still find the general message of this book helpful. Basically figure out what makes you happy and what you like to do and figure out a way to do that with your money in a smart way

The book reads like a novel. I follow her blog from time to time but did not know she was so funny. A definite read if you are on this frugal path and want to discover how other people already achieved it.

Makes me want to stain my own deck instead of hiring it out for $1,300—and in all other ways get really clear on how I could best spend my money on what actually matters to me.

This book isn’t full of tips for frugality but it’s a great look into one person’s journey to change their spending and their life.

I wouldn't go as far as letting my husband cut my hair... but I'm inspired!

Overall, good info and some encouragement. It’s very Dave Ramsey OVERALL, but in a more palatable form for people who don’t love salty Uncle Dave (I do love him, personally)! 😂 If Dave is a “swear word” with your spouse, this may be a possible alternative to get things moving in the right direction- as far as dreaming together, getting into the same team, and thinking about your why.

When I started thinking more of this book as a memoir and the author and her family's experience rather than a bullet point list on frugality, I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected.Her mindset about challenging the societal norms and what she values made me reflect on my own belief. Frugal means being mindful of what you spend your money on, and not what society expects you to spend on.

This is a well-written book by a young woman who achieved financial independence in her early 30s and moved with her husband and infant daughter to a homestead in Vermont by practicing frugality. Thames writes the blog Frugalwoods. This book is the story of her journey from being a yuppie in Cambridge, MA working a 9-5 cubicle job that she did not enjoy to her current life. Thames was a very driven achievement-oriented person who followed the typical conventions of going to college, getting a job, getting a better job, moving, getting married, pursuing a master's degree (and realizing part way through her schooling that she did not like what she was doing), moving again, etc. while finding happiness elusive. She and her husband had been fairly frugal all along, but adopted extreme frugality for a few years to help them take the non-conventional step of saving most of their income (besides their mortgage and about $1000 a month in expenses) to purchase their dream home and take charge of their own lives. They both had good salaries so this was not impossible for them to achieve. I most enjoyed her writing about how she used frugality to really hone in on what was important to her and her family, and her discussion of principles of frugality and their value. In a way this book is an updated Tightwad Gazette (written in the 1990s by Amy Dacyczyn - a woman who, with her family, bought a home and moved to rural Maine) that is more philosophical (and less tip oriented) with a Millenial's viewpoint.

This should be renamed to show it’s THEIR story of frugality, not how you can be so frugal that you can buy a homestead. Really enjoyed this memoir, and there are a few tips here and there to help you out, but not many and not too preachy. It’s more like explaining how and why you might want to leave or lessen your dependability on the consumer lifestyle. Really good read.