Just wondered if anyone has read two of my favorites and if so, what are your thoughts on them:

Frugal Simplicity and Joyful Abundance - Tracy McBride

Charles Long's  How to Survive Without a Salary This one maybe out of print but was both inspiring and highly entertaining. Maybe a bit outdated in some places, too. Still, a good read.

 Colleen

Dear Colleen, I'm not familiar with the McBride book, but I love Long's.  Incidentally, there is a Revised Edition which I own -- it's copyrighted 2003.  The subtitle of Long's is LEARNING HOW TO LIVE THE CONSERVER LIFESTYLE. 

Would you please give us a sentence about McBride's book?  I have 2 books from teh Library now, another 3 to pick up this weekend, & another 7 I am waiting for on Inter-Library Loan or (CA) Link-Plus.  The title of McBride's sounds intriguing. 

Yours in Him, Deb

Deb,

I goofed on the title, darn it! It is actually Frugal Luxuries:Simple Pleasures to Enhance Your Life and Comfort Your Soul and it is by Tracey McBride. Forgot the "e" in her first name. The Chicago Trib referred to her "as the Martha Stewart of the cheapskate set."  It was one of those books that I had checked out so much I ended buying it for myself one year as a birthday present. It really is a good reference book and I like to pick it up for inspiration.

Thank you for the update on the Charles Long book. Looks like I need to reserve a copy.

Colleen

Thanks so much, Colleen, for letting me know about Ms McBride's book.  I have learned that "frugal luxuries" are beyond myu pocketbook, LOL!  The oxymoron refers to the set of people who have discretionary income.  THis does not mitigate my appreciation to you of telling me about the book.  Yours in Him, Deb

Deb,

 Were you able to look up the books contents online? Really, it's all of what we on these forums do now but she adds a touch of elegance by using what you might already have at home. I don't want to discourage you from the book because the ideas are very adaptable, I think, to everyone's situation. She wrote the book when her husband lost his job and they had to reexamine their lives and their blessings.

She talks about culling cloth napkins from thrift stores and rummage sales sources, for instance. Or making a simple frugal meal really nice just by setting the table.  At any rate, it is an interesting read with many great ideas. Hope you check it out and give it a try.

On another note, thanks again for the update on the Charles Long book. I've already ordered it through the interlibrary loan and will anxiously await it's arrival. When we lived in Michigan, close to the Canadian border, he did a small segment on a Canadian show called Cottage Country. He had all kinds of very neat, and frugal ideas for the outdoors such as garden benches made from fallen trees and such. Very interesting.

Colleen

 We have enjoyed reading through the many FoxFire volumes.  Really an eye opener to independent, self sufficient living. 

I will see if I can inter library loan these two new (to me) books to enjoy, as well.

Always looking for good books! 

Rolo,

Argh!!! Just wrote a whole post but we have dial up and I got interrupted while posting.

Thank you for reminding me about these wonderful books. As a child, during my weekend visits with my dad (post-divorce sparse libary), I spent many hours reading a section out of either Volume II or Volume III "Boogers, Witches and Haints" Years later as a poor college student, I found Foxfire volumes in a Cracker Barrel General Store. Couldn't afford them.

Later on, my dad and stepmom did give me a Foxfire Appalachain (spelling?) Cookbook. I love to read cookbooks anyway, but this one is a particularly good read.

I am going to see if I can borrow these from the interlibrary loan.

Thanks again,

Colleen