My Little Book List

I had a little more time than usual while I was visiting my parents, so I was able to peruse a few books.  I thought I'd share my list. 

I brought Miserly Moms with me from Cleveland with the laughable idea that I would have a chance to read it on the bus.  I didn't.  Anyways, Jonni McCoy has some great tips and tools for the frugal-minded mom.  One of the ideas that I especially liked was keeping a chart of the lowest price that you have paid for grocery items.  She recommends a three-column chart listing the regular price, the sale price, and the once-in-a-blue-moon price of goods that you regularly purchase.  This would be a great reference tool.  I contend with her on her opinion of coupons, but for the most part, her book is very practical and well-written.  The edition that I am reading is outdated, but I believe there is a more current one available.  This would be helpful for the pricing data.

I have also browsed through an older book on my mom's bookshelf called Fascinating Womanhood by Helen Andelin.  I'm not sure that I've totally formulated my opinion on this book yet, but I would say that she writes with a secular audience in mind.  However, the principles that she shares would seem to be largely Biblical in perspective, although she shares very little Scripture, if any.   The main purpose of the book is to teach married women how to create in your husband a celestial love for yourself.  This love is created by the manner in which you live, act, dress, respond, and deport yourself.  I think its modern Christian counterpart would be Created to be His Helpmeet by Debi Pearl.

Jerry Baker wrote It Pays to Be Cheap.  I checked this one out from the library for my trip, but I read through most of it before I had even packed.  I would say that much of the information is dated, but I did not have the current version from 2006.  I wouldn't say that I learned much from this book, so I would not be likely to recommend it. He does give many recipes for various cleaning solutions that might be useful to someone who cannot handle store-bought cleaners. 

Another book that I just started and would like to obtain for myself is by Steven and Teri Maxwell.  Their book, Keeping Our Children's Hearts: Our Vital Priority teaches parents why we must keep our children's hearts and how to accomplish it.  They give Scripture to back up their teaching, and practical examples from their own family.  I would like to read this book in its entirety. The Maxwell's have a website here.