Living With Less So Your Family Has More

This book is extremely generic with it's suggestions, and uses God as the primary motivation for most of the changes (if not all) in your and/or your family's lives. One suggestion about going through a difficult situation at work was to thank God for the character building the situation provides. It completely misses the premise that if people are treating you like junk or you're not getting any resolution in a situation, that you need to do more thank thank God for the abuse and carry on without doing anything about it.I don't mind some religious scripture, suggestion and so on, but this book was extremely preachy and very self-based in terms of what worked for them. It does NOT take into account how folks of non-religious persuasion should possibly approach things, and that only God is the answer. I intensely dislike books that are so one-sided. It has a picture of a piggy bank on the front. That implies to me no-nonsense advice, and is therefore misleading. They should, instead, have a picture of a church sucking the money out of your piggy bank and a harried single parent desperately trying to hold onto it.Honestly, maybe the church telling you that you NEED to tithe to them, is the reason you have to live with less, so they have to ply you with scripture so you believe that you actually have more. Sounds like a Nigerian scam.

I really enjoyed reading this book, as well as the whole concept it portrays. However I didn't find a whole lot of useful tips, for my family personally, to help us "live with less". We already are living this type of lifestyle, so for us, it wasn't particularly helpfull in that aspect. But, I truly enjoyed the stories that appeared throughout the book, as well as all the spiritual inspiration.For anyone who wants to make a change in their lifestyle, and "downgrade" their current standards to be able to afford to stay home with their kids, while living a debt free life, this book would be extremely helpful. It is also a great tool to help open communication lines with your spouse, so you can both "be on the same page" in your journey/goals as parents.

My husband and I are reading this book together and have found it very helpful and insightful in our quest for a bit more simplicity in our lives. Money is not really an issue for us, but we have still gleaned helpful information with how we choose to spend our money. The book has been helpful because it helps us see that even though we might scale down a bit in our lives, it really gives us more in the aspect of relationships. Really, that's the whole premise of the book - living with less money, things, and activities so you can develop the relationships in your life, particularly those of your children. Thankfully, we haven't been in a place where we've taken a huge hit with the finances, but now we think before we buy, and decide how best we can use the resources (time, energy and money) God has given us. The book is biblical, but not too preachy, which I like.

This book was one of the best titles I have read on the subject of simplifying lifestyle. The authors, Jill and Mark Savage, write from their own personal experience about how they willing have reduced their income, enjoyed a greater quality of life, and have survived! They begin with casting the vision for a simpler lifestyle by redefining what it truly means to get ahead in life. From that vision they move to attitude changes that go against the culture and that promote contentment, sacrifice, simplicity, frugality, spirituality and community. After detailing the attitude changes required, they move to specific actions that bring the new vision and mindset into reality .The Savages have inspired me with their story. This book is well worth the time and money spent. If you're seeking to simplify your lifestyle and no longer pursue more and more material "stuff," then this title is for you.

Throughout this book I thought it was okay, and a good message for families in need of making radical changes in their priorities in lifestyles. However, I strongly disagree with the suggestion toward the end of the book that you should spend your holidays in ways that please you, even if, "you may not be on your mother-in-law's happy list." This is a surprising comment from a Christian author. The Bible says to "honor your mother and father." To me, being present for major holidays is a critical way to honor them, even if it means spending those holidays with people I don't particularly enjoy. Family is family, and one day our parents will no longer be here for the holidays. Now that her children are marrying and starting families of their own, I wonder if Jill Savage will feel differently if her own children and their spouses choose not to come home for the holidays simply because they don't feel like it. As long as it is not a situation of violence or abuse, I think being present for major holidays should be a priority, and will set an example for your own children to do the same someday.

I want to be their for my family, not just financially but also as a role model. I wish to use my God given talents daily and enjoy my work. This book is countercultural in that it affirms to have more get less"stuff". Great read for anyone dealing with consumerism "shop-a-holics". If u want more peace and God's understanding in your life, this can help u get it.

Bought this for my "X" GF, She didn't read it :( One of the reasons she's my "X" lol

Very good information, learning how to live within mymeans, while becoming a new real estate agent.Having to cut back is hard, but this has helped in whereit can be done easier.

I found this book extremely valuable as an inspiration for changing my lifestyle/ spending habits so that I can work less. There are many concrete and valuable tools/ tips for how to plan ahead and spend less, financial management/ budgeting, neat ideas on counterculturalism (living with only what you need) and why the effort and sacrifice is worthwhile (what you can have more of)! It does have significant content on the importance of following/ trusting God, which does not fit with my spiritual belief, however if I were a Christian, I'm sure it would be inspirational. These parts were in discrete sections so it was easy to skip over, and it was definitely worthwhile. I may not have read the book if the religious lean was revealed on the cover, but I'm very glad I did!