First line: There it sat, a Cloud Nine queen-sized luxury gold comforter with red ribbon applique and metallic embroidery.
From the back cover: Take a trip to the charming little town of Heart Lake, and meet three best friends who you’ll never forget…
Rachel, Jessica and Tiffany have money problems – major money problems. Tiffany’s whipped out the plastic one too many times, and now a mountain of debt is about to come crashing down on her. Jessica’s husband lost his job – thrusting this longtime stay-at-home mom out into the cold, cruel workforce. And Rachel’s divorce has transformed her from an upper-middle-class mom to a strapped-for-cash divorcee. What are three best friends to do?
Get financially fit, that’s what! Together, Rachel, Jessica and Tiffany start a financial support group called The Small Change Club – challenging each other to bring balance back to their checkbooks, and their lives. Even though frugality is a lot harder than they ever imagined, these women are about to learn some very important lessons: that small changes can make a big difference…and that some things in life, like good friends, are truly priceless.
My thoughts: This was a fun story about the power of friendship. It follows three friends who, due to circumstances in their lives, find themselves in financial straights and need to adopt more frugal ways of living.
I was able to see a little of myself in each of the main characters – Tiffany the emotional spender, Rachel having to live on a shoestring budget, and Jess thinking she is in a better place financially then she really is. In order to not let their financial issues keep them down, they form the “Small Changes Club” – their own version of a support group. They find ways to make their budgets stretch and even put their ideas out there for everyone to see by creating a blog. I have to say that my husband and I practice one of the tips the group came up with – we make one extra payment on our mortgage each year. It is tips like this that are shared throughout the book – tips that are all practical and even a few that are fun.
This is the third book I’ve read by Sheila Roberts and I always feel good about her books. She manages to tell a story and at the same time impart practical advice for smart living.
(I won this book.)
I like Sheila Roberts' books and this one didn't disappoint. She manages to take relatable topics and turn them into uplifting, enjoyable novels. (One of my kids has made a mint selling things she doesn't want/need anymore on Ebay)
I also like Ms. Roberts books. I read this book a few months ago and enjoyed it.
@ Mary: There were quite a few suggestions in this book that I loved – especially the frugal gifts from the kitchen ideas! I always make everyone in my family a bag of chocolate covered pretzels at Christmastime and they are a big hit! It's easy to do and quite cheap for the amount of gifts you can get out of it!
@ Gigi Ann: This was definitely a fun book. I have a few of her other books on my tbr list and can't wait to get to them, including her new one coming out this November.
This is an enjoyable look at the impact on three suburban families struggling with financial strain. The ensemble cast is powerful especially the three lead females who set out to make Small Change in their respective lifestyles in order to swim rather than sink in red ink. Readers will enjoy this fine tale as the heroines seek practical solutions to their woes.
I thought this was a nice story of friendship 🙂