I had to put it down. Her examples got increasingly ridiculous. Her initial examples of home ownership were either the homes of the rich and famous in L.A., or the friend of hers who slept in his car for 5 years to save up enough to buy a home. She went on to extoll the virtues of a 300 foot studio apartment and tell a horror story of a roommate found on Craigslist. While her writing is funny and readable, the book itself was getting increasingly less relatable. Yes, I’ve lived in an apartment, even one with roommates, but her chosen stories are just out there.

I tried, I really did. this book may be good for a 20-something who hasn’t figured their finances or their lives out yet. They still covet Jimmy Choo shoes and the homes of the rich and famous, but it had nothing to give me, someone who is looking to be more actually frugal. I’d recommend it to a 20-something as an entertaining look at how to get your finances and your thoughts straightened out, but it just wasn’t the least bit relatable to a 40 year old mom. Ah, well. It was worth a shot.