Book Review: Money Secrets of the Amish: Finding True Abundance in Simplicity, Sharing, and Saving

In these hard economic times, lets face it.  Who couldn't use a little extra scratch at the end of the month?  Heaven knows we surely could.   Yet even in the worst of times, the Amish still seem to get by less scathed than the rest of us.  Author Lorilee Cracker went in search of their secrets and offers up some tips and tricks she learned.
You're not going to find any truly mind boggling ideas or get rich quick schemes in the pages of this book.  You're not suddenly going have an extra couple grand floating around to buy the yacht you've dreamed of.  What you will find are honest and simple ideas for making what you already have stretch just a bit further, which might give you just enough of a bubble to breath a little easier.
The book was a quick read and I really enjoyed the book for several reasons.  First, it wasn't flooded with the "well duh" ways to save money--like use the library more, or take smaller vacations.  These methods are probably the first thing any one in a pinch would cut and don't need multiple chapters to discuss.  I respect that. 
Next, when offering advise from the Amish, Cracker ties the tip back into an average "English" lifestyle translation.  When speaking of buying pie ingredients in bulk because of the savings, Cracker then does her own real life experiment with bulk store purchasing.  She also gleans tips and tricks from fellow parents and bloggers to add a variety of real life application to the text.
Finally, my greatest take home message from this book was to change my cultural expectations and the way I veiw what is important.  The repetition of making do, doing with less, or doing without is poinently repeated.  I am now really embrassing the idea of keeping an eye on a big ticket goal.  Everytime I spend money, I first question whether I want what I'm thinking of getting more than that big ticket item.  For my husband, I think that item would be redoing the basement, for me it's a larger family home away from the city.  At any rate, if a purchase isn't necissary and would make reaching the goal a few steps further away, I put the card back in the wallet and walk away.--Okay so not perfectly, but its an ambition.
Overall Grade: B

This book was provided by booksneeze http://booksneeze.com/ in exchange for a fair and honest review.  I recieved no additional compensation.  All opinions are 100% my own.