Author Topic: Meet the Frugalwoods  (Read 16803 times)

grantmeaname

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Meet the Frugalwoods
« on: March 07, 2018, 11:45:20 AM »
Has anybody else gotten their copy of Meet the Frugalwoods yet? I read about a third in one sitting last night but work today turned into a giant 14 hour hell so I haven’t made any more progress. I’m a huge fan.

I’m wary of bloggers’ books because there is often a lot of recycled content but this one is almost all new. I think Mrs FW’s writing style is even more suited to a book than a blog, too. The extra length has really helped her add color and illustrate her points.

What do you guys think?

2Birds1Stone

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2018, 12:17:30 PM »
I think you could have made one thread instead of 6.

rosarugosa

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2018, 12:38:11 PM »
My copy hasn't arrived yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

pachnik

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2018, 02:43:49 PM »
Has anybody else gotten their copy of Meet the Frugalwoods yet? I read about a third in one sitting last night but work today turned into a giant 14 hour hell so I haven’t made any more progress. I’m a huge fan.

I’m wary of bloggers’ books because there is often a lot of recycled content but this one is almost all new. I think Mrs FW’s writing style is even more suited to a book than a blog, too. The extra length has really helped her add color and illustrate her points.

What do you guys think?

Thanks, Grantmeaname.   I wondered about the content of it and now I think I will buy a copy. 

grantmeaname

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #4 on: March 07, 2018, 07:19:56 PM »
I think you could have made one thread instead of 6.
Thanks for the snark. Obviously creating all six was unintentional. It’s not like I hit the post button six times.

grantmeaname

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2018, 07:42:57 PM »
I think you could have made one thread instead of 6.
Thanks for the snark. Obviously creating all six was unintentional. It’s not like I hit the post button six times.
Ok I’m guilty, I confess. I am going to make every post nine times from now on to catch up with arebelspy. Then the other kids will think I’m cool ;)

solon

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2018, 07:44:39 PM »
I think we've all multi-posted. There's something wrong with the forum software. The mods are very good at deleted the extras.

grantmeaname

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2018, 09:00:01 PM »
What I'm really confused about is that twice it said it failed to post and when I told it to post the third time it did so successfully. But even if those other two had posted successfully despite the error, there's still three more threads beyond that which must have been created somehow...

End of diversion. Book is great.

bocopro

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2018, 01:05:53 PM »
Read the book and finished! I love her style, and I think I'd love them in person. They just seem so....NICE (in the best way, not the *meh* way.) They have a fun story, good writing style, and what looks like a happy marriage and family. All goodness there.

Many of the Amazon reviewers got one thing right - these two have it made due to hard work and a lot of teamwork. They also note that: 1 the frugalwoods "are not retired." and 2 the frugalwoods "aren't middle class."

I will say that both of these points are *somewhat* fair. I'm not the retirement police - but these guys do have a full-time, 200k+ job working to their benefit at the moment. They are FI, according to their (undisclosed) definition. Hence (with Nate's job), the second point: they are/were in no way "working for lowly non-profits at modest wages." 

They did start out with zero income or whatnot, but it sounds like by the ripe, very elderly age of 25 (/s), they had the income thing on lock-down. This is actually very impressive, but not exactly spelled out in the book. The book gets very fuzzy around the time it appears their wages (and lifestyle) balloon suddenly with very little explanation. I feel like Liz and Nate are going to be alarmed that people had the wherewithal to pull up Nate's salary (public record) and accuse them of "lying" - it's going to hurt and I think they may not have expected that with the publishing of the book. Not saying they shouldn't have, but they may not like it much....

They also built this arc in the book that they're VERY loose with money then over a single cup of coffee, they find full, unrelenting salvation in frugality and are retired within 2 years. I know books need arcs...but: they very likely saved 40-50% of their (again, large) salaries for each of the preceding 10 years, which really does add up to most of the FIRE journey. This isn't exactly spelled out in the book, which may lead non-MMM readers to assume that just buying no clothes for a year or three = instant retirement.

I have to add a HUGE caveat that: they really are my soft-spot FIRE folks, and I do feel like what they're doing is unique and still very very impressive. I also identify with them (part of a 20's, DINK couple with a 300k+ pre-tax income) - the pressure to buy shit you don't need gets bigger, not smaller, with that kind of cash. But, saving 50+% of their income is, I will be honest: not hard. Just don't buy the Range Rover and you're good - many of the lovely readers here who I lurk on have much more skill, dedication, and mandated frugality in order to achieve the same dream as the frugalwoods because of more middle-class income levels. You experts, unless you especially like this pair as people, may not learn much from the book.

2Birds1Stone

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2018, 01:34:12 PM »
I think you could have made one thread instead of 6.
Thanks for the snark. Obviously creating all six was unintentional. It’s not like I hit the post button six times.
Ok I’m guilty, I confess. I am going to make every post nine times from now on to catch up with arebelspy. Then the other kids will think I’m cool ;)

I was just teasing ya!

grantmeaname

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #10 on: March 14, 2018, 01:36:34 PM »
All good, we can still be friends :)

rosarugosa

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #11 on: March 14, 2018, 05:19:29 PM »
I got my copy today so will be reading it soon.  I have already gotten 3 e-mails form Liz asking me to review it on Amazon, and I'll admit that was mildly annoying since I didn't even have the book yet.  I guess that's what was behind the "e-mail me for a bookplate" campaign, the chance to build a mailing list.

grantmeaname

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #12 on: March 14, 2018, 06:57:24 PM »
Now I’m doubly glad I got mine from the library!

FireHiker

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #13 on: March 22, 2018, 01:06:21 PM »
I just finished reading it last night; I did check it out from the library. I really enjoyed it. The Frugalwoods blog was my entry point to all things frugal/FIRE, so I will forever be grateful to them! I really loved reading the book because I could very much relate to her over the top perfectionist/planner personality. I enjoy her big vocabulary, although it doesn't seem to be for everybody.

I understand their blindness with the "middle class" thing. I see it every day in my VHCOL area. We are in the just under 300k combined crowd, as are the majority of our neighbors and peers in our very small suburban bubble. I grew up in poverty (homelessness/food pantry experience in my childhood...actual poverty) but my husband did not; he grew up close to where we live now, with a nice, stable home in super safe suburbia. His parents are well off and belong to a country club. He has this perception that we are "middle class" or "maybe upper middle." I did the math and showed him, no, we are in the top 3% and really freaking privileged. I'm still not sure he actually believes me. There is a very real lack of awareness when you see everyone else around you in about the same level of income.

I did feel like she tried her best to acknowledge their privilege throughout the book. She probably could have clarified some numbers from the middle point on, but I think she probably was uncomfortable with that and didn't want to come off as bragging.

I have more thoughts on the book, but I have to run so I'll be back later.


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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #14 on: March 29, 2018, 07:41:39 AM »
Don't they both earn very high wages and as such as aren't really doing anything amazing?

I remember seeing an article in the Guardian which, as users suggest, come across as a bit smug
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/mar/08/how-to-retire-early-frugal-spending


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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #15 on: March 29, 2018, 08:15:59 AM »
Don't they both earn very high wages and as such as aren't really doing anything amazing?

I remember seeing an article in the Guardian which, as users suggest, come across as a bit smug
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/mar/08/how-to-retire-early-frugal-spending

There are two other threads to discuss this. It seems reasonable to keep this one about their book.


grantmeaname

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #16 on: March 29, 2018, 08:20:34 AM »
Hey Zola - there has been a ton of furor over their income already in this thread and this one. A few really interesting perspectives in there if you're willing to wade through a lot of grumpy fighting.

grantmeaname

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #17 on: April 03, 2018, 04:09:36 PM »
Maybe you are thinking of the other thread? You are not rebutting anything that anyone has said here.

bocopro

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #18 on: April 04, 2018, 09:36:34 AM »
Maybe you are thinking of the other thread? You are not rebutting anything that anyone has said here.

You are right - slightly off-topic for this particular thread. I did read through the many other posts in the older threads, which may have colored this response a bit. Will delete so we can stay on book-related topics here. Thanks!

grantmeaname

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #19 on: April 04, 2018, 09:54:22 AM »
Maybe that was a bit harsh - I don't think it was a totally inappropriate response or anything. It just seems like some people are looking for this thread to be a refuge from the fighting over there.

DebtFreeinPhilly

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #20 on: August 06, 2018, 03:34:26 PM »
I know this is an old topic....

Regardless of others thoughts on their incomes, I am putting this book on my reading list. Hopefully my local library has a copy for me to borrow.

Mrs. Green

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #21 on: January 27, 2019, 03:50:43 PM »
I just got their book from the library. It seems the entire introduction is devoted to apologizing for having money, for their parents having worked hard and made money. 

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solon

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #22 on: January 27, 2019, 03:55:20 PM »
I just got their book from the library. It seems the entire introduction is devoted to apologizing for having money, for their parents having worked hard and made money. 

That's kinda what I thought too. I just wanted to give them a hug and say, "what you did isn't wrong. In fact it's very, very good and right."

Mrs. Green

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #23 on: January 27, 2019, 03:57:32 PM »
I just got their book from the library. It seems the entire introduction is devoted to apologizing for having money, for their parents having worked hard and made money. 

That's kinda what I thought too. I just wanted to give them a hug and say, "what you did isn't wrong. In fact it's very, very good and right."
Right!?  I am on page 23 and so turned off by it already.  They should be very proud of what they have earned and accomplished.  Ugh.

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A Fella from Stella

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #24 on: July 07, 2019, 01:36:55 PM »
I just got their book from the library. It seems the entire introduction is devoted to apologizing for having money, for their parents having worked hard and made money. 

That's kinda what I thought too. I just wanted to give them a hug and say, "what you did isn't wrong. In fact it's very, very good and right."
Right!?  I am on page 23 and so turned off by it already.  They should be very proud of what they have earned and accomplished.  Ugh.

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Following the FWs for as long as I have, I've held back on saying anything, but have to say that in the end they came off as cheap liars.

They were talking about their income like they made maybe $60-100k combined. They were all about office coffee, cheap oatmeal, cutting her own hair, and I thought, 'these guys are awesome, and I need to be better.' I would be inspired to have potlucks, to have friends over for tea and coffee instead of meeting somewhere, but had to draw the line at their extremely poor gift giving.

And that's what really irked me when it came to their income - the gift giving, the bartering with small businesses, and the taking of a coat from a donation box.

Such a tight fist makes me wary of anyone.

To partake so enthusiastically in a yoga studio by emptying their trash instead of paying cash is not okay when you have so much more than enough, as stated in interviews that they saved something like 70% of their income.

And you can come by a good coat for very little money. I was at a Sears last Winter when they were clearing everything out, and got one for $50. To take from a poor box is completely unnecessary. If I recall, the zipper was broken, and she kept it that way, almost like she was proud of it. A little bit of goodness might have led her to fix the zipper and put it back in the box, perhaps even with a $5.00 bill in the pocket. But that's not how they roll.
« Last Edit: July 08, 2019, 10:37:52 AM by A Fella from Stella »

mosprott

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #25 on: July 12, 2019, 07:55:25 PM »
Didn't particularly like it. She tried hard to convince the reader that they were hyper-aware of their privilege. That smacked of an editor's influence.

Preferred Cait Flanders's Year of Less.

Plina

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #26 on: September 07, 2019, 02:18:42 AM »
I could not relate to her at all and thought the she was a bit silly and neurotic. Especially the part that she could not get out of the house without makeup. I have read some of her blog post but they don’t excite me a bit.

I like the reader studies in the blog were she helps people but can’t relate to the rest. It feels more like a mommy blog.
« Last Edit: September 07, 2019, 02:28:11 AM by Plina »

Chris Pascale

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #27 on: September 27, 2019, 04:32:17 PM »
She tried hard to convince the reader that they were hyper-aware of their privilege. That smacked of an editor's influence.


I took it as them trying to be progressive, and whatever they deemed being aware would look like. What I find interesting is what looks like them trying to manage what they cannot, such as on Amazon, how there are always 5 star reviews after someone posts a negative one. I'm sure some are legit, but one of them reads "Liz was upfront about her privilege," or something like that. But it's not uncommon. Quite a few authors will ask a friend to post a positive review after a particularly scathing one is posted.

I even once saw a review (not for Frugalwoods) titled "Don't Listen to That Idiot Who Wrote That Other Review." Being said idiot, I couldn't help but feel great to have moved someone with my influence!

grantmeaname

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Re: Meet the Frugalwoods
« Reply #28 on: September 27, 2019, 09:31:20 PM »
you have won friends and influenced people, dude. well done.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!