Book Review: "Cheaper, Better, Faster" by Mary Hunt

When I had received another book review offer from Revell Books, this time for "Cheaper, Better, Faster," by Mary Hunt, I just knew I just HAD to have this book.  You see, with as busy as I am, I am always looking for ways to do things faster (and more efficiently) and am always looking for ways to save us money!

Mary Hunt is an award-winning and bestselling author, syndicated columnist and sought-after motivational speaker who created a global platform that is making strides to help men and women battle the epidemic impact of consumer debt. She is founder and publisher of the interactive website Debt-Proof Living, which features financial tools, resources and information for her online members. Her books have sold more than a million copies and her daily newspaper column is nationally syndicated through Creators Syndicate and is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of Everyday Cheapskate readers. Hunt speaks widely on personal finance and has appeared on shows such as Good Morning America, Oprah, Dr. Phil and  Focus on the Family. She and her husband live in California.

 

"Cheaper, Better, Faster," is a revised and updated book from a previously released book titled "Tiptionary," from 1997.  So, as you can imagine, some things needed overhauls due to the changes in computers and banking.

 

Mary Hunt explains in the introduction that the "criteria for whether a tip made it into this collection were fairly simple:  If it didn't insult my intelligence, included a reasonable expectation that it saved time or money, and prompted a response anything close to Wow! What a great idea! -- it was in."   

 

In the book there are tips related to Automobiles; Cleaning; Clothing and Accessories; Food and Cooking; Gits; Health and Beauty; Holidays and Special Occasions; Home; Kids and Babies; Laundry; Money and Finances; Outdoors and Garden; Pets; Repairs and Maintenance; Shopping; and Travel and Entertainment.

I absolutely love the Food and Cooking section of this book.  There are so many tips in there that I would never of thought of in a million years.  Like, "ice cream cones - marshmallow plug.  Stop messy leaks from ice cream cones by dropping a marshmallow into the bottom of the cone before filling with ice cream."  Or, "Potatoes-washed in the dishwasher.  When you have to wash a lot of potatoes, just put them in your dishwasher -- but don't add soap!  Set it on a short wash cycle.  The clean potatoes can go right into the oven or pot."  Genius!!!!

The gift chapter had a lot of different gift ideas that I had never thought of.  The home chapter has a lot of appliance tips, as well as tips to get rid of bugs -- yuck!  For me, who does not have a green thumb at all, this is not something that I would ever use, but thought it was a definite "Wow!" tip.  "Flowers--plants on their own.  If you must leave small potted plants unattended while on vacation, push a needle threaded with wool yarn into the soil, and put the other end in a jar of water.  The plants will stay moist their this wicking system." 

These are just a couple of the tips that I have found in this book.  I am glad I have a copy and am sure I will refer to it many, many times to help our family.

This book is available at your local bookstore on at an online retailer and is published by Revell Books.

I have received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  My thoughts have in no way been influenced by the publisher in exchange for a positive review.