Living More with Less

This book is more than a "tip" book to give you ideas to save money. Instead, it makes you *think* about our culture's wasteful habits and gives practical suggestions on how we as individuals, families, groups or communities can do "more with less." Yes, this book is written from a Christian (Mennonite) standpoint, and some people may be put off by that. Though I am not a churchgoer, I found that I was not, and found many of the biblical references to be universal and thought provoking. Firsthand stories from MCC missionaries about life in other cultures were pretty amazing. I feel like sending this to every church I know of in hopes that perhaps someone recognizes the waste/extravagance in many churches themselves! Some passeages in the book pointed this out and reminded me of "church functions" I've seen in which styrofoam cups and plates were used liberally, piled high with processed foods and artificially colored jello salads! A new trend I'm seeing involves churches and other groups promoting organizations in which corporate food companies give a handout of processed and non nutritious foods to hungry families in the US without teaching them better cooking habits or nutrition for growing children. Again, maybe flipping through this book might open their eyes, as it's written from a Christian standpoint instead of what they might perceive as an "environmental activist." Though this book is 20 years old, I find that most of the messages are still holding water. How sad that the author, fighting cancer while writing this, passed away before the book was completed, leaving a husband and two young daughters. One wonders what more she would have done/written had she lived.

Living More with Less is a very practical book about living simply and being less attached to wealth and material possessions. It is full of hundreds of small and workable suggestions for making do, getting by, reusing old materials into new ones, and generally changing your attitude about more-more-more and must have the latest.Unlike a lot of other books about simple living, this one is not primarily about saving money for the sake of having more money. You won't find elaborate schemes for tracking your purchases like in "Your Money or Your Life", and there's nary a word about investments at all. (The author, a Mennonite, quotes from a lot of people who give generously to their church. If you find that off-putting, you might find the whole book difficult to read.) Instead there's a focus on activities and interests that don't require a lot of money to begin with.It was written in 1980, after the energy crisis and during a relatively non-prosperous time. A lot of the suggestions require significant time commitments that are hard to imagine now 20 years later, if even back then. But it's such a rich source of ideas I thought I should pass it along.

This is book is a great place to start if you are thinking about "voluntary simplicity".It really gets you thinking about how much we have in this country and how conserving and saving even a little bit can ultimately help the planet and its inhabitants.I really started looking at myself as a "world citizen" after reading this book.The book is broken down into chapters that cover areas such as housing,transportation, and even housekeeping.I may not use every suggestion offered but it has inspired me to come up w/ my own ways of simplifying.I do not think that the biblical passages were distracting at all.I am saddened that the author died in 1979 and cannot write another book in her down-to-earth style.It is a book that I will probably read again and again!

I read this book frequently in order to keep me "on track" in my journey towards simplifying my life and living frugally. I was shocked to read about the contrast between how wastefully North Americans live and how people in other nations are much more careful with their resources.This is much more inspiring than the usual frugality books, which teach how to save money for money's sake. This book made me realize how being frugal and careful with the resources I have can have an impact on the world and others' lives. I am much more appreciative of what I have and use my resources much more carefully now. Some may be turned off by the biblical quotes, but I didn't find them to be intrusive while reading the text. Readers need to remember that this is a book written by a Mennonite woman, whose faith was integral to the way she lived her life, and that most of the testimonials are from missionaries in other countries. I found the approach refreshing and insightful.

This is the best voluntary simplicity book I've read. Mrs. Longacre first discusses the reasons for voluntary simplicity, and the universal values (like compassion for those in need) that undergird the decision to resist a me-oriented culture. Then she discusses half-a-dozen areas in which we can live creatively and simply (food, housing, clothing, celebrations, etc.). For each area after a brief discussion of what is meaningful and needful in that area, she presents letters from many different people detailing specific things they did or changes they made in trying to work out the values of voluntary simplicity in thier lives. These examples range from the very small (using less tin-foil) to the drastic (communal living) but they are all creative, practical, and inspiring.