The Penny Pinchers Club

by Sarah Strohmeyer

Shopaholic Kat discovers her husband’s secret bank account and embarks on a drastic cost-cutting mission that unites her with an eccentric club of like-minded individuals, who pump their own gas and retrieve dinner from grocery-store Dumpsters.

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Romance, Adult Fiction, Womens Fiction, Contemporary, Humor

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Sarah Strohmeyer is the award-winning, nationally bestselling author of 18 novels for young adults and adults, including the Bubbles Yablonsky mystery series, SMART GIRLS GET WHAT THEY WANT and THE CINDERELLA PACT, which became the Lifetime Movie, LYING TO BE PERFECT.
Her first mystery, BUBBLES UNBOUND, won the Agatha Award and Romantic TImes Award for Best First Mystery. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY PROPOSAL was nominated for a prestigious RITA™. Her books have been translated into German, French, Italian, Turkish, Taiwanese and a bunch of others.
BUBBLES REBOOTS - #7 in the Bubbles Yablonsky mystery series - will be published June 26th in Kindle, Nook and Kobo (pre-order now!) It is an homage to her dearly departed high-school friend, Josh Simon. So 10% of the profits will go to organizations he approved: The Cancer Research Institute & Planned Parenthood.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an awesome and appropriate plot! This book was published in the midst of the recession, so I’m sure many women picked up this book out of curiosity and we’re excited to find not only a great story, but also some great money-saving tips. I was sucked into this book from the first page and I read it in a quick day and a half unable to put it down.

I loved the eclectic group of characters in this book. Strohmeyer really does a terrific job introducing us to all of the key players in Kat’s life. Everyone from Kat’s evil interior designer boss, to her sister, to the aptly named members of the Penny Pinchers Club; they all served an important purpose and helped us to understand Kat’s world .

I became completely absorbed in Kat’s world and her relationship with Griff. Even though Griff was considered the bad guy throughout most of the book, Strohmeyer had me feeling conflicted, because I so WANTED to root for him. The whole back story of how he and Kat met, their loving relationship; I refused to believe that it was over. I knew there had to be some twist that would make everything okay.

The ONE thing I had a problem with in this book was a loose end that was never tied up between Kat and Griff. The emails Kat found were worded VERY strangely. When we learn the outcome of the book, I was still plagued by wondering what the wording in the emails really meant. Sorry for my vagueness…I’m trying to be sensitive to those who haven’t read the book, but I’d also love to hear from those who have for their opinions on this.

[Sherri F. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook: 3.5 stars. If you are a Bubble Yablonsky fan (like me), just be aware this is different: first of all, I didn't pay attention to the "tags" so I was surprised it wasn't a mystery or cozy and it was Chick Lit & Rom-Com. At first it was coming off so silly it was funny, then I really did have LOL moments. It was more the guilty pleasure type for me which worked b/c I wasn't feeling well and struggling w/a migraine and couldn't read the book I wanted to and the audiobook I tried right before was awful so I quit and tried this and it was a pleasant surprise. Like so many others, I was a little annoyed of the miscommunication between a couple married for 20 yrs (but it's not like I haven't seen it before on tv or books), but I really liked the characters at her Penny Pinching club and some of the tips were good, while some were too far out there. Since I got some laughs and tips and it helped me through a day and half migraine, I would have given it a 4 stars, but the ending was so quick and abrupt. I had to actually get up & see if something happened w/the audio & then rewind to see if I missed something, but yea it was going along & like 2 or 3 minutes over they have a short talk and it's over way too abruptly, which surprised me a little since I have read or listened to several other Strohmeyer books. This is been around long enough I don't need to do a synopsis that you can't see above or on dozens other reviews.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

It starts off engaging and fun, but goes downhill when it turns out the central plotline -- the main character thinks her husband is leaving her -- is based on a dumb misunderstanding. I can't get into a story where one short conversation between the characters would clear everything up. This includes a lot of Shakespeare, I know, but I still have this problem.

The book improves when she joins the "penny pinchers club" to save money for a divorce lawyer. You can almost hear the montage music playing in the background. But then it devolves into a bunch of money saving tips, introduced by a cast of endearingly offbeat characters (the penny pinching club members), who all feel like they were created solely to personify the thrifty advice. By the end, the story just gets kind of aimless, with lots of floating loose threads and a random, rushed conclusion.

So, it's a skip, if you ask me. Why am I reading so much stuff like this lately? I'm always disappointed.

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm still trying to decide how I feel about this book. It was an emotionally exhausting book, that I know for sure! It was well-written and engaging, but the premise is not one that I like to entertain (a possible affair). I liked the penny-pinching advice woven throughout, but my heart was breaking for Kat, the main character. At the same time, I was yelling at her for not TALKING TO HER HUSBAND. She talked to everyone else BUT him. Maybe it's because I can't keep a secret unless it's really, really, really important, but I'd be asking my husband about all these things that came up and clearing the air immediately. I realize this would have made for a very short read, though. The ending was rather abrupt and I don't feel like I really got closure. I would have liked more substance to the ending. The explanation for everything was not satisfying, either. So, it was a decent book, but overall just okay.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Give it 3.5 stars. Fun read. Kat who spends like crazy & has no financial responsibility comes across an e mail that makes her think her husband is planning on leaving her. She decides to seek guidance with a odd assortment of characters who make up the Penny Pinchers Club that meet in the basement of the library. Kat despite what everyone thinks proceeds to change how she handles money & on the process her life. Worth the read.

[Tracy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It seems fitting that a book about pinching your pennies would come out nowadays, with the economy crap like it is. I don't have a job now, and neither do 3 or 4 of my friends, so naturally the title caught my eye. And it seemed to have a bit of an "easy read" look to it - a beach read to be read though I'm not at the beach. It also appeared a bit chick-lit-y which I don't mind in the summertime.

It started out fine... woman thinks husband is going to leave her, but she has a HUUUUGE spending habit, so she has no money of her own. If he leaves her, she'll be broke.

So the woman (Kat) transforms to a Penny Pincher by joining a club of thrifty folks; a group she previously shunned & made fun of.

What is hardest to believe about this book (and why I gave it a 2) is Kat's immediate transformation. She went from spending and shopping to dumpster diving. What? She cut out cable, traded her car, and did other cost-saving things that seem like they would be hard to do cold turkey.

But, she saves her money ($13,000 in just a few months) and is prepared to leave her husband, whom she believes is having an affair with a woman from his office. But, like most books this genre, things don't end up like you initially presume they will.

[Shea · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. I was going to give it 4 stars but decided on 3 for the simple fact that I wasn't a huge fan of the ending...while I liked the idea of what happened in the end, I felt it was kind of abrupt--things are going one way and then in the course of 2 pages everything changes and you're left with what happens and it just doesn't feel realistic because it's a major turning point that happens in 5 minutes time. Other than that I felt that the book was an easy read, had interesting characters and was funny.
I will definitely read another book by Strohmeyer in the future.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kat thinks her husband Griff is cheating on her, and she thinks that he is going to leave her without a penny.

Kat, who spends money like it is water, decides to start saving, so she will actually be able to live when her husband leaves.

The book goes into how she tries to save every penny, while she dreads the day that seems to be coming.

The book has a surprise ending...that I never expected.

However, the story was too far-fetched for my liking.

[Roxanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. It was closer to a 4.5 all the way until the last two pages. I'm an endings person, and that ending was abrupt and disappointing. Not very happy, because the rest of the book was really engaging. I also didn't like the fact that I wasn't allowed to like Griff, who under other circumstances, was a character I would have loved.

[DeB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light, fluffy... The stuff I gravitate to when I've finished a heavy read or have a lot going on. The reader's equivalent to a sitcom: that's Chick Lit to me and I'm happy there are good writers of it. Not all romance, or drama but humour and fun too. This book fits the bill.

[Shelley Branum · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute book. Strohmeyer is an entertaining writer and I was consumed by this rom-com from the first chapter. Not entirely unpredictable, but this book had enough surprises to keep me guessing how it would ultimately all play out.

[Ragan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good premise for a book. I just hate it when women are so obviously dumb.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting story. How to save money. Characters were a eclectic mix of very interesting people. I liked the story plot, but felt that things would have smoother if only they had talked to each other. It doesn't pay to keep secretes. But still a nice read.

[Stacy Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and fun. A total fluff book!

[Jenna Gareis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five things about The Penny Pincher’s Club by Sarah Strohmeyer 4/5⭐️s

1. Strohmeyer wrote two of my favorite romance novels - The Cinderella Pact and The Sleeping Beauty Proposal. I read them decades ago and never read anything else by Strohmeyer. Recently, I came across a couple of her other stand alones in a Little Free Library and happily decided to give them a chance. This is one of them.
2. This book uses the whole miscommunication narrative device and that has got to be my least favorite narrative device of all time.
3. Yet, it’s also populated with interesting, lovable characters that kept me coming back.
4. The ending is delightfully satisfying.
5. For those that care - While this isn’t a “closed-door” romance it’s still pretty chaste and the one romantic scene in the book happens early on between a married couple.

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had such promise in the beginning, as the author is very talented with a great, flowing style and sense of humor. But the plot twists that quickly unfolded made me want to scream out loud in frustration. The whole divorce premise was ridiculous and just plain stupid. I did enjoy the penny pinching characters and like that lifestyle of simple frugality, but Kat's blinders to life numbed me from caring for her to the point I just downright didn't like her much. And tying things up at the end into a tidy, neat, contrived, pretty little package certainly doesn't make a two-bit book worth a million dollars.

[Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really liked her book, The Cinderella Proposal, so I picked this one up. It was such a disappointment; it was predictable from page one. Without spoiling anything, let's just say that the main character needs to actually talk to her husband of 20 years and not just make assumptions about him. The plot was just dumb and everything somehow worked out in the end. Don't bother with this one. Read the Cinderella book instead.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't even twenty words into The Penny Pinchers Club before I knew I was in for a treat. Easily one of the best books I've read this year, it was funny, engrossing, poignant and not predictable. Sarah Strohmeyer impressed me to no end with her ability to create an entire cast of characters that came alive and were easy to keep straight. I plan to read more from this author and highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys women's fiction.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better book than I thought it would be. I couldn't even put it down and read straight through it for 6 hours. Alot of laughable moments and alot I could relate to.

[Myrna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a lot of fun, and just what I was in the mood for. (It gave me a few ideas to try, too.)

[Linda Boyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

My expectations of this book started out one way, but changed by the time I got to the middle of the book. A very cute story and a lot of life lessons to be learned.

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is my new FAVORITE author (=
Just love what she has to say

[Gabriela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally tricked me! Great ending. That'll teach you to jump to conclusions.

[Fikah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.6 stars, rounding up to 4 stars, because I love our squad so much!

Such a light read that I was wondering what on earth was I doing by postponing to read it? But deep inside, I knew well how unlucky I was with chick-lits these days, most of them were depressing to read, honestly, well, not that “The Penny Pinchers Club” wasn’t (I mean, it would be depressing for any wife to find out the husband is cheating on her and planning to leave her dry by setting up a secret bank account etc.), but all the funny parts involving Kat and the club members really made up the stressed-out parts.

I really enjoyed the way Sarah Strohmeyer wrote, easy to understand, minus the economy parts, which I believed only Griff and Bree would enjoy. With the addition of Liam and Wade as well, I thought.

There were some parts that really opened up my mind, one of them was how parents (mine, included) never or rarely discussed financial management with their children.

"Kind of strange how parents can talk about drugs and sex with their kids, but when it comes to money, they clam up. Griff and I were no exception. Laura had no concept how much - or how little - we made, and that was just the way we liked it."

And that explained the debt they were collecting, the over-the-line credit cards used, and the irony of this family, Griff was the professor in economy and studied the effects of market crash so and so.

Kat was such an interesting main character. Once she joined the Penny Pinchers Club, she expected them to give her the judgemental eyes, but they didn't. Instead, they ransacked her home for bills and all, (out of her permission, gosh, they could be that crazy tightwad bunch, but I loved them!) and helped her out by setting up budget plans, sharing coupons, and bringing her together to grocery shopping.

For someone who spent more than what she made, to change her way of life was such a shocker, but was written in a way that I was able to understand her situation. Like hello, my husband is going to leave me for some young assistant, and I'm so not going to sit and watch!

Though, to some, the change could be seen as so drastic.

Nevertheless, I had to applaud for her efforts trying to keep both her marriage and finance afloat, at the same time, managed to put aside all the flirtations (and money!) coming from her ex-boyfriend; she was relentless!

And not to mention, the support she received from the club :

- Sherise, the ever-diplomatic leader, Velma, the 26-year-old who learnt the hard way of managing her money,
- Steve, the ever-so-loving father of two who taught Kat how to save her electricity bills,
- Opal, the forever-coupons-lover, and willingly shared them with Kat,
- Wade, the "freegan", dumpster-loving guy with secrets of his own, and of course,
- Libby, the "I-have-scrubbed-your-toilet-for-fifteen-years" that turned a good friend of Kat, throughout her journey of penny-pinching.

I shall re-read this to take note of all the penny-pinching tips!

*****


p/s:

I manage to finish this within three days! Though I did touch the book for a while back in May, LOL.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kat’s favorite pastime is shopping—she’s a “Jersey Girl”, after all and living in a state with the most malls per capita is not something to take lightly if you are a true Jersey Girl. Kat does work for an interior decorator, but she is mostly a Girl Friday, so her income isn’t a big contribution to the salary her husband, Griff makes as an English professor who is trying to write a book as well.

Griff has been acting strangely lately. He seems a little distant and distracted and perhaps a little more inquisitive about how much money she is spending. A search through his pockets after a San Francisco trip he took with his young and quite pretty assistant to research his book yields a couple of, shall we say, interesting finds. One of those finds was a charge to a Master Card for a very pricey dinner at a pretty nice restaurant out there.

One thing leads to another and Kat, who has never worried about opening those little envelopes with the see-through windows on them, begins to do some research on the computer. She finds some pretty innocuous email correspondence between Griff and his assistant and a secret bank account in Griff’s name with a pretty good sum of money socked away. She also finds out that she and Griff are in credit card debt—5 digits worth.

Arriving at the conclusion that Griff is planning to divorce her, Kat realizes that she needs to start saving her own money; or at least cut back her spending; or more likely she needs to do both! Divorce lawyers are expensive. But Kat must be cautious. She cannot let Griff know that she’s on to him. She quietly joins the Penny Pinchers Club, a club that will help her cut expenses and save as well.

The adventure begins. Kat cuts out all Starbucks coffee purchases, cancels cable, cuts coupons, shops in bulk, and even resorts to dumpster diving. To be fair, when she was arrested, she wasn’t actually the one doing the diving. She was just the lookout for one of the club’s members, but it seems the police don’t take it lightly when you are on posted property that belongs to an accounting firm that does the books for an international defense contractor…enter the FBI.
Somehow Kat has to appear “normal” and unsuspecting while her husband is plotting the divorce and she is plotting to have her own savings and to pay for the best divorce lawyer she can get. Hmmm. This is going to be tricky…

The story was one that while humorous, does address the issue of how easy it is to rack up the bills on a piece of plastic for things that aren’t really necessary. It also points out in a gentle way just how extra expenses add up by such small things as eating out excessively or having so many television channel options when so few are actually viewed. Strohmeyer actually offers suggestions at the end of the book for cutting back costs.

From the beginning of the story (the arrest at the dumpster) I was hooked, and it was a fast-paced read with some suspenseful moments along the way. The end of the story was quite a surprise, not just for the reader, but for the characters as well! Still and all, the reader has to decide just exactly what the “true” ending will be. It was a good read—beginning, middle, and end.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a refreshing story on marriage and the trials that can come with it, the possibility of divorce. It was funny and not depressing. I mean it was sad but not like ‘ give up sad’.

Kat is a spender. She lives to spend all the money and her debts are creepin up. She was about to marry Liam and have her cookie cutter life but then she ran into Griff one day. The rest is history. She marries Griff and 20 years later Kat finds some condom wrappers and a restaurant receipt in her husband’s pants. She starts to worry and then she finds his emails to his assistant, Bree. She panics cause she has no nest egg to fall back on bc she is a spender. So on the advice of her lawyer so cuts back and to help her do this is the Penny Pincher Club. She meets a ragtag group of people who have many different backgrounds but all want to save. She finds more about herself and her marriage the more she saves. Will she fight for her marriage or except the inevitable?

Kat is a fighter for sure and the marriage between her and Griff seems so good you think maybe she has it all wrong. But when Liam comes back in the picture, things get muddled for Kat. A light, fun, and easy read.

[Meggin Dail · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fairly inconceivable story, badly developed main characters, (though the accompanying players were interesting), missing parts and maddening "plot twists." Kat is a whiny, self-centered yet self loathing girl, not woman and her husband Griff is equally exacerbating with his more righteous than thou attitude though he makes many of the same mistakes his little wifey does. They totally deserve each other. This is why I don't read this kind of "fluff" books. The two glaring objections I have to this story is how her "supportive" Penny Pinchers club first shuns her because she's new and says she quit HBO to save money - nothing wrong with that! The other being that she is accused of the exact same thing Griff accuses her of regarding their daughter Laura and never is it made mention of. Argh!

[Trina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an easy read, like eating popcorn at the movies or candy during Halloween. Not storytelling at its finest but then again that was not what I was looking for when I picked it up. There are some sweet moments, interesting life hacks for savers, and good pacing. The problem was in the transformation of the character from a lifelong spendthrift to a die-hard dumpster diving saver. Nothing added up, and the author did not do a very good job of explaining. All the connections and motivations seemed tenuous. It was almost as if the story continued on in the background while the reader was engaged elsewhere in the book. The ending was sweet yet unfulfilling ... like saltwater taffy.

[Rhema White · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars (plucked from obscurity at my local library) — Ummmmmmmmm….so are we just gonna overlook Bree & Griff’s still wildly inappropriate relationship?? That email Bree sent had me hot! & Kat…idk girl. You maybe should’ve chose Liam. (Poor him, btw. He’s one of God’s strongest soldiers fr. Overlooked not once, but twice!). I’m happy for you though, Kat, because I know you are 🥲😵‍💫

Too many plot holes to mention, and a stretch in the middle that felt quite boring, hence the rating. Did enjoy how I flew through this though, and the hopeful tale of spend-happy woman reformed.

[Kelly Tumbleson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second time I’ve read the book. There are interesting characters (some are under-developed, like Laura, and some go from kick-@$$ to @$$-kissing like Viv) and real-life tips on pinching pennies, but the protagonist’s choices are often cringe-worthy. I felt really bad for her husband, actually. The ending is sweet but very much lacking in the passion that seemed to define the relationship.