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Homeowners hoping to save money on energy and maintenance are turning to tiny houses. Find out if this lifestyle is right for you. Photo courtesy of Tiny Texas Houses.

In this age of credit crunches, subprime mortgages and rising energy costs that make McMansions almost as reviled as Hummers, maybe it was inevitable that a tiny house movement would start to take off.

If you're drawing a blank, tiny houses are typically 64 square feet to 774 square feet, and some environmentalists and enthusiasts argue that they're the perfect antidote to our housing problems. After all, it costs less to buy a tiny house -- not to mention furnish, heat and cool it. If you want the simple life, you can't get much simpler than this.

If the idea appeals to you, and you think you might want to ditch the idea of living large, here are some things to consider first:

1. The Cost of Living Tiny
2. Safety is No Small Matter
3. The Miniature Mindset