Frugal Living
Even though the economy has made some significant improvements since the economic downturn of 2008, frugal living continues to be a popular topic. After all, why spend more when you don’t have to? Plus, with the holiday gift-giving season quickly approaching, it's the perfect time to figure out a few ways to trim your budget and make the most of your money. The Library has a number of books that can help you figure out how to live well on less.
Be Thrifty: How to Live Better with Less edited by Pia Catton and Califia Suntree.
This book is an indispensable omnibus for graduates sharing their first apartment, young families stretching a dollar, retirees, students, frugalistas (the fashionably frugal), career-changers, and anyone who wants to cut back and needs ideas for how to get started. It offers positive solutions for every facet of our lives, covering food, health, finances, entertainment, education, travel, clothing, pets, and those often costly special occasions from a big family Thanksgiving to getting married. “Be Thrifty” is not about being cheap, it's about being smart and self-sufficient.
The Cheapskate Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of Americans Living Happily Below Their Means by Jeff Yeager.
The author reveals 16 key attitudes about money, and life, that allow the cheapskates next door to live happy, comfortable, debt-free lives while spending only a fraction of what most Americans spend.
Clark Howard's Living Large in Lean Times: 250+ Ways to Buy Smarter, Spend Smarter and Save Money by Clark Howard with Mark Meltzer and Theo Thimou.
This book is Clark Howard’s ultimate guide to saving money, covering everything from cell phones to student loans, coupon websites to mortgages, investing to electric bills, and beyond. In his candid and friendly next-door-neighbor manner, Howard shares the small, manageable steps everyone can follow to build a path towards independence and wealth.
Frugal Isn't Cheap: Spend Less, Save More and Live Better by Clare K. Levison, CPA.
Levison serves up practical financial advice, and challenges you to change the way you think about money. Her message is clear and deceptively simple: it's cool to be smart about your money; it's stylish to be sensible rather than overindulgent; financial stability is more glamorous than extravagance. But should you cut up the credit cards? Levison prefers to promote responsibility rather than abstinence.
The Frugalista Files: How One Woman Got out of Debt Without Giving up the Fabulous Life by Natalie P. McNeal.
Natalie McNeal opened her bills in January 2008 to find that she was a staggering five figures in debt. Young, hip and gainfully employed, Natalie loved her lifestyle of regular mani/pedis, daily takeout and nights on the town, but clearly something had to give. And so “The Frugalista Files” was born. Through her blog, Natalie confessed her spending habits to the world, and it turned out she wasn't the only one having trouble balancing the budget. From the drastic "no-buy" month that kicked it all off to the career gamble that threatened to put her deeper in the hole, “The Frugalista Files” shares Natalie's personal and professional transformation from cubicle rat to take-charge career girl.
How to Retire the Cheapskate Way: The Ultimate Cheapskate's Guide to a Better, Earlier, Happier Retirement by Jeff Yeager.
Unlike most retirement planning and lifestyle books that focus on investing -- or at the other end of the spectrum, on how to get the senior discount on a Grand Slam Breakfast at Denny's -- this new book from Jeff Yeager makes the compelling case that you can have a joyous, worry-free retirement by merely spending smart and focusing on what you truly want and expect out of retirement.
Living Large on Less: A Guide to Saving Without Sacrifice by Christina Spence.
This book is full of hundreds of ways to save money without drastically altering your lifestyle. You can eat the food you want, wear your favorite designer's clothes, take a dream vacation and throw a great party without breaking the bank. Christina Spence offers practical, easy-to-implement ways to save serious money on everyday expenses, from groceries to housing to transportation.
Living with Less: So Your Family has More by Jill Savage and Mark Savage.
Our culture believes that bigger is better, but Jill and Mark Savage believe that being satisfied with less materially can allow you to give your family more -- emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. The Savages, a husband and wife team who have made it on less than society says they need for more than 20 years, lay out a three-step plan for investing in the things that really matter.
The Money Saving Mom's Budget by Crystal Paine.
Crystal Paine, who has helped busy women everywhere take control of their finances, presents her most effective strategies designed for families of all sizes and income levels.
Suddenly Frugal: How to Live Happier and Healthier with Less by Leah Ingram.
Many people know one or two things they can do to save money, like cutting back on vacations and meals out, but beyond that, they're stumped. When they look at their current lifestyle, they have no idea where they can trim the fat without sacrificing their quality of life. This book can help readers identify small, painless changes they can make to thier daily habits that can add up to big savings -- while bringing them closer as a family.
Thrifty Living by Barty Phillips.
This book is a practical, flexible guide to cutting the costs of everyday living, saving money and even making a few extra dollars. No matter what your level of income, it will allow you to make as many or as few changes as you want, and will help you make living cheaper and more fulfilling.
Thrifty: Living the Frugal Life with Style by Marjorie Harris.
Written in Marjorie Harris's trademark witty, engaging, and accessible style, this book is full of simple and savvy tips drawn from her own richly thrifty experience, and those of other experts. With solid tips on how to haggle, how to become a frugal fashionista, maintaining home and hearth on a budget, and practical advice on thrifty gardening, travel, and entertainment, Harris provides essential guidelines to living a quality life on less.
Toss, Keep, Sell!: The Suddenly Frugal Guide to Cleaning Out the Clutter and Cashing In by Leah Ingram.
The American house is one cluttered place. Frugal folks need to get their homes in order and find ways to make money from the junk they no longer need or want. Organized by rooms of the house and tasks of the day, this book becomes a veritable clutter checklist.
Tossed & Found: Where Frugal is Chic by Barb Tobias.
This book reveals how to clear the clutter from the home and resell it; and it uncovers the secrets to decorating and dressing with fantastic results. From first-time apartment dwellers to transitioning baby boomers, “Tossed & Found” has something for everyone. It dishes up a generous plate of intriguing stories pulled from the frugal adventures of a newly thrift-conscious nation.
Find this article at http://thelibrary.org/blogs/article.cfm?aid=2845&lid=0