ABOUT THE BOOK So you want to live on less. Perhaps youd like to save for a downpayment on your first home or send your kids to private school. Maybe you have decided to quit your job to pursue a dream of starting your own small business. It could just be that you are seriously contemplating a simpler life, in which you drastically limit consumption and learn to rely on your own skills to survive. These days, you are not alone. The global recession has given rise to a growing number of frugalistas who are committed to getting the best deals on everything from toilet paper to funeral expenses. Websites like Fabulously Broke, Moolanomy, and Deal Seeking Mom prove that there is an approach for every thrift-seeking demographic. Thanks to hundreds of committed frugal bloggers, you can learn how to travel the world, decorate your home, entertain your children, and retire early, all for pennies on the dollar. The good news is that it has never been easier to learn how other people save their money. Unfortunately, this wealth of information can be intimidating for the novice thrift seeker, who doesnt know where to start or what specific advice to trust. How do you arrive at a plan that works for you? MEET THE AUTHOR Valerie Fulton is an award winning writer with experience in a wide variety of genres, from poetry to screenplays to academic and grant writing. A graduate of Colby College, she holds an M.A. in English from the University of Virginia. She lives in Austin, Texas. EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK Know the difference between a good deal and a thrifty purchase. How many of us have purchased fruit or vegetables from the local warehouse store at a fantastic price, only to have much of that produce eventually spoil in the refrigerator? No matter how low the unit price is, if we are buying more than we can use, the reality is that we are paying the bulk price for a much smaller amount of food and would have been better off buying the same item at a higher per unit price at the grocery store. This principle applies to many things. We may enjoy building a bookshelf by hand, but if the materials cost more than a similar bookshelf advertised on Craigslist or available through your local freecycle, it is not a frugal activity; we have wasted both raw materials and our time. We may purchase a deeply discounted gym membership that goes unused, or a dress from the sales rack that goes unworn. True thrift involves not only knowing the market value of things, and learning how to obtain them for less; it involves the ability to buy only those items we will use, regardless of how hard it can be to resist a good sale or bargain price. CHAPTER OUTLINE Thrifty Living: Frugal Tips for Living on Less + Introduction + Approaching and Adapting a Frugal Lifestyle + Incorporating Thrifty Practices into Daily Life + When Thrift Ends Up Costing You + ...and much more

* Your ultimate guide to a cheaper, happier life, saving money everywhere from credit card bills to transport costs * Goes back to basics, with lots of advice on cleaning your home the old-fashioned way, growing your own vegetables and similar * A light-hearted approach that conceals plenty of practical tips and straightforward advice * You can either work through the book, or dip in and out at leisure Thrifty Living is a comprehensive but flexible guide to how to cut the costs of everyday living, how to save money, and even how to make a few extra pounds. It will allow you to make as many or as few changes as you want to cut back on spending, whether you just want to save a little money or whether you are on an impossibly tight budget. The structure and style of the book is equally flexible, allowing you to either work through step-by-step or to dip in and out of relevant sections when necessary. It covers all areas of spending, from banks and bills to shopping, and offers extra help for non-financial economies, including recycling, cooking and cleaning on a budget. With advice on cutting travel costs, and plenty of tips for cheap days out and sustainable, low-cost things to do, this is the ultimate guide to living a cheap but fulfilling life. NOT GOT MUCH TIME? One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get you started. AUTHOR INSIGHTS Lots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the author's many years of experience. TEST YOURSELF Tests in the book and online to keep track of your progress. EXTEND YOUR KNOWLEDGE Extra online articles at www.teachyourself.com to give you a richer understanding of thrifty living. FIVE THINGS TO REMEMBER Quick refreshers to help you remember the key facts. TRY THIS Innovative exercises illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it.

This book is filled wth strategies to help you cut costs while maintaining a healthy and happy lifestyle. I've shared my best tips and techniques for saving money in this book. Use them to literally save thousands of dollars a year off your bills and expenses. The proven tips and techniques in this book will help you build your bank account while saving time and money. Get started building your savings today! Here is a preview of what you'll learn... • An introduction to the minimalist lifestyle • How to get rid of the clutter in your home • How to have a minimalist wardrobe • Minimalist eating • How to declutter your life and finances • Gifts, gifts, gifts • Minimalist living in everyday life • Much, much more! It is desirable to make and maintain your household as spick and span as possible. However, it’s not always that we find ourselves economically capable of fulfilling our desire to adorn our walls with things that we think deserve their own places up there. There are times when we take a more practical approach and decide what expenses are more important. This is the time when art and décor takes a back seat in our lives. For times like these, there are many options that can help us improve the face of our home on a measly budget.

Break the spending habit and free yourself from financial fear—save money, plan ahead, pay off your mortgage, retire early! These days, more and more people are struggling to survive as their expenses go up, but their incomes do not. Making ends meet and achieving big goals like being debt-free, traveling, or putting your kids through college without loans is even more challenging. Whether you need to get your finances under control, or you want to achieve some big goals, the strategies to reach them are the same. In The Ultimate Guide to Frugal Living, you will find hundreds of fresh ideas for living a life full of joy without spending a lot of money. Learn how to: Redefine necessities Set financial goals Make delicious food on a dime Teach your kids to handle money Save money with a Smartphone And so much more! This book will change the way you look at money—not having it, spending it, and saving it—to show you how frugality can make your life fulfilling and stress-free.

Bestselling author and national columnist Marjorie Harris offers a timely and entertaining guide to living the thrifty life. Here are solid tips on how to haggle, how to find fashion deals, maintaining home and hearth on a budget, and money-saving ideas on gardening, travel, and entertainment. Thrifty is full of savvy advice drawn from harris's own experiences, and those of frugal friends such as literary legend Margaret Atwood, actor R. H. Thompson, and travel writer Sylvia Fraser. Written in her witty and engaging trademark style, Harris gives us an essential guide to living a quality life on less.

African-American people and communities hold a wealth of knowledge and a rich culture and tradition that we have drifted away from. By getting back to those basics we can lift each other up. Step back from the chaotic world and rediscover the values that make your life worth living. Use this book as a guide to help you develop your own thrifty style. It's up to you how thrifty you want to be. It all depends on your own personal needs and what you wish to accomplish. The great thing about thrift is it's not an exact science-strike your own balance-feel free to modify! Take my hand and see how quickly you will identify with the thrifty lifestyle. Many of the tips in this book have been gathered over many years. Some are of my own invention and experiences, while others have been shared or passed from one to another. You won't be doing without; you'll just be doing things differently. This is why you won't feel deprived, poor or cheap. You'll be astounded how flexible your lifestyle can be. When you get thrifty, you're in control. This new way of thinking will allow you to become a creative problem solver. You will gain a new found freedom with your finances that feels downright good. Your options will increase and your hard-earned money will work harder for you. Isn't that better than being a slave to your budget?

Bestselling author and gardening columnist Marjorie Harris offers a timely and entertaining guide for gardeners at every stage of life. Whether you're moving into your first apartment or condo, upgrading to a house, or downsizing to smaller digs, Harris shares the best tips on how to create a beautiful garden for any space — all on a budget. The highly anticipated sequel to her popular book Thrifty: Living the Frugal Life with Style, Thrifty Gardening marries Harris's passion for gardening with her thrifty lifestyle savvy so that everyone can create a natural oasis whatever their living situation is — and without breaking the bank.