365 Ways to Live Cheap: Your Everyday Guide to Saving Money

Common sense is not all that common. Everyone needs a starting point. Many, many years ago books like this were my mainstay. It is full of thought provoking basic principles that can be transferred to other areas like reuse, repair, repurpose and make do. If you understand that "tie your shoe laces so you don't trip on them" can be a lesson in stretching the life of what you have invested in by taking care of it then you can apply that to everything you own from your car to your hair brush. These transferrable principles where what made the Tightwad Gazette such a hit after all. It seems that the vast majority of us are perceived to have surpassed this stage in our lives but I don't believe most of us have. With the state of the economy how can one even assume that "most" people are beyond this material? We wouldn't be in the overextended financial hell we are in right now if we were. This book isn't going to have you seeing choirs of angels but it will be the jumping off point for many frugal financial epiphanies to come if you read it thoughtfully and apply the deeper lessons it tries to reveal.

This book gives you plenty of ideas to save money and enjoy life more. Sure, about half the ideas are obvious but others are very valuable. This book is worth 100x or more its price.

The Simple Dollar has been one of my favorite blogs for a very long time and over the years Trent has shared so many great tips it's great to see some of the best ones in one place. I enjoyed reading through the 365 Ways to Live Cheap: Your Everyday Guide to Saving Money it's a quick read and afterwards it's great to have on the desk or coffee table to pick up any time for a refreshing tip. While I will say that many of the tips I've read before on the blog, I think this is a great addition to the bookstore shelves for those who don't follow The Simple Dollar. Every day, millions of people wander aimlessly through life spending money and surviving from paycheck to paycheck. A small $7.95 investment now can save them so much money later on. This book also makes a great gift for anyone who is in need of a little financial makeover, don't let it's small size fool you - it's packed with lots of great information.

I read Trent's blog daily, and of course immediately bought the book when he made the big announcement. While I can agree somewhat with the criticism that a lot of the material can be found online, I think the real value of the book will be for those who aren't yet seeking information on frugality online. Several of my family members live beyond their means, have expressed a desire to change their ways, yet have done nothing about it thus far. This is a perfect book for them! I remain highly impressed by Trent's ability to relate to his audience, and think the information in this guide is much more applicable to the average person than the "Tightwad Gazette". Trent- I commend you for not recommending rinsing and reusing ziploc bags! :-)

Trent's book is good for people serious about using many small changes to make a big difference in their monthly budget. It is especially helpful for people who think they cannot squeeze a dime out of their monthly expenses, because many of the tips are very small things that save pennies or a few dollars a month. Over time and in quantity they add up to thousands of dollars. A lot of these take some serious time, but the book is honest about that, and people who need to save money should get used to the idea that it takes time to keep money in the bank. I would buy this book for someone new to frugality who wants a light, up-to-date read that gets to the point - no spending several chapters developing a frugal philosophy. Such a person might be frightened away by the Complete Tightwad Gazette or Your Money or Your Life. I wouldn't buy it for someone experienced with frugality.