When I read the title of the book – 10,001 Ways To Live Large, I was reminded of Clemenceau’s quote, when he heard about Woodrow Wilson’s 14 point program – “Even the good lord had only 10”
I wondered if the book promised too much, but, when I started reading this money saving book – I found that it really delivered on the promise of its title.
I opened a page randomly and found advice on:
10 Things I Never Buy New
The list had – DVDs / CDs, Video Games, Cars, Yard Toys and Workout Equipment among others.
I am an avid Wii gamer and I rarely buy any new games. I go to eBay and bid for old games, not only are they cheap – they offer you the same quality as a new game would. I know that used cars provide a lot more value for money than new cars and I have a close friend who has bought most of his gym equipment in yard sales. So, my first sense of the book was that it offers advice that is quite practical. Same was the case for my textbooks, I always tried to get cheap college textbooks by buying them used from either a store or from friends.
I got the impression that the tips came from people who have actually done this at one point or the other, which is an extremely important factor to me for obvious reasons.
I flipped a few more pages and found that there is a whole section dedicated to – Education and Self Improvement. In an age of millionaires who never completed their degree – I am a big fan of education and knowledge. Wisebread’s money saving book has devoted a full section to education and self development and is full of tips and tricks on lowering your education cost, getting cheap text books, free food on campus and also on developing a more confident self.
I randomly read a few pages of any book to get a feel of the book and gauge whether I’d like it or not. I liked what I saw in the first glance and settled down to read a little more.
After going through the book – I can confidently say that someone who is looking for ways to live frugally (not cheaply) will find this book useful.
Here are some key things that you should know about this book.
The Authors
The book is co-authored by several writers who have written books about thrift and personal finance in the past and are also actively engaged in managing their own personal finance websites.
Sections of the Book
- Food and Drink
- Travel
- Health and Beauty
- Fun and Entertainment
- Shopping and Bargain Hunting
- Green Living
- Financial Planning and Budgeting
- Credit Cards and Debt
- Investing Your Money
- Housing and Home Improvement
- Career and Money Making Ideas
As you can see, the book covers most of the major aspects of life that offer a frugal and better way of spending or managing money.
They have broken the sections further into relevant sub – headers and then discussed various tips within them. For example, the section about Food and Drink discusses Wine, Dining Out, Kitchen Gadgets etc.
Language Used in the Book
The book is written in a simple, clear and concise manner. It is easy to read and you will be able to flip through the book quickly without scratching your forehead. The advice is common sense and even “folksy” and most people should like the positive tone of the book.
Criticism
The book is strung together as a manual or hand book and you will not find any story here. That’s pretty much what the title of the book says, but, I know that a lot of people (including myself) feel that any book they pick up should tell a compelling story. If you were looking for a book that had great tips as well as a story that weaved them together, then this is not the book for you.
Conclusion
On the whole, I really enjoyed the – 10001 Ways To Live Large on a Frugal Budget and I think anyone who buys this book will not be disappointed with the ten dollars they invest in it.