Living for (much) less... (How I Lived a Year on Just a Pound a Day - Kath Kelly)

Member Name: Trix1212

Product:	How I Lived a Year on Just a Pound a Day - Kath Kelly
Date:	12/02/09 (165 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fascinating, inspirational

Disadvantages: Not a lifestyle for everyone

I'm a big believer that we could all cut back a little and that most of what many people think of as 'necessary' is really not. Nothing irritates me more than someone saying 'I'd really love to... but I just can't afford it" because often it's more 'won't' than 'can't' - money is an easy excuse to avoid doing something you're scared of doing (I know, I've used it!). Giving up luxuries is easy but we all have different ideas of what constitutes luxury and I guess, if we really wanted something, we'd prioritise. Kath Kelley has proved that its possible (ok, you might say she cheated a little but is that really the important point here?) all you and I have to decide is if its desirable, if its worth it to us. The author mentioned several times that she chose to get by on a part time job because, in the end, time had more value to her than money. That really made me stop and think.

So, you can see why this book appealed to me. Just from reading the title I suspected that it was out to prove what I'd always believed, but been to lazy to prove myself, that its wholly possible to live - comfortably and happily - while saving a great deal of your money for that extra special whatever that you 'can't afford'. In the case of the author it was her brother's wedding; she wanted to save up to get something really special and the decision to live on £1 a day was taken on a whim and became a challenge that she was determined to complete. From learning to budget properly on food shopping (despite warnings by friends she surprised herself by gaining weight through too much junk food and had to concentrate more on cutting back!) to finding free events and activities that would get her out and about with her friends and managing to also take several holidays (camping in Wales, a week in France and a relaxing 'working' holiday), she really did make her seemingly possible challenge look easy! She also found herself learning a little and discovering people who lived even more frugally than she was - freegans, for example, who take the perfectly good food supermarkets throw away; or 'couch surfers', who get free accommodation by staying on a strangers couch, perhaps offering their own in exchange.

I've seen reviewers complain that she 'cheated' by not including her rent but come on, did anyone really expect her to include her rent at £1 a day? Also that hitchhiking is not for everyone, and that living in a city makes finding free activities easier, and that its not practically possibly for most people to live this way. Well nobody's asking you to! Everyone has their own ideas on what is and is not possible but I'd recommend reading this book with an open mind and taking it for what it is; an inspirational story of a woman who attempted the impossible and achieved it. If everyone went away from this with just one new money saving idea and a little inspiration that its will have been worth reading.

Summary: Read, enjoy, and allow yourself to be inspired!