High Living on a Budget (The Thrift Book: Live Well and Spend Less - India Knight)

Member Name: Redmedic

Product:	The Thrift Book: Live Well and Spend Less - India Knight
Date:	23/01/09 (100 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A good referece guide to frugal living

Disadvantages: Slightly sexist

Finding ourselves in a declining economy, many of us are trying to curb our excessive lifestyles in an attempt to staunch the flow of money from our wallets - only to find that we have forgotten how to live frugally. The author, novelist and journalist India Knight, admits that cutting back is not an especially appetising prospect, but that after being served with bankruptcy papers, she realised that she had to get a grip on her finances. To her surprise, she found that she had developed a "new-found love of thrift," which did not mean that she had to compromise too much on her lifestyle.

Knight's book on living well and spending less is divided into nine chapters; food, clothes, crafts, community, having fun, beauty, holidays, home and money. While some chapters may be of more relevance to some people than others, all offer useful tips and suggestions for an economical existence, delivered in the witty and informal style typical of Ms Knight.

In the food section, she offers advice on shopping and eating locally and seasonally, growing your own food, and even on making your own cheese and yoghurt. The chapter on clothes contains suggestions for maintaining the life of your clothes, how to dry-clean in your own home, and also on making clothes for yourself. The beauty section has ideas for home-made beauty cures, such as the 'aspirin face mask,' and which make up is not only good but which is thrifty, too.

Many of the tips in the book are very useful and innovative; however, many are suggestions for things to buy, rather than advice for saving money. It is also important to remember that they are just one woman's opinion, and what worked for her may not necessarily work for everyone else, for example, she is a fan of mineral foundations, while I personally have not had much luck with them. It is also a book aimed almost completely at women; aside from the black, red and pink cover, Knight rarely mentions mens' clothes, or grooming tips. However, for those who wish to live prudently, but don't know where to start, The Thrift Book makes an excellent reference guide.

Summary: Not quite living on a shoesting, but perhaps a bootlace.