Finding Books on Frugality

[reader99]

I'm embarking on another round of cutting expenses, or 'retrenching' as my mother used to call it. I tried various keywords to search for books about it in my library's online catalog and didn't come up with much. I re-read the Tightwad Gazette, but so much of it is for people with kids and a house and yard that it didn't tell me anything useful.

Today I got a brainwave and searched on Amazon.com in the books section for 'frugal living'. I then took those titles and authors that came up and searched them in my library's search engine. MUCH more results, plenty of good books to request from the library.

[frugal-one]

I liked "The Cheapskate Next Door" by Jeff Yaeger. ... hopefully it was at your library!

[Gardenarian]

I have to admit to doing round-about searches this way myself - and I've been a librarian for almost 30 years! The library subject headings for this topic are inadequate (Thriftiness; Home economics; Simplicity; Consumer education; Finance, personal.)

It's kind of sad that librarians slaved over these subject headings for so many years, only to be trumped by Amazon's much smarter search engine. I often wish our library catalog could be searched like Amazon (just one line, enter anything - ISBN, title, whatever.)

Librarians have been at the forefront of technology, but it seems that in some part of our minds we're still thinking on little index cards.

[Mrs-M]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWlScijEoQM/TMphApu6L1I/AAAAAAAAGSE/dPXdxn2e3p8/s1600/home+comforts%5B1%5D.jpg

This is an awesome book!!! I highly recommend it.

[catherine]

This is an awesome book!!! I highly recommend it.

That's JUST the kind of book I picture as your bible, Mrs-M!

[Mrs-M]

A bible it is, Catherine. :) Have you by chance read it? I just know you'd enjoy it, too. So thorough and comprehensive.

[catherine]

A bible it is, Catherine. :) Have you by chance read it? I just know you'd enjoy it, too. So thorough and comprehensive.

I have not! But it's always attracted me on the shelves at Barnes & Noble. I'll have to put it on my Christmas list--maybe one of the kids will make a gift of it--I'm sure they would love for their mother to pick up some housekeeping skills--better late than never! ;)

Edited to add: Not in the frugality vein, but in the housekeeping one, I do love Alexandra Stoddard as well.

[libby]

I really enjoyed the book Frugal Luxuries.

[rosarugosa]

Mrs M: Yes, I have that book and love it - such a comprehensive reference, and quite readable!

[AnneM]

Mrs. M, I am reading that book right now, from the library of course. Love it!

[fidgiegirl]

How about Trent Hamm's books? Anyone read them? Worth it?

[chrissieq]

I agree with the recommendation of Alexandra Stoddard - I think her vibe of being happy and content at home was one of my major influences toward simplicity. However, I will never tie my sheet sets in ribbon - although wouldn't one's linen closet look pretty?

[Mrs-M]

Catherine. Definitely do, you will not regret it.

Rosarugosa. What amazed me most of all Re: Cheryl (the author), is how thorough she is. Just as an example, hanging laundry on the clothesline. She goes through the process with a flavour for perfection.

AnneM. My read was also courtesy of a library copy. One of my best finds ever!

[cdttmm]

How about Trent Hamm's books? Anyone read them? Worth it?

I just read both of Trent's books -- courtesy of the library. I didn't find anything especially new and helpful in them, but I think they could be helpful for the purposes of what the OP refers to as "retrenching".

[Selah]

I read and loved 'Home Comforts,' which my mother owns. Very practical and it gave me a renewed respect and appreciation for keeping house. I've also read Alexandra Stoddard's "Living a Beautiful Life," which has nice thoughts but gets just a little too twee for me. (She suggests stacking up different rugs at the bottom of your closet so you can change them according to your mood, for example.)

Helen and Scott Nearing's "Living the Good Life" is more about true simplicity and frugality, with lessons about deliberate choice in engagement in economic systems, living off the grid, and so on. For frugality tips for the modern age, my go-to source is J.D. Roth's blog www.getrichslowly.org.

[Amaranth]

Thanks for the tip! Also have found a lot of good ideas by looking at what other books people got along with the one that is of interest.

Another search term that has turned up a bunch of good books is self-sufficiency. Usually each chapter has a good intro to a specific topic. If I think I want to learn how to do that specific topic then I have more of an idea about what sort of more in depth books to consult.

The Self Sufficient-ish Bible: An Eco-living Guide for the 21st Century by Andy Hamilton and Dave Hamilton has introduced me to a UK perspective along with John Seymour's books. There is also a self-sufficientish website which offers practical advice.

Some other books that have been helpful to me in specific areas are
***How to Grow More Vegetables by John Jeavons which showcases an extremely frugal method of gardening.
***One Circle: How to Grow a Complete Diet in Less than 1,000 Square Feet by David Duhon for complete nutrition gardening.
***The three books on making bread in 5 minutes a day. Frugal breads and pizzas with minimal daily time expenditures.

[reader99]

I just read both of Trent's books -- courtesy of the library. I didn't find anything especially new and helpful in them, but I think they could be helpful for the purposes of what the OP refers to as "retrenching".

I just ordered 365 Way to Live Cheap from the library. They don't have the other one.

My situation is a bit unusual. When I had a house and was raising kids I read all the books about housekeeping and benefited greatly. Now I live in an efficiency condo. Far from having a linen closet, I have one set of sheets, on the bed, two towels hanging in the bathroom and one on hand to sop up the water that comes in under the air conditioner in a windy rainstorm. So I'm really down to the nitty gritty of finding alternative grooming products, cleaning with water/vinegar...
I already have pretty much everything I can use, so most of my shopping is to replace stuff that wears out.

[reader99]

I read and loved 'Home Comforts,' which my mother owns. Very practical and it gave me a renewed respect and appreciation for keeping house. I've also read Alexandra Stoddard's "Living a Beautiful Life," which has nice thoughts but gets just a little too twee for me. (She suggests stacking up different rugs at the bottom of your closet so you can change them according to your mood, for example.)

Helen and Scott Nearing's "Living the Good Life" is more about true simplicity and frugality, with lessons about deliberate choice in engagement in economic systems, living off the grid, and so on. For frugality tips for the modern age, my go-to source is J.D. Roth's blog www.getrichslowly.org.

The only NEaring book my library has is Continuing the Good Life. They have it under farming so I'm not sure how much it will address my urban condo, but I look forward to reading it. I've bookmarked Get Rich Slowly for when I have more time to read it. Thanks!

[reader99]

Thanks for the tip! Also have found a lot of good ideas by looking at what other books people got along with the one that is of interest.

Another search term that has turned up a bunch of good books is self-sufficiency. Usually each chapter has a good intro to a specific topic. If I think I want to learn how to do that specific topic then I have more of an idea about what sort of more in depth books to consult.

The Self Sufficient-ish Bible: An Eco-living Guide for the 21st Century by Andy Hamilton and Dave Hamilton has introduced me to a UK perspective along with John Seymour's books. There is also a self-sufficientish website which offers practical advice.

Some other books that have been helpful to me in specific areas are
***How to Grow More Vegetables by John Jeavons which showcases an extremely frugal method of gardening.
***One Circle: How to Grow a Complete Diet in Less than 1,000 Square Feet by David Duhon for complete nutrition gardening.
***The three books on making bread in 5 minutes a day. Frugal breads and pizzas with minimal daily time expenditures.

My library search for self-sufficiency as a topic got nothing, but as a title keyowrd, lots! Many look useful, too. Thanks!

[chanterelle]

Thanks for the Zelinski reference!
I was just able to otder both of his book from the library.

[reader99]

I just finished Yeager's Ultimate Cheapskate's Guide to True Riches. It was a good philosophical overview and readable, but I already have that philosophy, so my quest for specific practical ways to spend less or nothing at all on day-today things continues.

[lhamo]

I haven't read it but you might find the book by Jacob Fisker -- Early Retirement Extreme -- interesting. He's kind of a frugality wonk. At one point he apparently makes his own rake. He was living on $8000 a year, but he's recently taken a job with a hedge fund as a quantitative analyst, which had some the early retirement forum people (including me at first) up in arms. Quirky guy with a very atypical world view.

lhamo

[catherine]

lhamo, thanks for the Jacob Fisker reference.. I looked him up.. I'm nowhere near that kind of extreme frugality, but I always find people like him really inspiring to read--like Jim Merkel, who also lives "well" (by his standards) for under 10k a year.