10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget

by Wise Bread Staff

Filled with savvy tips on how to live, eat, shop, and have fun on a small budget, 10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget is a compilation of the juiciest tips from the #1 personal finance blog WiseBread.com, 9 Ways to See the World For Free 12 Ways to Live Rent or Mortgage Free 6 Steps to Eliminating Your Debt Painlessly 7 Ways to Score Free Food Bulk Buying 101 10 Killer Ways to Feel Like a Million Bucks 6 Horrible Financial Products to Avoid 7 Beauty Secrets that Cost Almost Nothing 50 Ways to Get the Most Out of Health Care 12 Fabulous Frugal Party Ideas Too many frugal living books focus on the negative, throwing around words such as "sacrifice" and "responsibility" like there was a fire sale at the Boring Store. But the writers at Wise Bread believe the key to financial wellness isn't a ramen-eating, vacation-skipping, fun-depriving life. Far from it. The best way to ensure that readers will stick to a budget is to help them create a lifestyle that is as much fun as it is practical.

Genres: Nonfiction, Finance, Money, Self Help, Reference, Personal Finance, Philosophy

353 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 12, 2009

Reviews

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't resist this type of "how-to-be-perfect" book (the genre includes housekeeping hints, organization manuals, and even the occasional fashion guide -- I'm much better at resisting psychological self-help). However, I'm smarter now and I get them from the library (a budget saver that does not appear in this book's index, by the way.) 10 001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget is apparently digested from a website, Wise Bread. It's categorized into broad areas and then contains numerous smaller articles with numbered hints. There was not a whole lot I hadn't heard before, and of course, since my children are grown, many hints were no longer germane to my condition. I was a little surprised at how many ideas were missed. For example, under the heading of ways to ditch cable tv without missing anything, no mention was made of the public library. True, you won't be able to get the latest episode of anything, but if you like AMC or TCM, those classic movies and many more are available. And if you still have a VCR, you can watch things that aren't available yet (or ever) on DVD and thus can't be gotten from Netflix.

The part I took the most objection to was on food. These folks are nuts on bulk food purchases. I understand that they may be helpful for a lot of people, but there are other ways to save -- and one of them is just not wasting food. Another that wasn't mentioned was a program called Fare Share or Fare for All. It's open to anybody and available in many places, especially cities. A reasonable payment gets you a box of food which may include meat, vegetables, fruit and other items. In Minneapolis, there are varying levels of packages so that a single college student, a vegetarian, or a large family can get what they need. This is a good thing for people who really need to save money on food. However, as Michael Pollan and others have pointed out, we in the US actually spend much less of our income on groceries than 40 or 50 years ago, and less than many other people in the world. Avoiding overly-processed food and buying from farmers and fishermen themselves may not save a lot of money, but I think it's a good thing.

End of rant -- the best thing about this book is the list of websites at the back, many of which I plan to explore.

[Louise Chambers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some good new ideas, but honestly, I've been reading this sort of stuff for years. And a single person has to be brutally honest and admit that some of these strategies are not in any way going to work for them, nor are they going to work for people on a tiny subsistence fixed income, such as myself.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

When reading these type of books, I always feel like you had to do what works for you. If you can find a small change that will better your life then it was worth it. All the tips are not going to work for everyone and it's to overwhelming to try and implement all of them. I found a few things that worked for me and make it worth the read.

[Bkh4 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book delivers what it promises -- tons of money-saving ideas in all areas of your budget. What I especially liked about it was the easy-to-read, list-like format. I also liked that the book was a conglomeration of the ideas of many different people.

[Bobby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some nuggets of good advice or tips buried within common sense principles (i.e. instead of buying coffee out everyday, buy a brushed chrome mug and make your own coffee at home).

[Cherrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Easy breezy book to skim and jot down notes as you need depending on what you're looking for. Most of these tips are common sense but there were some useful tips in the earlier food/cooking sections.

[AnandaTashie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Divided into two parts: Frugal Living (food & drink; travel; health & beauty; fun & entertainment; shopping & bargain hunting; green living; education & self-improvement) and Personal Finance (financial planning & budgeting; credit cards & debt; investing your money; housing & home improvement; career & money-making ideas). Each sub-category has a lot of suggestions. (For example: in the Health & Beauty section, there are ones like: 15 ways to make your clothes last longer, 10 beauty products you can make at home, etc.) Each title & tip is bolded and colorful. So, though it's a little cluttered, it still ends up being very easy to browse through.

I scanned through all the titles / headers on the 300+ pages, then read the tips for the ones that interested me. I think probably most people could come away with something. Mine? Ha. Hand sanitizer: equal parts rubbing alcohol and aloe vera gel with a few drops of scented oil. And, scented body spray: two parts rubbing alcohol to one part water, drops of favorite oil, a bit of olive oil for extra moisture. I can just smell these with sweet orange essential oil.

My least favorite? A suggestion of a service to use that will automatically bid on ebay auctions for you in the last second. I had someone do that to my 9 year old son and I found it l.a.m.e. It may save some money, but I'm pretty sure the karma expense is high. ;D

[Tashie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rarely, after reading a library book, do I say: "Man I wish I had spent $15 on that book." This is one of those books. Especially the last half. It is extremely helpful, in short bursts, and well written by people who know what they're talking about, all in one place. Sure I could find most of this stuff online, especially how to save money on making my own food, soaps, laundry detergent, etc. The financial planning and frugal living tips may not be totally original, but it was nice to have it condensed and shortened and in my hand. Loved it. And I loved the websites in the back... I had to copy the pages before returning this to the library so I can reference them again at my leisure. I think this is a great read for anyone trying to trim corners and work on a small income. It makes me feel good to have my money working for me.

[Regina Eubanks · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hope my teenage daughters NEVER read this! This book was basically a collection of all the Pinterest Tips and Tricks that you see circulating online (seriously, all the good AND the BAD ones). Most were pretty commonly heard tips, but I gave the book a low review because there were some "tips" that were, in my opinion, very trashy. For example, the #1 Beauty Secret that costs "almost nothing" (except your self-worth and pride) is to "Have safe sex"! It explains that people who have sex regularly "have a glow about them." Or two of the ways to "Eat For Free in College" : get to know your professor and hope to get invited to dinner, but be sure to bring a friend because some of those professors can be "lecherous" or "Flirt" with coffee shop workers and hope that they give you free food!
Very disappointing.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

A frugal-living book that doesn't try to make you feel guilty! Not about squeezing every penny but how to make the most out of your money, while still enjoying yourself . It's a collection of lists of tips, so you can easily skim and browse.

[G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of interesting and easily implementable suggestions. This is a very comprehensive book. If you are new to trying to live on a small budget, there may be many ways for you to learn how to cut corners.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked up a few good tips, although some parts weren't relevant and others were too obvious. Namely, I learned about Snipe Swipe on Ebay, made a few changes to my banking set up, and re-evaluated my retirement plan.

[Kristelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was by far my favorite frugal living book I have read/see. The sections were short and to the point so I could look through and see what applied to me. A great read.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great compilation of info. Some of it is repetitive, but not to the point of being unhelpful. It's meant to be taken as needed.

[Pug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty interesting. A big book with a lot of bite-size tips for saving money. They range from serious to silly, but most of them pretty realistic.

[CTEP]

Helllo CTEP friends! I just finished up a pretty cool book called "10,001 Ways to Live Large one a Small Budget" by the authors of www.Wisebread.com, your personal finance/thrifty living gurus. Although we all vary on our paths of personal finance, we do have one thing in common - our AmeriCorps stipend. It seems to go to rent, utilities, groceries as soon as it arrives. Also, I suck at following a budget and maybe you do too. Post-AmeriCorps life is also on it's way and while the job market is still in a slump, it's so important to stretch that paycheck and plasma $ as far as it can go.

This book has so many ways to save money, some of them are almost too out there for me to try. But the rest are fairly sane, applicable ways to stretch that stipend AND get stuff for free. Some of my favorite categories included ways to travel for FREE or CHEAP, how to clean almost anything using random ingredients in your house, re-gifting (white elephant, anyone?), and tons of ways to save money on food (and booze). For those DIY fans out there, 21 great uses for beer, making inexpensive gifts, sunburn remedies and caring for your allergies. There are also concrete sections about starting an IRA, financial planning, financial literacy for dummies, and getting out of debt.

I think this is a great, quick read for anyone who wants to save some money and isn't afraid to get creative and adjust their living style... being frugal does not have to mean boring! I found many resources to explore and take advantage of to help maintain a lifestyle I can afford while being responsible AND having fun!

I'll see you next time...

[Jen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Does anyway need a book that has all basic advice. Who doesn't know this stuff? Definitely get it from your local library if you think there is something in it for you. This is not worth the purchase.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was like reading "lifehacks" lists but in book format. Still pretty entertaining.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

definitely had great content

[Carla Hosein · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somewhat out of date and not a lot of new information.

[Dylan Bean · Rating 3 out of 5]

One too many to remember if you ask me.

[Abby Davel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not completely awful, but it would have been better if WiseBread stuck to what they know: blogging. Save your time, don’t read.

[Rita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This included contributions from several different people. Some suggestions I could relate to, others seemed to come from people whose definition of small budget is multiple times greater than mine.

[Kayla Barton Hadden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very very practical things to do, but a lot of it is outdated as the finance space is constantly changing. Many of the resources referenced are no longer available or impractical 16 years later.

[Angela W · Rating 2 out of 5]

book might be great/the best for someone adulting for the first time. pros: easy to follow/on the eyes due to the organized formatting.

[False · Rating 1 out of 5]

Probably taken from "blurb" blog pieces, like lists: Ten ways to save on toilet paper, or 50 Recipes using lard. I was trying to figure out who this type of book would be for, and the other thing I could come up with is someone young, just starting out in life who hasn't had much experience in caring for themselves, or perhaps someone recently unemployed. You mean I should have read "ten things to know before you get fired?" I had serious issues about "savings" in terms of couponing (even they admitted it could turn obsessive,) or those bulk buy stores. Why would you need to buy 30 bottles of mouthwash at once? One author said she split the cost with her mother. Ok. Why would you need to buy 15 bottles of mouth wash???? Here's how to live on a small budget. Stay out of Costco, and don't buy this book.

[Melissa Massello · Rating 3 out of 5]

Featured in 35 Budget Living Picks for National Book Lovers Day on ShoestringMag.com :

"Even almost four years after getting this book, hot off the presses from the Wisebread editors at BlogHer, I still can turn to it and learn new tricks for saving money. If you only buy one guide to better spending on this list, make it this one."

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love these types of books since I am always looking for more tips for frugal/simple living. I learned a few things, but I could care less about "living large" or wearing designer clothes etc etc.

I was alarmed by the point to use your nonvented dryer to help in warming your home in cold weather. I regard this as very dangerous, especially if you own a gas dryer. My plumber once told me that there could be a problem with carbon monoxide in a situation like this with a gas dryer.

[Gloria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book to scan. Filled with page after page of tips, most only one paragraph long, blog-style. This is not a philosophical book, but highly pragmatic in providing ways to economize covering many subjects such as food, travel, and personal finance. Many are very useful, but many also do not go into the details of couponing, for example, that other books of this type do.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wouldn't mind having a copy of this book around for handy reference, though I imagine I could probably get most of these tips directly from their blog at Wise Bread. There were some great thought-starters on picking the right ways to earn more on the money you already save, as well as not so difficult ways to either reduce your consumption or to save a bit on purchase you plan to make.