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Poorcraft: The Funnybook Fundamentals of Living Well on Less
Poorcraft is the ultimate comic book guide to practical urban and suburban frugality! Whether you're new to independent living, a recent college graduate, or just downshifting to a simpler lifestyle, Poorcraft can help you with everything from finding a home to finding a hobby, dinner to debt relief, education to entertainment. So get ready! It's time to cut your expenses! (Or just make sure they never pile up.)
168 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
18 people are currently reading
367 people want to read
About the author
C. Spike Trotman
34 books131 followersTrotman is also the creator of the webcomics Lucas and Odessa, Sparkneedle, and Blikada, as well as the somewhat less serious Playing With Dolls. She lives in Chicago with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
January 13, 2016
Poorcraft is an edumacational comic for completely clueless people to help live within your means. It covers things like creating a financial budget, prioritising your income so that essential bills are paid first (rent/mortgage/loans/car payments), to teaching yourself to cook, finding the right place to live and how to furnish it, to keeping yourself fit and healthy, as well as avoiding modern financial pitfalls like advance payday loans.
Some of the topics feel a bit too hippy-dippy, like growing your own food, raising chickens, and foraging(!). I don’t have the time, inclination or room to do the first two and I wouldn’t recommend anyone eat anything they pick up in the park either! I do remember my parents taking me and my brother for blackberry picking when we were kids which my Ma would then bake into delicious pies/crumbles but I still wouldn’t say foraging is any kind of substitute for going to the supermarket!
I’m also British which means the section on buying healthcare insurance was moot – just the benefit of living in a socialist paradise, I guess! And making your own house-cleaning supplies – yikes. That’s a little extreme to save a small bit of cash! It has suggestions for almost everyone on the financial spectrum who’s interested in cutting back (obviously excluding the rich, damn them!), but especially for those who are in a serious jam, money-wise - there’s even a section on bankruptcy!
Writer Spike Trotman and artist Diana Nock both make this an enjoyable reading experience with cheerfully cartoonish art and all of the advice is couched in a cleverly-plotted story between our wise sage Penny, her cute dog Nickel, and her hopeless friend Mil.
Note the “fundamentals” part of the title – a lot of this stuff is very basic and will be common sense for many but this is mainly intended for young people who’ve maybe moved out for the first time (or are thinking/dreaming about it) and will likely feel themselves out of their depth to start with. The section on selecting the right college that won’t leave you financially crippled for years afterwards will probably be useful for them too. That said, because Trotman covers so much ground, anyone looking to make savings/live more frugally in certain areas of their lives might find something for them here.
Poorcraft is a very practical and accessible comic for anyone looking to live just as well for less but are also willing to go the extra mile to make that happen.
Some of the topics feel a bit too hippy-dippy, like growing your own food, raising chickens, and foraging(!). I don’t have the time, inclination or room to do the first two and I wouldn’t recommend anyone eat anything they pick up in the park either! I do remember my parents taking me and my brother for blackberry picking when we were kids which my Ma would then bake into delicious pies/crumbles but I still wouldn’t say foraging is any kind of substitute for going to the supermarket!
I’m also British which means the section on buying healthcare insurance was moot – just the benefit of living in a socialist paradise, I guess! And making your own house-cleaning supplies – yikes. That’s a little extreme to save a small bit of cash! It has suggestions for almost everyone on the financial spectrum who’s interested in cutting back (obviously excluding the rich, damn them!), but especially for those who are in a serious jam, money-wise - there’s even a section on bankruptcy!
Writer Spike Trotman and artist Diana Nock both make this an enjoyable reading experience with cheerfully cartoonish art and all of the advice is couched in a cleverly-plotted story between our wise sage Penny, her cute dog Nickel, and her hopeless friend Mil.
Note the “fundamentals” part of the title – a lot of this stuff is very basic and will be common sense for many but this is mainly intended for young people who’ve maybe moved out for the first time (or are thinking/dreaming about it) and will likely feel themselves out of their depth to start with. The section on selecting the right college that won’t leave you financially crippled for years afterwards will probably be useful for them too. That said, because Trotman covers so much ground, anyone looking to make savings/live more frugally in certain areas of their lives might find something for them here.
Poorcraft is a very practical and accessible comic for anyone looking to live just as well for less but are also willing to go the extra mile to make that happen.
August 3, 2012
I hope that eventually people start giving this book to kids that graduate high school instead of that damn Dr. Seuss book. I learned how to cook a whole chicken, sew a button, and like 300 things to do with vinegar from this read. What did I learn from the Seuss book? That there are hundreds of imaginary cultures and creatures that I will never ever see, and that every day I don't burn my fingerprints off and light out for foreign lands is a waste. What a drag.
Seriously, this is a great book. Comics are a great way to share this information. It's informative without being intimidating, and also lends itself to visual aids. It won't be helpful for everyone starting off on their own- for example, anyone who lives anywhere that doesn't have consistent bus service -but there are also ideas and info that I think anyone could use. It's worth a read.
Seriously, this is a great book. Comics are a great way to share this information. It's informative without being intimidating, and also lends itself to visual aids. It won't be helpful for everyone starting off on their own- for example, anyone who lives anywhere that doesn't have consistent bus service -but there are also ideas and info that I think anyone could use. It's worth a read.
May 6, 2018
The graphic novel format is kind of an odd choice for a common sense guide to living within one's means, but . . . whatever works, I guess. Most of the hints that are included seem fairly self-explanatory to me, but judging from the fact that a large percentage of Americans have little to no savings stashed away, perhaps this is one that more people should be reading.
February 16, 2017
I wavered on this book quite a bit. I admit, the three star rating is probably a bit high, but I'm giving the book the benefit of the doubt for what it is trying to do, and I accept that I am not the target audience.
Poorcraft is about living well without spending a lot of money. It takes the form of a friend struggling with bills, and our voice character walking her through changes she could make in her life. It covers issues like food, transport, clothing, housing, though some of the topics like education and healthcare are mostly US-specific.
Poorcraft is an introductory volume which also begs the question of who the audience is supposed to be. I often find myself annoyed by material suggesting that it can help people deal with poverty because a lot of the advice is so out-of-touch with the reality. This book didn't bother telling people to stop buying a coffee every day because if you are struggling, you are already NOT buying a coffee every day. Most of the advice centered on how to buy groceries that stretch or how to plan for specific purchases. It did not, at least in my opinion, properly convey the time a lot of these alternatives take. At one point, the struggling character notes that making all her meals takes a lot more time than just grabbing cheap take-out, and the response is that you can cook a few times a week and just have leftovers. Welp. Most of the food suggestions take significant prep time given you are working with raw materials like beans and full chickens. Foraging and backyard chickens are also substantial time commitments. That isn't to say that I think people shouldn't spend time on food, but that there are people who simply can't, or people who will be overwhelmed by the time required. Have a disability or work multiple part time jobs? Trying to figure out when to cook several meals at a time can be a difficulty and shouldn't have been dismissed so easily. I would have appreciated that the book talk about how living well often does take time, and then also give some tips to people who are strapped for time.
Back to the audience point, if you are already living in poverty, a lot of these suggestions will be things that you know. Buy a lot of cheap foundation groceries? Yeah, most people who don't have a lot of money don't have any choice on that. Find free entertainment at your library? Believe me, the library was my best friend as a kid because my mom was a single parent supporting the two of us by waitressing at a restaurant. This book is more for the newly struggling. In short, probably a lot of millennial who have graduated and not ended up with well-paying job as much of my cohort is.
The other aspect of the book that made me question its utility is the tone. The struggling avatar is clueness, and the teacher is confident to the point of being obnoxious sometimes. There are ways of passing on information without making the student feel like they are hopeless at everything or being dismissive of the reasons as to why people make certain choices (see my time complaint above).
In the end, I gave the book three stars because I think it will be useful to a particular class of people. I don't think it is that useful to those already used to navigating poverty, nor do I think it's a very nuanced or complex understanding of how to deal with financial insecurity. However, it has some really good basic lessons, and the art is surprisingly fun for such a topic.
Poorcraft is about living well without spending a lot of money. It takes the form of a friend struggling with bills, and our voice character walking her through changes she could make in her life. It covers issues like food, transport, clothing, housing, though some of the topics like education and healthcare are mostly US-specific.
Poorcraft is an introductory volume which also begs the question of who the audience is supposed to be. I often find myself annoyed by material suggesting that it can help people deal with poverty because a lot of the advice is so out-of-touch with the reality. This book didn't bother telling people to stop buying a coffee every day because if you are struggling, you are already NOT buying a coffee every day. Most of the advice centered on how to buy groceries that stretch or how to plan for specific purchases. It did not, at least in my opinion, properly convey the time a lot of these alternatives take. At one point, the struggling character notes that making all her meals takes a lot more time than just grabbing cheap take-out, and the response is that you can cook a few times a week and just have leftovers. Welp. Most of the food suggestions take significant prep time given you are working with raw materials like beans and full chickens. Foraging and backyard chickens are also substantial time commitments. That isn't to say that I think people shouldn't spend time on food, but that there are people who simply can't, or people who will be overwhelmed by the time required. Have a disability or work multiple part time jobs? Trying to figure out when to cook several meals at a time can be a difficulty and shouldn't have been dismissed so easily. I would have appreciated that the book talk about how living well often does take time, and then also give some tips to people who are strapped for time.
Back to the audience point, if you are already living in poverty, a lot of these suggestions will be things that you know. Buy a lot of cheap foundation groceries? Yeah, most people who don't have a lot of money don't have any choice on that. Find free entertainment at your library? Believe me, the library was my best friend as a kid because my mom was a single parent supporting the two of us by waitressing at a restaurant. This book is more for the newly struggling. In short, probably a lot of millennial who have graduated and not ended up with well-paying job as much of my cohort is.
The other aspect of the book that made me question its utility is the tone. The struggling avatar is clueness, and the teacher is confident to the point of being obnoxious sometimes. There are ways of passing on information without making the student feel like they are hopeless at everything or being dismissive of the reasons as to why people make certain choices (see my time complaint above).
In the end, I gave the book three stars because I think it will be useful to a particular class of people. I don't think it is that useful to those already used to navigating poverty, nor do I think it's a very nuanced or complex understanding of how to deal with financial insecurity. However, it has some really good basic lessons, and the art is surprisingly fun for such a topic.
June 19, 2017
Cute artwork, TUUURRRRIBLE advice! Clearly, this book is intended for someone in an urban environment (i.e., Portland, NYC, maybe LA). If you're in the burbs or further, you'll be SOL (one of the first pieces of advice is to get rid of the car). On top of that, the author unequivocally states that moving housing situations is tax-deductible; sorry, kiddos, that's only if you're moving more than 75 miles and it's for work reasons. I stopped reading at that point. There are probably good tips sprinkled throughout the book, but the author's credibility has been compromised, so it's not worth the effort.
July 4, 2018
Are there some useful ideas here? Sure (though few of the suggestions are revolutionary or surprising -- they are mostly obvious). But I feel pretty pissed at any budgeting book that ignores the fact that there's a trade-off between money and time. Could you in theory make your own everything, and spend hours searching for the absolute cheapest deals? Sure, but most people have jobs, commitments, stressors that make this exceedingly difficult. Advice like this always leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
July 14, 2014
This book reminded me a lot of Larry Gonick's "Cartoon Guide To..." books, like "The Cartoon Guide to Computers". It does a pretty good job of explaining some important concepts in an entertaining fashion. That said, there is some important information that the book omits, and some significant geographic biases that reflect the book's applicability.
The book has a metropolitan geographic bias going with it. There are pieces of advice that are pretty much designed to work great if you're living in a city or suburb with a well organized mass transit system where the busses don't turn into pumpkins, everywhere you need to go is convenient to mass transit, and the climate is conducive to walking or biking. If you live in a suburban community that doesn't have mass transit, or the mass transit turns into pumpkins early in the morning/late in the evening/in the middle of the day, you're out of luck. Near as I can tell, the book's advice if you're stuck in those circumstances is "move" - which is not what I'd consider useful - especially if the problem isn't limited to your suburb (as I gather this a problem that is not uncommon in the southwest, midwest, and south of the US, as well as some parts of the Pacific Northwest).
All of this gives the book what I'd call an anti-car bias. While cars are certainly spendy, but one of the recurring refrains in the book is that you should get rid of your car, which, related to the above geographic concerns, I'd consider not to be valuable advice in most cases in the US. This is perhaps aggravated by the fact that while this book is at least willing to give lip service to the idea that you might need a car, they do not have any material in the book on how to maintain your car for less - like getting Haynes guides from the local library, getting parts from U-Pull-It places or online. If you're on a tight budget, being able to do maintenance on your own car is incredibly useful, and not having any discussion on doing this, is almost absurd. For that matter, you could probably put some good basic bicycle maintenance advice in there as well (lubricating the bike, replacing chains, etc.)
That said, there is some definitely useful stuff in here. The entertainment chapter is pretty well done, though I think that the chapter really doesn't stress enough how utterly important and useful libraries are when you're on a limited income. I generally liked the cooking section, though having a discussion on farmer's markets would be nice as well. Also, considering the cost involved, the urban agriculture portion of the book was somewhat iffy. In particular, the portion about raising farm animals felt like something that could, and should have been cut entirely, particularly since that space could probably have been used for something else.
The book has a metropolitan geographic bias going with it. There are pieces of advice that are pretty much designed to work great if you're living in a city or suburb with a well organized mass transit system where the busses don't turn into pumpkins, everywhere you need to go is convenient to mass transit, and the climate is conducive to walking or biking. If you live in a suburban community that doesn't have mass transit, or the mass transit turns into pumpkins early in the morning/late in the evening/in the middle of the day, you're out of luck. Near as I can tell, the book's advice if you're stuck in those circumstances is "move" - which is not what I'd consider useful - especially if the problem isn't limited to your suburb (as I gather this a problem that is not uncommon in the southwest, midwest, and south of the US, as well as some parts of the Pacific Northwest).
All of this gives the book what I'd call an anti-car bias. While cars are certainly spendy, but one of the recurring refrains in the book is that you should get rid of your car, which, related to the above geographic concerns, I'd consider not to be valuable advice in most cases in the US. This is perhaps aggravated by the fact that while this book is at least willing to give lip service to the idea that you might need a car, they do not have any material in the book on how to maintain your car for less - like getting Haynes guides from the local library, getting parts from U-Pull-It places or online. If you're on a tight budget, being able to do maintenance on your own car is incredibly useful, and not having any discussion on doing this, is almost absurd. For that matter, you could probably put some good basic bicycle maintenance advice in there as well (lubricating the bike, replacing chains, etc.)
That said, there is some definitely useful stuff in here. The entertainment chapter is pretty well done, though I think that the chapter really doesn't stress enough how utterly important and useful libraries are when you're on a limited income. I generally liked the cooking section, though having a discussion on farmer's markets would be nice as well. Also, considering the cost involved, the urban agriculture portion of the book was somewhat iffy. In particular, the portion about raising farm animals felt like something that could, and should have been cut entirely, particularly since that space could probably have been used for something else.
April 13, 2015
There is a ton of information in this book and most of it is really great. There are a few items that I took issue with, but for the most part it is full of really sound advice.
Trotman argues really fervently that no one should use credit cards, which is ridiculous. They are really helpful with building credit and the only thing that Trotman actually has against them is that you should never be spending more money than you have. Owning a credit card does not necessitate irresponsible spending. She would have been better off reminding people to pay the full balance on their credit card every month. Trotman also claims that she has never been on a train that was on time, which I've never had issues with. And I THINK she might have suggested subbing celery leaves for cilantro in the food section. It was hard to tell because it was in a panel that experimenting in the kitchen will help you figure out what works and what's gross, but there was no one making a grossed out face, and let's be honest: cilantro and celery leaves are completely different in everything but shape.
It would also be nice if all of the resources were compiled in an appendix at the end of the book. There are tons of great resources (mostly websites) cited, but because it's a comic, it's a little tricky find them quickly once you've finished reading and want to start utilizing them. There is an appendix which is organized by chapter and provides a small paragraph of additional information for each section.
I also had really mixed feelings about the format. I love comic books. I also think self-help books are great resources. In some ways, having a story there to push along the plot was helpful, but sometimes the action of the comic inhibited the content. One example of this is when they are talking about budget-friendly entertainment at a museum and find a child who lost his school. He works as a transition to talking about education, but he also just hangs out in the back of the panels crying for several pages, which was annoying.
There are great recipes for food staples and eco/budget friendly cleaning supplies as well, which I will definitely utilize.
Overall, it's a great resource. It covers budgeting, housing, food, clothes, health, transportation and entertainment, and emergencies. If Trotman continues to update it and keep it relevant it will probably become my go-to high school graduation gift for all of my nieces and nephews. Of course, I'll also take them out for coffee so we can talk about which parts do and don't make sense, but it is a great starter's guide for responsible life on your own.
Trotman argues really fervently that no one should use credit cards, which is ridiculous. They are really helpful with building credit and the only thing that Trotman actually has against them is that you should never be spending more money than you have. Owning a credit card does not necessitate irresponsible spending. She would have been better off reminding people to pay the full balance on their credit card every month. Trotman also claims that she has never been on a train that was on time, which I've never had issues with. And I THINK she might have suggested subbing celery leaves for cilantro in the food section. It was hard to tell because it was in a panel that experimenting in the kitchen will help you figure out what works and what's gross, but there was no one making a grossed out face, and let's be honest: cilantro and celery leaves are completely different in everything but shape.
It would also be nice if all of the resources were compiled in an appendix at the end of the book. There are tons of great resources (mostly websites) cited, but because it's a comic, it's a little tricky find them quickly once you've finished reading and want to start utilizing them. There is an appendix which is organized by chapter and provides a small paragraph of additional information for each section.
I also had really mixed feelings about the format. I love comic books. I also think self-help books are great resources. In some ways, having a story there to push along the plot was helpful, but sometimes the action of the comic inhibited the content. One example of this is when they are talking about budget-friendly entertainment at a museum and find a child who lost his school. He works as a transition to talking about education, but he also just hangs out in the back of the panels crying for several pages, which was annoying.
There are great recipes for food staples and eco/budget friendly cleaning supplies as well, which I will definitely utilize.
Overall, it's a great resource. It covers budgeting, housing, food, clothes, health, transportation and entertainment, and emergencies. If Trotman continues to update it and keep it relevant it will probably become my go-to high school graduation gift for all of my nieces and nephews. Of course, I'll also take them out for coffee so we can talk about which parts do and don't make sense, but it is a great starter's guide for responsible life on your own.
January 4, 2015
Most of the advice in here is the sort of thing anyone who has ever been poor has already known about. However, if you've had it good up to now and you hit a slump, or you're headed off to college and need some real-world advice, this would be a good pick. Recommended for older teens and laid-off CEOs.
June 26, 2025
This book made me realize how little money I actually make.
July 22, 2013
Great tips on living cheaply. :)
March 14, 2021
Handy for adults who are looking to expand their budget and live smarter, not harder. Lots of details over renting, cooking, cleaning, shopping, money, and emergencies!
May 15, 2022
Was given this to read by someone very dear to me.
This is a very American-centric book, so some of the suggestions about health insurance, university fees and renting (among a few other things) weren't entirely applicable or even relatable. But Poorcraft still provides a lot of food for thought and also has a few cool tips and suggestions that could definitely be utilised throughout your twenties & beyond. It's probably a good literary stepping stone for other books/guides about DIY renovations, sustainability, up-cycling/refurbishing, or even foraging for food.
And while it's not my preferred way of reading things, the comic book layout probably makes Poorcraft more enjoyable/easier for some people to read.
This is a very American-centric book, so some of the suggestions about health insurance, university fees and renting (among a few other things) weren't entirely applicable or even relatable. But Poorcraft still provides a lot of food for thought and also has a few cool tips and suggestions that could definitely be utilised throughout your twenties & beyond. It's probably a good literary stepping stone for other books/guides about DIY renovations, sustainability, up-cycling/refurbishing, or even foraging for food.
And while it's not my preferred way of reading things, the comic book layout probably makes Poorcraft more enjoyable/easier for some people to read.
April 30, 2019
This is a good, smart, helpful book. I feel bad about rating but so low, but I’ve got to be honest about my own feelings.
I’m just getting tired of the peppy, well-intentioned “how to save money!” tone when the real problem is capitalism and how desperately unequal our country and world is. I’m one of the many people this book can’t help. There’s nothing in this book that can make me not be a mentally ill person supporting a disabled partner in one of the most expensive cities in the US on a nannying salary. and I’m just tired of trying to pretend otherwise.
I’m just getting tired of the peppy, well-intentioned “how to save money!” tone when the real problem is capitalism and how desperately unequal our country and world is. I’m one of the many people this book can’t help. There’s nothing in this book that can make me not be a mentally ill person supporting a disabled partner in one of the most expensive cities in the US on a nannying salary. and I’m just tired of trying to pretend otherwise.
November 7, 2017
A lot of useful information, clearly presented. Only a few of the pages were wall-of-text.
File Under Reference
File Under Reference
June 26, 2018
Best "finance" book I've read. Not at all preachy, and presents the information in an extremely digestible way.
July 14, 2025
Really cool graphic novel about living life frugally and cost effective.
For the rest of my review, visit my Vlog at:
https://youtube.com/shorts/R07Pn06LEr...
Enjoy!
For the rest of my review, visit my Vlog at:
https://youtube.com/shorts/R07Pn06LEr...
Enjoy!
August 1, 2022
(3.5 stars)
Okay, let's get this out of the way: the book is a little condescending. I initially figured there was not much to be done about that, but the more I think about it, the more I think that it's simply not a good move for an educational book about smart spending, especially for young and low-income people, to engage in stereotype.
As other people have mentioned, Mil, the struggling character, is a blonde and stereotypically feminine woman with heels (which of course she swaps for more Sensible shoes later on so she can walk to her place of work) and a car she bought without research solely because it was cute. Throughout the comic, she's resistant to Penny (our teacher)'s advice, deriding it as insane and hippie. Of course, Penny is always right, and Mil just needs to learn to see it.
Like I said, this just feels like a bad and unnecessary storytelling decision which makes the reader stand-in a possibly misogynist stereotype. Why not let the reader stand-in be an active participant in her own learning? Why not have her sometimes offer tips or share what she's tried? Why not have her occasionally teach Penny things, or even just compromise? There's just no reason I can think of to make her so helpless, ignorant, and at the same time literally depicted like a bimbo. I feel crazy even saying this, because it's Smut Peddler that brought me here, and not only SP but the entire Iron Circus Press lineup seems so feminist, making this likely just an oversight... especially since the book's now been updated multiple times (not including the sequels). Or, you know, Mil could be designed differently to at least allay some of this, but that's a bigger ask IMO given that there are now sequels with this design on them.
WITH THAT SAID. Once you get through the tough outer crust of weirdness, much like Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! , this is a lot of great advice for you to further sift through. I appreciated the fact that the vast majority of the advice was honestly reasonable and kind and ran the gamut from "sort your finances into categories and purge leisure spending first" (no snarky Starbucks comment here!) to "beans, pasta, rice, and potatoes are the four staples of your pantry" to "learn to forage for mushrooms and berries" to "these are the main types of bankruptcy." It really includes everything you might think of, from simple hacks to genuine poverty necessities, and it presents everything from beginner advice to the complicated stuff. While someone living in poverty might already know much of this from necessity, you can't knock the cheap recipes for not only food but also household cleaner alternatives, and the advice on what constitutes "essentials" for both cooking and and toolkits. There's definitely something here for everyone... as long as they're in the US, which I personally don't mind but someone else might.
Now, again, you have to sift through this stuff. I don't think that's inherently a flaw. You're going to have to use your brain to figure out which recipes work for your tastes and restrictions, which pieces of advice make sense for your area, and so on.
Here are a couple of things I might consider errors that I noticed in my May 2017 2nd edition copy, which is the latest edition as far as I know:
WITH THAT SAID (x2). These are pretty much all small errors I would hope and expect to see fixed in a new edition, which ICP seems to come out with fairly often. You could also always tape a Post-It note in. It's frustrating for what's supposed to be a complete guide, but not book-breaking.
The overall idea here-- of a simple, accessible comic displaying various bites of financial information-- is awesome, and it's largely carried out quite well. The devil is certainly in the details, with ample references, notes, and honestly great advice. If anything, I'd like the book to be thicker!
So, as something like the target audience-- recent grad with a low-paying job in a high-rent area-- I did find this helpful, mostly for the nitty-gritty detailed stuff like the recipes, and so I have to give it props even though I had issues with it. It seems to be the best thing out there right now, and I don't regret buying it, while I also don't think it'd be impossible to top (hopefully by future Poorcraft editions). Furthermore, I'm certainly open to reading the other entries in the Poorcraft series now! Final verdict: decent grad gift with room to grow; recommend if you're willing to extend some leeway to the book in exchange for some solid advice.
Okay, let's get this out of the way: the book is a little condescending. I initially figured there was not much to be done about that, but the more I think about it, the more I think that it's simply not a good move for an educational book about smart spending, especially for young and low-income people, to engage in stereotype.
As other people have mentioned, Mil, the struggling character, is a blonde and stereotypically feminine woman with heels (which of course she swaps for more Sensible shoes later on so she can walk to her place of work) and a car she bought without research solely because it was cute. Throughout the comic, she's resistant to Penny (our teacher)'s advice, deriding it as insane and hippie. Of course, Penny is always right, and Mil just needs to learn to see it.
Like I said, this just feels like a bad and unnecessary storytelling decision which makes the reader stand-in a possibly misogynist stereotype. Why not let the reader stand-in be an active participant in her own learning? Why not have her sometimes offer tips or share what she's tried? Why not have her occasionally teach Penny things, or even just compromise? There's just no reason I can think of to make her so helpless, ignorant, and at the same time literally depicted like a bimbo. I feel crazy even saying this, because it's Smut Peddler that brought me here, and not only SP but the entire Iron Circus Press lineup seems so feminist, making this likely just an oversight... especially since the book's now been updated multiple times (not including the sequels). Or, you know, Mil could be designed differently to at least allay some of this, but that's a bigger ask IMO given that there are now sequels with this design on them.
WITH THAT SAID. Once you get through the tough outer crust of weirdness, much like Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! , this is a lot of great advice for you to further sift through. I appreciated the fact that the vast majority of the advice was honestly reasonable and kind and ran the gamut from "sort your finances into categories and purge leisure spending first" (no snarky Starbucks comment here!) to "beans, pasta, rice, and potatoes are the four staples of your pantry" to "learn to forage for mushrooms and berries" to "these are the main types of bankruptcy." It really includes everything you might think of, from simple hacks to genuine poverty necessities, and it presents everything from beginner advice to the complicated stuff. While someone living in poverty might already know much of this from necessity, you can't knock the cheap recipes for not only food but also household cleaner alternatives, and the advice on what constitutes "essentials" for both cooking and and toolkits. There's definitely something here for everyone... as long as they're in the US, which I personally don't mind but someone else might.
Now, again, you have to sift through this stuff. I don't think that's inherently a flaw. You're going to have to use your brain to figure out which recipes work for your tastes and restrictions, which pieces of advice make sense for your area, and so on.
Here are a couple of things I might consider errors that I noticed in my May 2017 2nd edition copy, which is the latest edition as far as I know:
WITH THAT SAID (x2). These are pretty much all small errors I would hope and expect to see fixed in a new edition, which ICP seems to come out with fairly often. You could also always tape a Post-It note in. It's frustrating for what's supposed to be a complete guide, but not book-breaking.
The overall idea here-- of a simple, accessible comic displaying various bites of financial information-- is awesome, and it's largely carried out quite well. The devil is certainly in the details, with ample references, notes, and honestly great advice. If anything, I'd like the book to be thicker!
So, as something like the target audience-- recent grad with a low-paying job in a high-rent area-- I did find this helpful, mostly for the nitty-gritty detailed stuff like the recipes, and so I have to give it props even though I had issues with it. It seems to be the best thing out there right now, and I don't regret buying it, while I also don't think it'd be impossible to top (hopefully by future Poorcraft editions). Furthermore, I'm certainly open to reading the other entries in the Poorcraft series now! Final verdict: decent grad gift with room to grow; recommend if you're willing to extend some leeway to the book in exchange for some solid advice.
June 30, 2020
Would recommend for anyone, you’re never to old or young to learn how to make financially sound decisions.
November 20, 2017
I'd been waiting to read this for about 5 years, and it just recently got reissued so got repurchased by libraries ...it was great! I loved it! It was a little hippieish guide to saving, frugality and knowing the very basics of things like health insurance and scholarships and being debt free. The hardest thing about living a simple life, I think, is letting go of your creature comforts, but the hardest thing about writing a book about living a simpler life is that they have to tell it to you straight: Live where you can walk, don't buy a fancy car, buy used and/or less clothes, don't buy so damn much on credit, cook simply from staple ingredients, duh duh duh but wah I want my latte (I say while drinking a latte). I liked very much that this book was on the hippie/socialist/poorcraft tip but also was very well deliberately organized and laid out, so you can't be like "well they're just crazy weirdos." Cuz they ain't peeps. We vast, sprawling, gas-guzzling middle class probably are. WOOP. Thanks Poorcraft. Widely recommended, especially for college-leavin' twentysomethings (and heck, maybe high schoolers!) who need to hear this stuff over and over again.
January 5, 2018
Some solid advice on shopping, stocking a kitchen, dealing with loans, etc., for those who like their text guides with some visual aides. Sometimes a little condescending in tone (the audience stand-in character is a stereotypically feminine woman with long hair who wears impractical shoes, chose her car because it's cute, and keeps repeating that she can't possibly do any of the things the author stand-in character is suggesting) but still usable. Helpful list of additional resources in the back.
July 12, 2021
I checked this book out because I'm interested in minimalism/anti-consumerism/sustainability, I've already read more detailed resources on topics like gardening, budgeting, cooking, and transportation. I was lucky enough to learn a lot of these basics from my parents, too. The comic book format and characters (stereotyped crunchy hippie educating a stereotyped clueless blond neighbor who is overspending on flashy car) didn't work for me. Still, this could be a useful primer for some trying to cut their expenses.
July 4, 2018
This comic is jam-packed with useful information. I’d recommend this book to anyone looking to budget more effectively, including recent grads. I wish someone had given me this book when I graduated high school! The only thing I would say didn’t ring true for me was that there were a lot of suggestions for things that save money but take up an incredible amount of time; there could have been a more balanced view on some of the tips.
September 21, 2015
While as it doesn't make much sense as a comic book, and the info it gives is mostly American-centric, as a list of things to consider it's extremely useful. Even if not all options are available to non-American citizens, it really does show that there are solutions to many problems. Definitely on the list of the most useful adulting advice I've seen so far.
December 25, 2016
Damn, that Penny sure is an insufferable know-it-all.
As other reviewers have mentioned, a lot of the advice in this book is US-centric, with a portion being quite impractical to boot (brb NOT raising chickens, thankyouverymuch).
Ah, well, at least this fulfilled the "read a graphic novel" task of one of my reading challenges...
As other reviewers have mentioned, a lot of the advice in this book is US-centric, with a portion being quite impractical to boot (brb NOT raising chickens, thankyouverymuch).
Ah, well, at least this fulfilled the "read a graphic novel" task of one of my reading challenges...
March 5, 2020
Really nifty guide to frugal living, packaged into a comic. Never seen anything like this. A lot of useful information and relevant websites. It's even well-organized! The section on making your own non-toxic home cleaners was really well-done and have found myself perusing more recipes from the index. So impressively thorough I can't help but give it 5 stars!
March 22, 2020
A lighthearted but frank graphic novel guide to living frugally. Featuring chapters on housing, eating/cooking, health insurance, and more, it manages to be helpful but not preachy or condescending. Bonus points for the plethora of real-world resources and cited sources peppered throughout.
June 26, 2022
Today more than ever, people need help making ends meet. Inflation, rising gas prices and the war in Ukraine are taking a toll on all our wallets. C. Spike Trotman takes it upon herself to help those with financial constraints with this graphic novel full of money saving tips. Along with whimsically cartoony artist Diana Nock (The Intrepid Girlbot), Trotman presents a method called Poorcraft. But it's really an amalgamation of a bunch of economical philosophies and techniques.
My wife and I partook in Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University seminar a few years back. Trotman's advice on how to pay for a car and to reduce debt using the 'snowball' effect of paying off the smaller dues first and then applying that money to the next larger bill, is something I learned from Ramsey.
In this book, Trotman uses the character of Penny and her faithful dog, Nickel to help their pal Mil out of a sticky financial situation. From finding affordable housing to the use of transportation, cutting corners on grocery, clothes and entertainment and how to navigate the tricky paradox that is called higher education, just about any lifetime situation is covered in this book.
Not everything in this book is practical for everyone. Penny's use of a bicycle along with a bus to get around everywhere isn't really feasible for somebody who lives in a rural area. But a bunch of the tips in this book are universally helpful.
Ryan Estrada, one of the reviewers on the back cover suggests that Poorcraft replace Seuss' Oh, The Places You'll Go! as the essential work to give high school graduates. I'd almost agree with this assessment. Only, I think rising Juniors should get this book in order to avoid the traps of for-profit universities, un-repayable student loans and how to utilize affordable community colleges in order to meet the core class standards. Some of my pupils seek me out with help looking at culinary schools and I think the resources listed in this book will assist with that.
I'm thinking of hanging on to this book as a resource for the high school culinary classes I teach. There's a lot of great tips for cooking on a budget without resorting to just ramen noodles! That's a major concern in my students- being able to cook for themselves after high school. Our unit on the cooking of authentic ramen was a big hit with my upperclassmen. My level 1 students can't wait to do it this coming school year!
C. Spike Trotman has two other books in the Poorcraft series. One is about travelling on a budget. But it's her budget cookbook that I'm looking to add to my collection of texts useful for teaching culinary. I learned a lot from this book and I think my student will too!
My wife and I partook in Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University seminar a few years back. Trotman's advice on how to pay for a car and to reduce debt using the 'snowball' effect of paying off the smaller dues first and then applying that money to the next larger bill, is something I learned from Ramsey.
In this book, Trotman uses the character of Penny and her faithful dog, Nickel to help their pal Mil out of a sticky financial situation. From finding affordable housing to the use of transportation, cutting corners on grocery, clothes and entertainment and how to navigate the tricky paradox that is called higher education, just about any lifetime situation is covered in this book.
Not everything in this book is practical for everyone. Penny's use of a bicycle along with a bus to get around everywhere isn't really feasible for somebody who lives in a rural area. But a bunch of the tips in this book are universally helpful.
Ryan Estrada, one of the reviewers on the back cover suggests that Poorcraft replace Seuss' Oh, The Places You'll Go! as the essential work to give high school graduates. I'd almost agree with this assessment. Only, I think rising Juniors should get this book in order to avoid the traps of for-profit universities, un-repayable student loans and how to utilize affordable community colleges in order to meet the core class standards. Some of my pupils seek me out with help looking at culinary schools and I think the resources listed in this book will assist with that.
I'm thinking of hanging on to this book as a resource for the high school culinary classes I teach. There's a lot of great tips for cooking on a budget without resorting to just ramen noodles! That's a major concern in my students- being able to cook for themselves after high school. Our unit on the cooking of authentic ramen was a big hit with my upperclassmen. My level 1 students can't wait to do it this coming school year!
C. Spike Trotman has two other books in the Poorcraft series. One is about travelling on a budget. But it's her budget cookbook that I'm looking to add to my collection of texts useful for teaching culinary. I learned a lot from this book and I think my student will too!
June 3, 2018
A graphic novel guide to how to budget and live off of a low or restricted income. Also provides practical guides for how to get out of or avoid unnecessary debts and just general penny pinching methods for every area of life from housing to transportation, clothing to food, and healthcare to entertainment.
Instead of giving your graduate Oh the Places You'll Go, give them this instead. It's a much more practical book and a helpful tool for life on your own. I found most of the chapters to hold fantastic advice. When my husband was attending grad school in Pasadena we had to really penny pinch and live by several of these methods. The only chapter I didn't fully agree with was the food chapter. It was mostly good advice for someone who has enough money and wants to save a little more, it was not advice for someone who has a severely restricted budget. They didn't mention to go for generic versus brand name foods. They told people to buy an entire chicken and use it, but didn't seem to realize that an entire chicken can be out of the price range of some people. They said to avoid canned foods, but canned foods were a life saver for my husband and I, especially since I was working full time and he was going to school full time. They also told readers that you can save all this money using coupons. But most coupons are really deceptive, are for brand name items, and only bring the price down so much, and the generic brand is still cheaper. They failed to warn people about this. I feel like they also failed to educate readers about pricing per unit versus just looking at the prices per package. So the groceries chapter I think could use a little work, but the rest of the book was very helpful. Recommended for those who struggle with debt, need to live on a tight budget, or are just entering the adult world.
No content issues.
Instead of giving your graduate Oh the Places You'll Go, give them this instead. It's a much more practical book and a helpful tool for life on your own. I found most of the chapters to hold fantastic advice. When my husband was attending grad school in Pasadena we had to really penny pinch and live by several of these methods. The only chapter I didn't fully agree with was the food chapter. It was mostly good advice for someone who has enough money and wants to save a little more, it was not advice for someone who has a severely restricted budget. They didn't mention to go for generic versus brand name foods. They told people to buy an entire chicken and use it, but didn't seem to realize that an entire chicken can be out of the price range of some people. They said to avoid canned foods, but canned foods were a life saver for my husband and I, especially since I was working full time and he was going to school full time. They also told readers that you can save all this money using coupons. But most coupons are really deceptive, are for brand name items, and only bring the price down so much, and the generic brand is still cheaper. They failed to warn people about this. I feel like they also failed to educate readers about pricing per unit versus just looking at the prices per package. So the groceries chapter I think could use a little work, but the rest of the book was very helpful. Recommended for those who struggle with debt, need to live on a tight budget, or are just entering the adult world.
No content issues.
March 24, 2023
I picked up this book largely because I had heard so much about it over the years listening to podcasts with Spike Trotman, founder of Iron Circus. Poorcraft was their first kickstarter I believe, which felt like it became a bit of a trademark for Trotman for almost a decade. That is until last year when Iron Circus ran its first independent crowdfunding campaign with Poorcraft Cookbook.
What kinds of keywords came to mind reading this comic? New poor, budgeting, safety net, debt and DIY.
As I noted at the top, I did not pick this comic up for entertainment or information purposes but more out of professional curiosity. As someone who has moved in and out of various kinds of poverty throughout my life, the material wasn't particularly new to me. But the way it was presented was pretty engaging and I did appreciate the positive spin Trotman put on living a simpler life. Although sometimes the advise felt a bit one size fits all and shallow making.
Because let's be honest, the general appeal of this book (especially in 2012) would have probably been greatly reduced by even a whiff of question about the political system that necessitates this sort of knowledge and behavior.
I also felt a bit torn by the lack of acknowledgment of accessibility needs and the way america lacks any serious sort of safety net to protect disabled people (among others) from abject poverty. Obviously this is not a unique lack, but it did feel like it simplified poverty and sanitized it.
We also don't talk about gender, sexuality or race at all for better or worse.
So, while I didn't find it a completely unsatisfactory read considering the reason I picked it up... I still feel like rating it above an ok would be a bit disingenuous.
What kinds of keywords came to mind reading this comic? New poor, budgeting, safety net, debt and DIY.
As I noted at the top, I did not pick this comic up for entertainment or information purposes but more out of professional curiosity. As someone who has moved in and out of various kinds of poverty throughout my life, the material wasn't particularly new to me. But the way it was presented was pretty engaging and I did appreciate the positive spin Trotman put on living a simpler life. Although sometimes the advise felt a bit one size fits all and shallow making.
Because let's be honest, the general appeal of this book (especially in 2012) would have probably been greatly reduced by even a whiff of question about the political system that necessitates this sort of knowledge and behavior.
I also felt a bit torn by the lack of acknowledgment of accessibility needs and the way america lacks any serious sort of safety net to protect disabled people (among others) from abject poverty. Obviously this is not a unique lack, but it did feel like it simplified poverty and sanitized it.
We also don't talk about gender, sexuality or race at all for better or worse.
So, while I didn't find it a completely unsatisfactory read considering the reason I picked it up... I still feel like rating it above an ok would be a bit disingenuous.
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