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The Art of Frugal Hedonism: A Guide to Spending Less While Enjoying Everything More
It sounds too good to be true. You can save money and the world, inoculate yourself against many of the ills of modern life, and enjoy everything more on both the sensual and profound levels? Preposterous!
Yet here is a toolkit to help you do just that. A tweak here, a twiddle there; every strategy inThe Art Of Frugal Hedonism has been designed to help you target the most important habits of mind and action needed for living frugally but hedonistically. Apply a couple, and you'll definitely have a few extra dollars in your pocket and enjoy more sunsets. Apply the lot, and you'll wake up one day and realise that you re happier, wealthier, fitter, and more in lust with life than you'd ever thought possible.
Yet here is a toolkit to help you do just that. A tweak here, a twiddle there; every strategy inThe Art Of Frugal Hedonism has been designed to help you target the most important habits of mind and action needed for living frugally but hedonistically. Apply a couple, and you'll definitely have a few extra dollars in your pocket and enjoy more sunsets. Apply the lot, and you'll wake up one day and realise that you re happier, wealthier, fitter, and more in lust with life than you'd ever thought possible.
250 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2017
873 people are currently reading
15333 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 980 reviews
April 13, 2017
This is an extremely cute, funny, useful book with 50 ideas for leading a full life frugally (without guilt for occasional frivolous splurges).
So, why the two stars? Because damn it, my fellow white people, we need to do better. Tip #10 is "romanticize other eras," and the idea that "people" were happier in the simpler days of say, the 1950s, is a major thread in this book. This is that dangerous white supremacist crossover space between liberals and the Make American Great Again set - other eras were downright shitty for everyone other than white cishet nuclear families (and also not all that great for some of those family members). I am willing to toss the whole damn thing, with its otherwise cute ideas, because of this garbage.
So, why the two stars? Because damn it, my fellow white people, we need to do better. Tip #10 is "romanticize other eras," and the idea that "people" were happier in the simpler days of say, the 1950s, is a major thread in this book. This is that dangerous white supremacist crossover space between liberals and the Make American Great Again set - other eras were downright shitty for everyone other than white cishet nuclear families (and also not all that great for some of those family members). I am willing to toss the whole damn thing, with its otherwise cute ideas, because of this garbage.
June 24, 2024
I was excited to read this book and expand on my own frugal hedonism. It’s got some good tips, however I’m so disappointed and uncomfortable. I couldn’t finish the book as the privilege that leaks from the pages is unbearable. Published in 2017 I don’t believe is an excuse for the white privilege of playing poor. I kept waiting for the authors to acknowledge that not everyone can access the expensive organic yoghurt and nuts they preach while having the luxury of working part time, but it never came. My vision got blurry at the part which asked the reader to question how many slaves would be required to run your life, and I put the book down. What in the white hell are we doing here.
I see on google there is a revised edition but I’m not interested in intersectionality as a reactive afterthought.
I see on google there is a revised edition but I’m not interested in intersectionality as a reactive afterthought.
September 5, 2018
I'm a bit of a tightwad. A tiny bit scrooge-y, a touch stingy, perhaps even occasionally as they say in Yiddish, a schnorrer.
Or at least I am in the eyes of mainstream capitalist society. I don't have a car, I ride a bike and take the train, I live in a small apartment, I don't eat at expensive places, I repair my shoes, I pack my lunches for work and I buy most of my clothes when they're on sale. For many employed people in my country this is a life of some deprivation, and choosing to live this way is odd, even miserly.
Of course I don't feel like a tightwad, and I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. I have the money I need for the things I really value - holidays, spending time with friends, good food, healthcare when I need it, gifts and support for friends and relatives - that I wouldn't have if I had a car that I upgraded every few years. Most importantly, I have the option of working part-time, something that the debt-ridden, new-phone-craving majority of my countrymen simply cannot countenance.
If this is being a tightwad, then I'm proudly among the tightest.
So, as you can imagine, I'm already pretty frugal. I've read books like Sharon Beder's Selling The Work Ethic, Tom Hodkinson's How to be Idle and Scott Pape's The Barefoot Investor and I've taken their lessons to heart, prioritising what I see as being important in life and cutting away much of the expensive keeping-up-appearances flim-flam of modern capitalist existence that I neither need or want.
As a result this book - The Art of Frugal Hedonism - was published a little late for me. Rowland and Grubb have written a fine book - one with a sense of humour and an engaging style that makes it a very easy read - but there's little in here that I haven't encountered elsewhere or already tried.
Buying secondhand, getting rid of your car, cooking at home more often, foraging for wild food (I have a mental map of all the feijoa and fig trees in my suburb that hang into alleyways), learning to fix your gear rather than discarding it- these are all sound practices essential to someone looking to pull their spending back. What they aren't is novel or unusual, as they are common ideas in most books on this topic.
With that said, there is much to recommend here. Rowland and Grubb focus on the magic moments in life where you can gain much pleasure and enjoyment without spending piles of money. They recommend home-cooked meals with friends, beers in the park, long walks with thermos's full of tea and many more frugal but life-enriching activities. This focus gives their book a feeling of fun and glee, the cheery side of being frugal rather than the grim budget-spreadsheets-and-expired-food-from-a-dumpster side of things. You'll read with a smile, as their genuine enjoyment of their chosen lifestyle is infectious.
As a primer for someone starting on the road of frugal living, someone looking to move away from wasting all their wages on stuff that doesn't make them happy, The Art of Frugal Hedonism is a great place to start, and if you want to explore further there is a comprehensive recommended reading list at the back of this book. For a more advanced practitioner of frugality Hodgkinson or Beder's books will more likely offer you information and ideas you haven't already encountered.
Or at least I am in the eyes of mainstream capitalist society. I don't have a car, I ride a bike and take the train, I live in a small apartment, I don't eat at expensive places, I repair my shoes, I pack my lunches for work and I buy most of my clothes when they're on sale. For many employed people in my country this is a life of some deprivation, and choosing to live this way is odd, even miserly.
Of course I don't feel like a tightwad, and I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. I have the money I need for the things I really value - holidays, spending time with friends, good food, healthcare when I need it, gifts and support for friends and relatives - that I wouldn't have if I had a car that I upgraded every few years. Most importantly, I have the option of working part-time, something that the debt-ridden, new-phone-craving majority of my countrymen simply cannot countenance.
If this is being a tightwad, then I'm proudly among the tightest.
So, as you can imagine, I'm already pretty frugal. I've read books like Sharon Beder's Selling The Work Ethic, Tom Hodkinson's How to be Idle and Scott Pape's The Barefoot Investor and I've taken their lessons to heart, prioritising what I see as being important in life and cutting away much of the expensive keeping-up-appearances flim-flam of modern capitalist existence that I neither need or want.
As a result this book - The Art of Frugal Hedonism - was published a little late for me. Rowland and Grubb have written a fine book - one with a sense of humour and an engaging style that makes it a very easy read - but there's little in here that I haven't encountered elsewhere or already tried.
Buying secondhand, getting rid of your car, cooking at home more often, foraging for wild food (I have a mental map of all the feijoa and fig trees in my suburb that hang into alleyways), learning to fix your gear rather than discarding it- these are all sound practices essential to someone looking to pull their spending back. What they aren't is novel or unusual, as they are common ideas in most books on this topic.
With that said, there is much to recommend here. Rowland and Grubb focus on the magic moments in life where you can gain much pleasure and enjoyment without spending piles of money. They recommend home-cooked meals with friends, beers in the park, long walks with thermos's full of tea and many more frugal but life-enriching activities. This focus gives their book a feeling of fun and glee, the cheery side of being frugal rather than the grim budget-spreadsheets-and-expired-food-from-a-dumpster side of things. You'll read with a smile, as their genuine enjoyment of their chosen lifestyle is infectious.
As a primer for someone starting on the road of frugal living, someone looking to move away from wasting all their wages on stuff that doesn't make them happy, The Art of Frugal Hedonism is a great place to start, and if you want to explore further there is a comprehensive recommended reading list at the back of this book. For a more advanced practitioner of frugality Hodgkinson or Beder's books will more likely offer you information and ideas you haven't already encountered.
June 16, 2023
They lost me at the suggestion to eat roadkill. 🤦🏼♀️
April 24, 2017
I like the thinking behind this book, but really? All these tips are all things anyone with half a brain can figure on their own, like so many people on a small income are FORCED to do. I wouldn't recommend this unless you are just clueless. :P
Read
January 16, 2020I really loved a lot of this book, I needed a dose of practical cheeriness and there was buckets of good advice in these pages.
What really detracted from that good advice was the insistence in multiple sections that therapy is a waste of money, and indeed that the tips suggested in the book will make your life so good that you won't need to dish out those expensive shrinks' bills. That is some unforgivable, insidious and incorrect bullshit. There is also a tone of fatphobia throughout many pages that suuuuuuuuucks. It's puritanical madness to suggest that being lean is a desirable state and guess what eating less will save you money. I was pretty distressed at this suggestion, especially because the times in my life I have been thin have also been some of the most miserable of my life. Both of these judgey and miserly stances show that the authors have a real lack of empathy for those of us who have experienced trauma and disordered eating. As such, I'm not going to be able to recommend this any one in good faith.
What really detracted from that good advice was the insistence in multiple sections that therapy is a waste of money, and indeed that the tips suggested in the book will make your life so good that you won't need to dish out those expensive shrinks' bills. That is some unforgivable, insidious and incorrect bullshit. There is also a tone of fatphobia throughout many pages that suuuuuuuuucks. It's puritanical madness to suggest that being lean is a desirable state and guess what eating less will save you money. I was pretty distressed at this suggestion, especially because the times in my life I have been thin have also been some of the most miserable of my life. Both of these judgey and miserly stances show that the authors have a real lack of empathy for those of us who have experienced trauma and disordered eating. As such, I'm not going to be able to recommend this any one in good faith.
Read
May 8, 2018Why must fatphobia invade everything? The size of my ass should have literally no impact on my ability to live frugally, and has no influence on my desire to spend less/consume less.
February 6, 2017
even though some dear old friends wrote this book i had my doubts... wouldn't it be just a bit pious? a bit twee?
it is not! sorry i doubted you Annie and Adam.
the premise is sound, the advice is not just what you would expect and the humour is spot on and terribly endearing. less a guide to spending less and more a reminder about what actually makes us happy and advice about how to avoid getting sucked into what doesn't. eccentrics who choose their own fun make the greatest life gurus!
edited to add one sad note : i could have done without the fat shaming, weight loss mentions in here. seems there's one bit of mainstream culture the authors are yet to rethink.
it is not! sorry i doubted you Annie and Adam.
the premise is sound, the advice is not just what you would expect and the humour is spot on and terribly endearing. less a guide to spending less and more a reminder about what actually makes us happy and advice about how to avoid getting sucked into what doesn't. eccentrics who choose their own fun make the greatest life gurus!
edited to add one sad note : i could have done without the fat shaming, weight loss mentions in here. seems there's one bit of mainstream culture the authors are yet to rethink.
May 23, 2025
Imagine sitting down on a patio, talking to your friend, and their hippie aunt and uncle come over for a visit. They’re super nice at first, pleasant to talk to, have seemingly infinite stories and insights into living a life not commonly lived. You settle in for an evening of asking questions like “when you were living in a van- how did you bathe?!” They obligingly answer, then proceed to be told some great recipes with goat cheese, nuts, and jam. Great. But an hour into the conversation they start dropping lines like “people were happier in the 50s” and your ears perk up. Were they serious? You let them continue with their eventual rant, as they proceed to shame anyone and everyone who has adjusted to modern living. Fine, whatever. But then they start talking about how many slaves we’d each have if we converted the energy we use daily into people serving us. Wtf? Then they say “well thank heavens we have modern ways to make energy… like the way our carbon emissions from cars are killing the polar bears, and the earth is on the brink of collapse from the usage of your use of fossil fuels. At least we don’t need to worry about pesky uprisings and general welfare of our slaves”
This conversation turned so quickly from “create a community and gather natural resources!” To shaming the audience for even considering getting anything other than a glass of water on a night out with friends.
This is barely scratching the surface of the unmentioned elitism, ableism, racism, and general lack of self awareness that it is because of their privileges that they are even able to comfortably consider living the lives they preach about.
Plus they brought roadkill jerky and soured milk as their gifts to the host.
Truly nightmare blunt rotation.
This conversation turned so quickly from “create a community and gather natural resources!” To shaming the audience for even considering getting anything other than a glass of water on a night out with friends.
This is barely scratching the surface of the unmentioned elitism, ableism, racism, and general lack of self awareness that it is because of their privileges that they are even able to comfortably consider living the lives they preach about.
Plus they brought roadkill jerky and soured milk as their gifts to the host.
Truly nightmare blunt rotation.
July 4, 2017
Useful advice delivered by a Manic Pixie Dream Girl
November 13, 2016
Ever felt the rampant consumerism of western culture just isn't sitting right for you? Want to find a way to enjoy a simpler way of life? If so, this book will help. Lots of stories and tips for enjoying life without being on the hamster wheel of work-consume-sleep-work.
November 14, 2022
I enjoyed this book much more than I thought. Having read a few books like this before, I was not expecting to find anything new, just more of a refresher course on being frugal.
The fact that the book pushed the idea that being frugal is actually more hedonistic than main stream capitalist living was a plus as frugality can often be seen through the lens of being miserable and depriving yourself of pleasure.
This book struck the right tone between being too preachy or too focused on the practical.
The fact that the book pushed the idea that being frugal is actually more hedonistic than main stream capitalist living was a plus as frugality can often be seen through the lens of being miserable and depriving yourself of pleasure.
This book struck the right tone between being too preachy or too focused on the practical.
November 21, 2024
There are some good tips in here on living more frugally while enjoying life's pleasures, but they're interspersed with truly awful writing, vague fatphobia, and occasional wellness conspiracy theories.
January 1, 2018
Too patronizing. Against achievement and romanticized laziness. There are some right concepts about lowering consumerism, but too extreme. I don’t own a car or a tv and I can sympathize partially with some advice but this book advice includes searching for stuff in dumpsters or drinking carton wine on a sidewalk as a cheap alternative.... it’s just too extreme and misses out on giving sensible advice to people looking to save while maintaining a normal life.
May 22, 2020
This was cute, I did learn some stuff and I think their Frugal Hedonism concept is a great philosophy to live by. I love the notion of experiencing the little things, actually finding ways to enjoy your material possession and re-evaluating your life so you live pleasurably. But also balancing that line so that you don’t over indulge, spend on extraneous things and not feed into consumer culture.
However, I felt that at times the writing was too fluffy, or saccharine. It was unrealistic and narrow minded. “Your authors” have a very particular mindset about the way to live life, and it is clearly written from one perspective, culturally and racially. You’d be able to connect to it more if you are essentially the same as “your authors,” and you’ve experienced the same experiences in order to fully appreciate their advice. I however, was not able to.
Also, the amount of time I saw “your authors,” instead of “we” made me want to roll my eyes quite often. Nevertheless, I did enjoy it and I appreciate the philosophy. The cover is also gorgeous as well, so I don’t mind that.
However, I felt that at times the writing was too fluffy, or saccharine. It was unrealistic and narrow minded. “Your authors” have a very particular mindset about the way to live life, and it is clearly written from one perspective, culturally and racially. You’d be able to connect to it more if you are essentially the same as “your authors,” and you’ve experienced the same experiences in order to fully appreciate their advice. I however, was not able to.
Also, the amount of time I saw “your authors,” instead of “we” made me want to roll my eyes quite often. Nevertheless, I did enjoy it and I appreciate the philosophy. The cover is also gorgeous as well, so I don’t mind that.
abandoned-dnf
April 19, 2025DNF at about 16%...which was about 15% too far.
I mean ... what the actual fuck? There is little more annoying and condescending than someone suggesting common sense things are"fun" and "a choice" that actually are more like necessary and a way of life for many. Thinking such things are frugal is cute. Only if you are so affluent that you don’t know what it means to need to be frugal. And that whole "life was better back in the good old days" crap really just translates to "for affluent white guys and their trophy wives."
Fortunately, it was a library book.
I mean ... what the actual fuck? There is little more annoying and condescending than someone suggesting common sense things are"fun" and "a choice" that actually are more like necessary and a way of life for many. Thinking such things are frugal is cute. Only if you are so affluent that you don’t know what it means to need to be frugal. And that whole "life was better back in the good old days" crap really just translates to "for affluent white guys and their trophy wives."
Fortunately, it was a library book.
September 10, 2025
alguien me tiene que frenar cuando quiera volver a leerme un libro de autoayuda/consejos!!
este tiene algunos consejos útiles y al final sirve de recordatorio a la hora de pensar más en tus hábitos de consumo (y por eso no le pongo una estrella) pero es tan fuerte la manera en la que la ideología conservadora se cuela en libros y como todo es político...
este libro es tremendamente gordófobo (de verdad, parece que tienen una obsesión con la moralidad de estar delgado y todo el rato repiten que uno de los beneficios de gastar menos es: comer menos). su otro problema principal es que está escrito desde un punto de vista ultra privilegiado. 0 intersección, 0 mención a que la gente parte desde distintos lugares. y como punto final, tiene también sus momentos racistas de: la vida era MUCHO mejor en los años 50, habría que volver, qué bien estaba la gente en esa época viviendo en el momento sin iphones. agotadorrrr
este tiene algunos consejos útiles y al final sirve de recordatorio a la hora de pensar más en tus hábitos de consumo (y por eso no le pongo una estrella) pero es tan fuerte la manera en la que la ideología conservadora se cuela en libros y como todo es político...
este libro es tremendamente gordófobo (de verdad, parece que tienen una obsesión con la moralidad de estar delgado y todo el rato repiten que uno de los beneficios de gastar menos es: comer menos). su otro problema principal es que está escrito desde un punto de vista ultra privilegiado. 0 intersección, 0 mención a que la gente parte desde distintos lugares. y como punto final, tiene también sus momentos racistas de: la vida era MUCHO mejor en los años 50, habría que volver, qué bien estaba la gente en esa época viviendo en el momento sin iphones. agotadorrrr
August 7, 2022
A nice book of lovely ideas to slowly introduce frugal tips into your life. Lost me at the romanticising other eras… but then really lost me at the uncited claim that insufficient bacterial diversity may cause ASD?? A two star for me…
May 19, 2017
This was such a wonderful surprise! I thought I'd get a how-to of being smarter in the way I live and reducing waste - and I got that plus so much more.
First, aside of all the cool concepts and practices discussed through the book, it was just a joy to read. The authors have a fantastic, fun and entertaining writing style that was so easy to read and made me want to keep learning from them. It was as if they were in my living room drinking a coffee with me.
The 'all-in' style of the authors in their lifestyle choices was an inspiration, too. I understand why the book was called Frugal Hedonism, but I would suggest that a more descriptive title (or subtitle) be 'Finding Joy Outside Your Wallet'. The book to me was so much more than money saving tips - although there were heaps of those - it was like an antidote to today's ever-accelerating pace of life and consumption; like swapping your Porsche on the autobahn for a bicycle in a small village.
It's worth talking about the practical bits. While what I got out of this was more a mindset shift than a lot of behaviour tips, there were heaps of those too! The book is jam-packed with things you can try straight away to keep a few extra coins in your pocket as well as things to talk with your friends and family about trying out. I've bookmarked the 'extra resources' section and intend to spend a lot more time there picking up extra ideas and inspiration.
Reading this was just so refreshing. It's a positive change book that encourages and entices rather than shames and preaches (mostly) which made me more motivated to enact its ways. Short chapters and amusing anecdotes and pictures made it great for a long session, but just as helpful for a quick infusion between all the busy things that you're doing while thinking about doing less.
A spectacular book! I'll be recommending this to all my friends so we can put into practice as many of the ideas as possible.
First, aside of all the cool concepts and practices discussed through the book, it was just a joy to read. The authors have a fantastic, fun and entertaining writing style that was so easy to read and made me want to keep learning from them. It was as if they were in my living room drinking a coffee with me.
The 'all-in' style of the authors in their lifestyle choices was an inspiration, too. I understand why the book was called Frugal Hedonism, but I would suggest that a more descriptive title (or subtitle) be 'Finding Joy Outside Your Wallet'. The book to me was so much more than money saving tips - although there were heaps of those - it was like an antidote to today's ever-accelerating pace of life and consumption; like swapping your Porsche on the autobahn for a bicycle in a small village.
It's worth talking about the practical bits. While what I got out of this was more a mindset shift than a lot of behaviour tips, there were heaps of those too! The book is jam-packed with things you can try straight away to keep a few extra coins in your pocket as well as things to talk with your friends and family about trying out. I've bookmarked the 'extra resources' section and intend to spend a lot more time there picking up extra ideas and inspiration.
Reading this was just so refreshing. It's a positive change book that encourages and entices rather than shames and preaches (mostly) which made me more motivated to enact its ways. Short chapters and amusing anecdotes and pictures made it great for a long session, but just as helpful for a quick infusion between all the busy things that you're doing while thinking about doing less.
A spectacular book! I'll be recommending this to all my friends so we can put into practice as many of the ideas as possible.
October 26, 2025
i would love to be this out of touch if it wasn’t so fucking embarrassing
January 19, 2025
I’m pretty disappointed in this one. I was hoping for more structured tips on rethinking our consumerist society, but so much of this book had an air of privilege I cannot look past. To say oh just move somewhere that has better public transit or to be closer to a relative for childcare, is such a rich take. I think this book focuses too much on how to not spend money that you’ve already accumulated. Again, many mentions of weeks long vacations and trips and luxurious experiences as if the standard person can afford this. Another component that baffled me was the notion of “the good old days” without acknowledging any prejudices and discrimination of the time. This book offered a handful of chapters to get you thinking, but overall needed more cultural context and understanding to truly ring true to a wider audience.
January 28, 2018
While sitting in an airport a few weeks ago I spotted a woman reading this book. When I see strangers reading books I always feel compelled to find out what they are reading. Luckily, I was sitting opposite this lady and as she held up her book I grabbed a quick glance at the title - 'The Art Of Frugal Hedonism' - how intriguing!! I quickly grabbed my trusty iPhone and went straight for the search button in Goodreads. There it was. I knew this was a book I had to own. Luckily for me, my husband had given me two books for Christmas. I am lucky because he knows I love books and lucky that he even tried very very hard to buy me two books I hadn't read. Fortunately for me, he didn't succeed with this last part. This meant that once home from our trip away I could go back to the wonderful little local bookstore that he bought them from and exchange them for this little gem of a book and one other. This bookstore is tiny in comparison with major bookstores but after 10 minutes of searching, there it was on one of their shelves.
I have savoured every page of this book. It is written in such a joyful, uplifting way. You can't help but want to be best friends with the authors. I've just finished it and I want to start it again. I certainly don't think this book is for everyone but I think that everyone who earns more than they need should read it. It is not preachy or pretentious, it's just written straight from the heart with the intention of helping people. You could do one small thing from this book and feel good about the change you've made or you could radically change your whole lifestyle. You get the impression that you would get a huge high five from the authors no matter if you went small or large. I really, really loved this book and will be using it as my guide for 2018 and beyond. ❤️❤️❤️
I have savoured every page of this book. It is written in such a joyful, uplifting way. You can't help but want to be best friends with the authors. I've just finished it and I want to start it again. I certainly don't think this book is for everyone but I think that everyone who earns more than they need should read it. It is not preachy or pretentious, it's just written straight from the heart with the intention of helping people. You could do one small thing from this book and feel good about the change you've made or you could radically change your whole lifestyle. You get the impression that you would get a huge high five from the authors no matter if you went small or large. I really, really loved this book and will be using it as my guide for 2018 and beyond. ❤️❤️❤️
March 8, 2023
This has some good practical tips, both for actual actions a person can take, and for ways to re-frame how you see the world and your priorities therein. As with any practical advice, not all of it is applicable to all people, but I think there is enough breadth to the ideas that there should be something here for everyone.
October 29, 2022
Nothing earth-shattering, but I enjoyed the short essays reminding me of the true joy and happiness that comes from a frugal life.
October 23, 2019
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, hence the four stars. However, there were some very off-putting comments made by the authors that I want to point out. The authors made several unnecessary and offensive comments related to weight and physical appearance. They also at one point stated that living in past eras is somehow preferable to now, without making clear that this would not be the case for the many groups of people who have been historically oppressed... like oh I don’t know, literally anyone that isn’t a straight white dude. In another passage the authors suggest that materialism/consumerism is responsible for a modern uptick in therapy, rather than say a higher frequency of diagnosed mental health conditions and more readily available, less stigmatized therapy. They provide no evidence whatsoever to support their conjecture.
I really enjoyed the premise of the book and the positive perspective that the authors took on frugal living as well as the humor interspersed throughout. This might have been a quick five star read for me if not for these unnecessary and oblivious comments. If you can overlook the above, I would still recommend giving this a read.
I really enjoyed the premise of the book and the positive perspective that the authors took on frugal living as well as the humor interspersed throughout. This might have been a quick five star read for me if not for these unnecessary and oblivious comments. If you can overlook the above, I would still recommend giving this a read.
October 5, 2025
A cute book with a great foundational philosophy, but some of the tips seemed more like good ways to annoy other people with your cheapness. Suggesting to eat roadkill or keep your house so cold that you need to do push-ups every 30 minutes? 🥴 I’d rather pay a little extra to not eat raccoons.
February 26, 2025
Listened to the audiobook - read by Aussies. Immediately made it a 5/5. Can you tell I’m underemployed rn?
March 9, 2025
Fun and realistic options to encourage living a more frugally hedonistic lifestyle.
January 3, 2024
the authors of this book really fail to acknowledge how much privilege they have to suggest the changes that they do. spend less on xyz, and you don't have to work year-round! grow your own veggies! romanticize previous eras! this book operates with the idea that you can drop everything and do all these froufrou suggestions that only apply to a very specific and small population of able-bodied people. also, the constant refering the authors to do themselves like- "your authors remember a time where..." "your author annie knows that..." WE KNOW. it's YOUR BOOK? who edited this book. who said that this was a good stylistic choice.
once i realized this book is the way that it is, i just ended up skimming the rest of their suggestions and not taking it too much to heart. i wish this was better than it ended up being. i'm giving it two stars because i guess there's a little bit to be taken away from this.
once i realized this book is the way that it is, i just ended up skimming the rest of their suggestions and not taking it too much to heart. i wish this was better than it ended up being. i'm giving it two stars because i guess there's a little bit to be taken away from this.
August 31, 2018
I don't know why such a short book took me such a long time to read. I guess my interest in it kept floundering and I would put it down for weeks at a time. There were times when I found this book very thought-provoking and intriguing, and times when I felt I've always been a frugal hedonist without realising it. However there were other times where I found the overall writing style of the book irritating, like the authors were trying too hard to be funny and ideas where I just couldn't quite grasp what they were getting at and that felt a bit muddled. I appreciated the further resources at the back of the book, which I would be keen to find. Hm.... a bit of a mixed read for me!
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