How To Save Money: A Guide to Spending Less While Still Getting the Most Out of Life

by Ann Russell

With the recent cost of living crisis, we are all looking for ways to cut bills and save money. Ann Russell, who is best known as "TikTok's Auntie", has lived much of her life on a tight budget, and since energy bills first started rising, has been answering fan's questions not just about cleaning but about all kinds of ways to economise.

Following on from her first book, How To Clean Everything, in How To Save Money Ann will share her advice on the best ways to save money and cut back in all sorts of areas, covering everything from budgeting to meal planning and reducing food waste, and from tips on spending less each month to the most energy efficient ways to heat your house, do your laundry etc.

Written with Ann's trademark warmth, humour and understanding, this is a book that will help everyone who is looking to spend less while still getting the most out of life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Money, Ebooks, Self Help

226 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 27, 2023

Reviews

[Vanya Prodanova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Приятна малка книжка, която да ти припомни някои базови правила като става дума за личните ти финанси и да те нахъса да намериш някой нов трик как да спасиш парите си от напускане на банковата ти сметка.

Любимото ми изречение от книгата е когато споменава, че парите ти така трябва да работят, че докато стигнат дестинацията си, да са изтощени. Това ще е новото ми мото при всяко решение да похарча пари за каквото и да е. :)

Това настрана, не бях чувала нищо за авторката, но явно е по-възрастна англичанка, която идва от доста скромно и бедно семейство, работи като чистачка и някак си е станала популярна на TikTok. Та, книгата е доста земна. Определено мрази всичко що те кара да харчиш пари. Съгласна съм с нея с доста неща, особено за принципа, че всичко около теб е с цел да ти вземе парите.

Интересни са съветите, но някои са доста крайни, поне за мен, но мисля, че посланието е просто да седнеш, да помислиш малко и да видиш къде какво може да подобриш.

И може да почувстваш веднага, че е искрена, което е рядкост в днешно време. В последната глава споменава за side-hustles и много откровено си заявява, че да превърнеш хобито си в малък бизнес, може би не е най-добрата идея като вземеш под внимание всички разходи и време, които ще трябва да заделиш. И, че в повечето случаи всички тези арт и крафт инфлуенсъри (и всякакви подобни), които са успели да го докарат до сериозни приходи, като забележиш винаги ти продават някакъв скъп курс и всъщност така печелят парите си.
Та, това е просто един пример, но принципът е такъв за всичко.

Това, което се опитва да ти покаже е, че от малки сме програмирани да харчим и че всичко що виждаш онлайн, обикновено трябва да си имаш не едно, ами десет наум. Най-доброто решение според нея за спестяване на пари - никаква телевизия и социални мрежи, защото те кара да харчиш пари и е права. :)

[little free lib-rei-ry (•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of these tips and tricks are things I already do, thankfully! I spent my entire morning from wakeup to sunrise reading this book on the couch with the dogs, taking notes on new things, and just relishing in the experience of knowing that I'm not the only person in the world going through some financial hardships. I wish this text would have gone more into the saving component from a financial institution perspective - on the science of making one's saved money, grow (I don't know Ann Russell from TikTok, so maybe their content on that platform would explore more depth), and less on the "trimming the fat" in your existing budget. I really appreciated that this book doesn't shame people for the financial situation they are in, whether in wealth or poverty. Advice on how to live more frugally while not depriving yourself of basic needs and joys is just good advice, in my opinion, regardless of how timeless it may be.

Anyway, tl'dr; it's a pick-and-choose kind of text. Got what I needed, finished in one sitting.

Recommend this for anyone like me who left a salaried job to work part-time in a field much more fulfilling in order to gain control back of their life, even if it's at a quarter of the income.

[emilee · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some nice tips in here, although some of them aren't terribly practical and many of them are things I think most people know already. Still, it's nice to be reminded of the ways small changes can add up and the book is not without a few new and useful tips and tricks. Mostly, though, it's just nice to spend time with Ann's comforting, caring voice and to be reminded that it's alright not to have a lot and that you can survive - and thrive - on much less than you'd perhaps think.

[Daniella · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was disappointing. It felt a bit old fashioned and the advice wasn't actually that helpful.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A small book of tips and tricks on how to save money. The most practical tips in it are the ones about saving fuel in winter (like how to properly insulate a drafty house, wearing warm clothes inside the house, etc.) and the rest is relatively simple (and in some cases basic) advice on curbing spending, budget-friendly meals, recognising the influence on advertising, making money on the side, etc. I appreciate that despite including old school tips, where they are useful, Ann also acknowledged cases where similar advice would be outdated or even unsafe.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

A basic read on easy hacks to save such as meal prepping, house insulation, making extra money etc.

Be mindful in buying skincare products because the first ingredient is "usually water or aloe (which is mostly made up of water). These often make up 70-95% of the product, which is perfectly acceptable. After that, the next four ingredients are typically included at concentrations of anywhere between 2-3%."

[Frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book, one of my rare 5 stars. Just full of really sound advice, never said judgingly and always making room for a range of abilities. The author really makes you feel that saving is something you can do as a legitimate, entertaining life choice, she's given me so much faith in myself. One of those books I know I'll be glad I read in two years time.

[nicola lavender · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of hints and tips on saving g money
A lot of common sense but reminds you of how to do it , when you’re lost in working and bills and more work
DIY projects and reuse some items etc
And an easy fast read as it’s so well written and written in human language rather than condescending language

[Jacob Edward · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was alright until it started talking about investing. Clearly a subject the author knows nothing about. The stock market is not gambling. However conduct your own research into this. You won’t use crappy bank interest rates again. All in all however not a bad book, I’ve got some tips from it.

[Harrison Large ラージ • ハリソン · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed it from the library. A lot of useful advice I here for someone trying to sort out meal prep and deal with food costs. Lot of other advice I won't be able to use but well worth checking out if you need this sort of advice.

[Kadi · Rating 2 out of 5]

+ easy read

- very basic, unless you are really clueless about the wold then there isn’t anything to gain. No new information just things that have been told over and over again. Re-use, re-sell, don’t consume so much etc.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of 'old fashioned wisdom' , some practical advice, but not a lot I wasn't aware of, or been told before. However, perhaps people who have had less advice and input from older relatives than myself would find it useful.

[Lauren Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of good sense and well written.

An enjoyable read, despite the mundane subject matter!

I was a bit surprised about the comment about the shampoo bottle when sharing an intimate shower with a partner... Crumbs! 😂

[Sophia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good reminder of the core considerations to avoid $$ leakage whether you're in a tough financial position or just wanting to spend and stretch your dollars on what matters most to you. It was a quick morning read. I did not learn anything new per say just helpful reminders of best practices.

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good variety of tips, across a broad range of topics. I enjoyed the conversational tone it was written in. My only gripe was a lot of the tips weren't for me, or I already do them. Your milaege may vary.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much support to Ann, a tiktok hero with her practical how to guide on being frugal. How to live a happy life with less.

[Rhiannon Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

Great book with good humour, really glad I found this book through Ann's tiktok account. She is a wonderful person

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book and Ann Russel's writing style :)

[Rissie · Rating 3 out of 5]

So-so advice. Mostly penny pinching tips.

There was a lot on how to stay warm in the winter. I would’ve preferred advice on how to stay cool during the summer.

[Hala · Rating 4 out of 5]

while there wasn't anything new here, it was a refresh on sometimes how commercialized our lives are and a reminder to think about the energy and resources we consume.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had good advice, though a lot of it is geared towards the UK, so it wasn't applicable to me.

[Teao · Rating 3 out of 5]

More suitable for a person wanting to know options of saving money without basic knowledge of budgeting.

[Kim Watkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very basic. Good advice for anyone starting out but I’m a bit beyond this. Should have paid more attention to blurb and reviews.

[Rochelle Jackson · Rating 1 out of 5]

The advice in the book is extremely old fashion .

[Caoimhe Creed · Rating 3 out of 5]

Won’t change your life but there are some good tips and Ann is great. Probably more useful to those with homes and families.