The Frugalista Files by Natalie P. McNeal

The Frugalista Files: How One Woman Got Out of Debt Without Giving Up the Fabulous Life
I'm always interested in reading the latest book on frugal living, especially if I'm given it for free. This one, The Frugalista Files by Natalie P. McNeal, I got through the Amazon Vine Review program. Below you will find my review of the book. My suggestion however is check out the author's blog: thefrugalista.com ,some of the other links I give you or do a Google search for the word 'frugal living'. You will swamp yourself with ideas and ways to make your money go further. I did visit her blog for a few minutes and saw some references to and links to sites that will help you keep the cost of life down. Here is my review:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When a young single woman in Miami realizes that she is over $20,000 in debt and getting worse each month, she decides she has to do something significant about it. She wants to be able to lose the debt but still wants to live a fun life without doing without anything that is truly important to her. She decides to do a `no spend month' and ends up saving over $400. She also begins blogging about her journey and trying to learn everything she can about saving. This book takes us through her first year as a "Frugalista", during which time she pays off over $7000 in debt. Her blog is located at thefrugalista.com where you can check on her continued progress in saving and being frugal.


As someone who has been frugal most of my life, I was surprised at the things she did to be frugal as they were things that have never even made it into my budget in the first place. Most of the info wasn't new to me but for those who haven't yet been able to get their finances in order, they should learn some valuable information from this book. The best info being, that being more frugal doesn't mean giving up everything important in your life. The author's natural exuberance for life and helping others to be more frugal shines throughout the whole book. This book is written in a style to cater to the 20-30 year old age group with many expressions that I've never even heard of in the book.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For more info, visit her blog thefrugalista.com  or these other great sites that can help you save such as Groupon for great discounts, Big Crumbs for cash back and savings on on-line purchases, and places like Saving Advice for all round information on saving money to the max.

The Imposter? by Kip Kreiling

Several weeks ago I received an email from Kip Kreiling asking if I would read and review his book, The Imposter? for Amazon if he sent me a copy. After first checking to see that this was a real person and not a phishing scheme, I agreed to read his book. It arrived in the mail several days ago and I did read it and wrote my Amazon review. I appreciated the fact that he took the time to contact me and to send me his book.

I gave this book a 3 star review. The 3 stars was not due to content, but to the editing of the book. This book would have had a much greater impact if the editing was tighter. The story itself is one that many need to read.

The following is my Amazon Review:

This book shows that it is possible to grow up in miserable circumstances, lead a criminal life and manage eventually to put that life behind you and become an upright citizen. While I doubt that the author of this book will ever win prizes for his actual writing skills, what he has to say is profound and full of usable information in turning your life around. He pulls many of his examples, other than himself, from well known characters and how they handled life experiences. My favorite being Benjamin Franklin and his lists. His book is spot on that we have to want to change and we have to work at it every day. His was a life transformed and he wants the world to know so that others can also be transformed.


I think that the book needs some good editing to tighten up the story and remove some of the typos and hanging sentences, but then each and every prison and jail in out country needs to give a copy to each inmate that comes through the doors as a way of helping them cope with the changes that they need to make to become active contributing members of society.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In my prior life I worked for three years as a jail nurse as was greatly disturbed at the waste of lives of many of the young men and women that I saw at our county jail. Some had already given up on life but many others still seemed to be reachable and I think Mr. Kreiling has some of the words and background to get these people to listen. I hope he will take the time to revise and re-edit his book so that it will be a smoother and easier read. Even in The Imposter's? current state it does share lessons that many of us could learn from.