I wrote a book! Extreme Frugality: Save Money Like Your Grandma

I’m back on my blog, after a bit of an interlude to move house, with some exciting news. I wrote a book! It is called Extreme Frugality: Save Money Like Your Grandma*. As you can probably tell by the title, it is full of old-style money saving tips, alongside some more modern ideas for thrifty living.

It has been something of a labour of love over several years. I kept procrastinating, starting, stopping, writing and rewriting, until I finally realised that if I didn’t get it published during a cost-of-living crisis, I probably never would!  It is my hope that, after 10 years of writing about saving money here, and talking about it on my YouTube channel, I can offer the reader some helpful advice about how to do more with less.

Taking inspiration from past generations

My book is inspired by my grandparents’ generation, the people who grew up during and after the war. Folks back then understood deprivation, but rose to the challenge of coping with shortages of food, fuel, clothing and pretty much everything else by cutting out all waste, growing their own food, and making do and mending. In short, they used their creativity to stretch their rations as far as possible.

We aren’t in such a dire situation, but many people are struggling with high inflation and rising prices. The cost-of-living crisis is real. It is eating into our incomes and causing many of us to struggle.

Extreme Frugality: Save Money Like Your Grandma

I hope you find my book  helpful to help cut your bills and curb your spending. Here is an outline of each chapter to give you a flavour.

Chapter 1: Frugal Foundations

Where to start: make a budget, track your spending and deal with debt.

Chapter 2: Stuff, Stuff and More Stuff

Buying less and how to stop shopping for stuff you don’t need (and curb your impulses towards mindless spending). 

Chapter 3: Cooking and Eating Like Grandma

How to save money on food, reduce food waste, use up leftovers and plan your meals.

Chapter 4: Granny’s Advice – ‘Make Do & Mend’ and ‘Waste Not Want Not’

Following the advice of the War Office, this chapter covers ways to maintain what you have, develop useful skills and waste nothing.

Chapter 5: Buying Second-Hand and Getting Everything for Less

Where to find second-hand bargains and even free stuff. 

Chapter 6: Slashing Your Monthly Bills

Ways to reduce your energy bills, get broadband and TV for less, save money on water and even cut your council tax bill.

Chapter 7: Making a Frugal Home

How to reduce your housing costs and making the best of your home on a budget.

Chapter 8: The Frugal Cleaner

Discover how to keep your home sparkly clean without spending a fortune on cleaners and filling your environment with chemicals. Take a tip from grandma with some old style frugal cleaning products and find out what you can do without.

Chapter 9: The Frugal Garden

This chapter deals with low-cost ways to create a beautiful and productive garden. Dig for victory and grow your own!

Chapter 10: Frugal Fashion: Dress for Less

How to be a frugal fashionista, sourcing bargains, buying second-hand, making do and mending.

Chapter 11: Frugal Fun and Travel

Cheaper meals out, frugal away days, bargain price holidays and how to find free events. This chapter also includes plenty of ideas for entertaining children on a budget.

Chapter 12: A Frugal Christmas

How to survive the festive season without going broke.

Chapter 13: Health and Well-Being on a Budget

Frugal fitness and beauty on a budget.

Chapter 14: It Is Easy Being Green

Exploring the ways in which frugality and sustainability go hand in hand.

Extreme Frugality: Save Money Like Your Grandma is available from Amazon* in Kindle and paperback formats.

This post contains affiliate links, marked with *. If you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission.