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Frugalista Files: How One Woman Got Out Of Debt Without Giving Up The Fabulous Life (2013)

by Natalie McNeal(Favorite Author)

3.01 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

1299401643 (ISBN13: 9781299401648)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Harlequin Nonfiction

review 1: Lately, I've been trying to read books while on the elliptical that are geared toward health or well-being. Financial well-being counts so when a friend passed along this slender little book, I opened it up. The principle is as simple as it gets -- don't buy things you don't need. But the author was irritating for a couple reasons. For one, this simply isn't a book. It appears to be a journal kept over the first year that she had her blog. It's irritating in tone, has no narrative arc, and the only character development is both repetitive and felt forced. If she didn't really write this series of journal entries but actually created a book this way intentionally, I'm even more disappointed. Another thing that irritated me about the narrator is that part of her way ... moreof saving money was letting her friends pay for everything. Not exactly cool! Anyway, this was a quick and harmless read on a worthwhile topic but I wouldn't waste your time.
review 2: Every New Year's Day, many of us make the requisite resolutions and promptly break them within the first week...some within the first day. Yeah, you know who you are. I’m just as guilty as the rest of you, so when I found The Frugalista Files, I thought, Wow, if she really did this, I should read and take notes. Natalie McNeal conceived The Frugalista Files as a way to chronicle her struggles as she learned to live within her means and pay off her debts. At the time, she worked as a reporter for The Miami Herald and posted the blog on their site. It turned out to be a huge hit that netted interviews on several television shows and in various newspapers. The book is a journal of her life during this time – the ups and downs, good and bad, small successes and failures she experienced. Ms. McNeal has a wonderful sense of humor and it comes through beautifully. I cheered when she dated a younger man, sympathized when they broke up, and mourned the death of a friend with her. Her advice is down-to-earth common sense. She was able to look good and live normally while paying down her debts in a manner that most of us could emulate without too much stress. She has since left the newspaper, but she did pay off her bills, just not in a year as she initially anticipated. If you’re looking for inspiration to help motivate you, then you need to read this book. Heck, I’m feeling pretty self-righteous right now. I think I’ll go save some money. less

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