This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Stephanie Ann, author of The Cheap Diva’s Guide to Frugal and Fabulous Living: How to Shop Smart, Look Your Best, Decorate with Style, and Have Fun for Less Money!, shares her tips and tricks to living large on a small budget in her 224-page book. Ann is the creator of thecheapdiva.com, a budget style blog.
In her book, Ann shares her secrets to scoring deals and shows you how to make money by cashing in on your clutter or creating your own job. The book is a fun and fast read with hints of humor that come from anecdotes she shares about her time working in various home décor and retail businesses. The book also includes a handy list of websites sure to save you money.
The book is divided into five parts: Money, Fashion, Beauty, Home Décor and Entertainment.
So what makes Ann an expert in frugal living ? “For starters, I was living the frugal lifestyle long before it was fashionable,” she writes. With a series of low-income jobs and prolonged periods of unemployment, she said she’s built a “healthy sense of mistrust of employers” and many “healthy savings habits.”
If you would like to learn the secrets to a frugal and fabulous life for free, leave a comment detailing your short-lived jobs and how they helped you learn to tighten your financial belt. You may end up being the lucky winner of my review copy – signed by the Cheap Diva herself!
Comment by Friday, July 9 at 9 a.m. PST for a chance to win. If you can’t wait to get your hands on the book, you can purchase it on Amazon for $13.45.
July 6th, 2010 at 11:43 am
Once I started college, I learnd will quick that money was not something that would always show when up you wanted something. I worked part time and learned real quick how to save for things that I needed and wanted.
July 6th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
My short-term jobs occurred when I was home as a mom, doing part-time work at home or with the schools. Typing scripts for a friend who was story editor on major TV shows was fun, but the friend didn’t get the concept of deadlines, and relied on me to come through for him at the last minute. Good pay (for the time), but not really worth the hassle. Working part-time as an education aide (in the 70s) was rewarding to me personally, but the pay was minimal and there were no benefits. I realized before too long that I needed to save as much as I could from my “pin money,” as well as to learn to make great meals with the cheapest cuts of meat, etc. Good life lessons that have kept me on the frugal path for many years. Sometimes difficult, but, in the end, rewarding.?
July 6th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
I’m a 24 year old grad student, who lives on a very tight budget between rent, loan payments, and overall expenses. I’ve worked minimum wage jobs like bookstores, coffee shops, temp jobs just to make ends meet. I recently got my first job that will pay me a livable wage without having to bury me into the ground.
However, living the frugal way of life has become the norm for me, and I question almost every purchase I make. While it can be a hassle to debate to yourself if you really need another black dress (even if it is on sale), it amazing how much money you can save simply by stopping and thinking about what you have in your hands, even if you technically can afford it.
July 6th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
While working part time during college, I learned to stretch every dollar. Now, I’m known as the “bargain shopper” among my friends.
July 6th, 2010 at 3:13 pm
I’ve been a coupon queen for many years. When something is on sale and I have a coupon, especially paper products and other non perishables, I stock up. Target is great because you can use a coupon on clearance items. I’ve scored lots of nearly free things that way.
July 6th, 2010 at 4:29 pm
Being a vegetarian for the past 30 years has really helped me be frugal in the food arena. All those animal products are very expensive! And while I’ve certainly done pretty well at my garage sales over the years, I would have saved even more if I hadn’t bought those things in the first place. Thanks for the great blog, Julia!
July 6th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
@Lauren ~ Sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders, not only as a student, but as one who’s learned some important life lessons early on. That will stand you in good stead for the rest of your life. It’s nice to know that there are some really smart young people out there. Best of luck with your grad studies!
July 7th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
For most of my working life I’ve lived pretty much (or barely) paycheck to paycheck. I’ve been a waitress, office assistant, temp and receptionist.
Despite all those short-lived, low-paying jobs, I didn’t really learn my lesson in frugality until I was laid off for the second time. As I said before, I’ve lived paycheck to paycheck (or was “underfinanced”, as I like to say when I’m feeling fancy) but I’d never been broke. After that second layoff, I was BROKE. I had to figure out how to pay for rent, utilities, food, gas and medicine. Since I was laid off from another low-paying job, my unemployment check wasn’t going to cut it. I took as many temp jobs as I could to cover rent and utilities. To save gas, I combined errands and limited my driving to necessary errands and work. I found a state-funded pharmacy to help pay for my medicine. Finally, I started using coupons (which i got from my mom’s newspaper), only shopped at stores that doubled coupons and learned how to stretch meals.
Fortunately, I eventually got a decent paying job but that unemployment-broke spell put the Fear of Brokedom in me. The first thing I did after getting the job was pay off all my consumer debt. It took a lot of major changes but I managed to do it in a little over a year. Now I’m trying to learn how to go from survivor mode to healthy savings mode. To me, “healthy savings mode” is where I can be frugal while still enjoying life. I’m not there yet but I’m working my way towards it.
July 7th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
Looks like BB has two members who are not only smart, but are using common sense to get their lives in order… and both are named Lauren! Congratulations, ladies, and keep up the efforts, ’cause I know you’ll both be successful!
July 8th, 2010 at 10:00 pm
Two words: San Francisco and Event Planner. After college, I got a job in SF as an entry-level event planner. I knew going into that “glamor” jobs like event planning didn’t pay much, but $22k a year in one of America’s most expensive cities quickly turned me into a budget-minded gal. I actually carried around a Post-It note in my wallet that detailed exactly how much I could spend per day on each item in my budget like Bus Fare: $3 Food: $10, etc. I stuck to it and managed to save $5k. I still carry that Post-It note around today. It’s a nice reminder for me to stay strong despite the consumerism message being pushed at us from every direction.
July 9th, 2010 at 5:41 am
@Cori You managed to save $5k on a $22k salary, in San Francisco no less? That’s incredible. Please tell me more about this post it system! I’m at julia@bargainbabe.com.
July 9th, 2010 at 6:25 am
Since the economy tanked, I’ve had to learn make $1 out of .10 which is SO hard to do.
July 9th, 2010 at 6:41 am
I love a good deal and making the most of my money! The thing that I find to be the most fulfilling is when someone compliments something you have and you get the satisfaction of knowing you bought it for pennies on the dollar!
July 9th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
[...] you learn to live a frugal life but also helps you enjoy every minute of it. If you missed the book review, author Stephanie Ann writes about her tips and tricks to getting good deals and shows you how to [...]
July 9th, 2010 at 5:01 pm
Yeah. I would love to learn Cori’s Post It plan.
July 21st, 2010 at 6:39 am
[...] Cori’s comment about saving $5,000 on a salary of $22,000 that she left on Yazmin’s book review two weeks [...]