Full disclosure: I have never met author Natalie McNeal but I consider her a frugal blog friend.
When I received Natalie McNeal’s The Frugalista Files: How One Woman Got Out of Debt Without Giving Up the Fabulous Life
Lucky me, because there are so many funny and true moments in this book that I can share them and you’ll know how much this book deserves your $8.56 (on Amazon.com, anyway). Incidentally, I read the entire 179-page book on a flight from Providence, RI to Phoenix with time to spare. The Frugalista Files is fun.
On changing her life: “Being a spending slut is ruining my life. I am not going to buy anything for 1 month. Nothing. One whole month. Starting February 1 — the first day of the shortest month and my birthday month. My credit cards will go in my desk drawer. I will pay my rent, my school loan, my car loan, and my credit cards. I will buy food only to be cooked at home and gasoline. With cash. Yes, that’s it. I am going to boycott buying crap.”
On groceries: “I am working on the cooking thing. I know that not cooking has made me less marketable in the dating scene. Men like a woman who can cook. Heck! I like women and men who can cook, so they can cook for me! My mom can cook. I love it. I wish men valued women who can edge the lawn, because then I’d be “the woman!”
On style: “I refuse to not look good. But I also refuse to pay too much to look good. Frugalista tip: Before you shell out the cash, ask yourself if this is something you really need or just something you want. You’d be surprised!”
On freebies: “Enjoy freebies, but make sure they remain as close to free as possible. If you have to pay $20 parking fees, is it really free?”
On staying focused on saving: “I just started [The Frugalista Files blog] as a 28-day adventure in trying to manage my expenses and now it’s a lifestyle. That I like! Yay! I’m feeling so good. I should check my bank balance to make myself feel better. (Imagine feeling better when you check your bank balance!)”
In 12 chapters, one for each month, Natalie chronicles her desperate attempt to escape debt while still living a fabulous life. The woman loves fashion and lives in Miami, so looking the part at celebrity-studded parties is a must.
At the beginning of each chapter, Natalie keeps herself honest by listing the balance of each of her debts. January reads:
- $9,785 credit cards
- $8,600 car loan
- $2,636 student loan
A total of $21,021.24! Each month, Natalie finds creative ways to pay down that ugly number by about $500. By December, she has paid down her debt by more than $6,500. Along the way, she learns to do her own hair and nails, shop from her own closet, and say no to fun that is out of budget. (She finds plenty of fun for free or cheap!)
To win my review copy, leave a comment on this post about why you want to read Natalie’s book. If you don’t win, you MUST MUST MUST buy it or request your local library get a copy. Amazon has The Frugalista Files
Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price. 
I’d love to get a copy of this book, if only to show my 22 year old daughter that I too can be money-smart.
She has almost completed Financial Peace University offered by Dave Ramsey. He offered it at a cut rate price to members of the military on Veteran’s Day. She is in flight school at Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma.
She only uses her debit card and is a maniac about sticking to her budget.
Puts me to shame!
Love your column in the NJ Star Ledger.
@Marcia Thanks for reading my column in the Ledger!!!
I absolutely loved this book! It gave me the kick in the butt I needed to get serious about my debt. In January alone I paid more than $600 to my credit cards! It makes me wonder where I was spending that money before!
I want to read, not for myself, but to pass on to my friend. I know she’s been struggling with debt and not doing much about it.
Since I just started trying to live the budget friendly – little to no debt lifestyle I thought this book would be a great read for me.
Okay, total honesty, I do have a little taste for the certain finer things in life, but I want to find a balance of leading a life below my means while still enjoying (less of) of the good life.
Also, I’m starting my Buy Nothing Month and I’d really like the inspiration of seeing someone who has already gone through it.
Sounds like a new (FUN!) take on an old subject!!!
I want to read this for myself. I am currently in college so I’d love to be able to find ways to still have fun at a reasonable price (even free!) and learn ways to continue to look beautiful and pulled together without breaking the bank. This book sounds like a great read!
I am always looking for fun ways of saving money. I bet I could learn a thing or two here!
I personally could benefit from this book as I am out of a job and learning to enjoy life while living responsibly!
This sounds fantastic.
I have planned to not buy anything for all of February last year (as a follow up to the month you did last year, that I joined in on). this book would be a great way to get some tips of how it worked for her. I am also anxious to continue to pay down my debt and reading her tips and techniques that could carry me through after my buy nothing month would be so very valuable.
I also have plans to send this to my sister who lives in New Zealand (once I am done with it of course) because her husband is going to school so they are living on one income and I am sure she could use the tips and ideas to live fabulously without accumulating any debt.
I think I’m doing a good job with money, not saving, but not spending alot on things I don’t really need. I would like to know how she continues to live the fabulous life on a cash budget! Even when the money was coming in like crazy I still didn’t have a fabulous life!!!
Books looks amazing – will definitely hunt down a copy!
@Jessica Let me know what you think of it!
I would really love this book!!! At the end of the week , it is hard to tell where my money has gone. I know the bills are paid, but the rest??? Who knows! And then I would pass it down to my daugher, then daughter -in-law, and on down the line! This book I bet it is Hilarious !!!
I’m always looking for more ways to save money. My hubby and I are both in school, so any more ideas on money saving are very welcome!
This book sounds like it’s a humorous read, but could offer serious help for those of us who spend without thinking! Ilove the idea of not spending for a month!! I’ve vowed to buy NO new clothes this year!!! I’m sticking to it. I’m going to shop from my closet, too!!
@Joanne Go Joannie! I’d love to hear how your month of no clothes shopping goes. Please send me an update!
I’d LOVE to win this book. We finally sat down to make a real budget for the year and I’m couponing and saving like crazy. I love it, and I feel great about it. I’m always reading about new ways to cut corners and save. This looks like a great resource for me! Thanks!
I lost half of my income last year and was woefully unprepared for it! Now I’m in need of real tools to live on less, while paying off debt. This sounds like a great book to read in order to get a plan together!
This book sounds like it would be a fun way to learn a valuable lesson. I’ve been unemployed for 20 months so I have the inclination and the time to read. If I win I promise to pass this book on to a unemployed person.
We just filed for bankruptcy (to save our house) … and we are struggling mightily. This book would help me on our journey to re-do this finance thing.
This sounds like my kind of finance-related book: honest, funny, and down-to-earth with tips that can easily be incorporated by the average person. I’d love to win!
Oh My, When I read that line including the words “splending slut” I had to read on.. That is me. I make a list go to the store and then loose control. I cannot just get whats on the list. I am a sucker for every little end aisle special and so on. I really need to start doing the cash envelope way. Even though I only use a debit/credit card… it still has allowed me too much freedom. My goal for 2011 is to get my financial ways under more control, and I would love to read on about how she lives and maintains her finances! Thanks for considering me for the review copy! ~Kathy
I want to read it to get ideas and be inspired to help get rid of my debt a little faster.
I’d like to win to get some tips from her. We’d like to pay off some debt before we try for baby #2 as I am now a SAHM with baby #1- 14 mo old and things are tight, but I love it!
Oh I have to win this…my debt is overwhelming and my spending habits need to be in check….let a lady splurge…
I have been gathering any free information I find on Budgeting and Debt Free goals. I would be very interested in obtaining this book to help me on my journey to change my financial outlook. Thanks
I would love to read this book to find out what fun things she did for free!
I NEED this book – I am a shopaholic and cannot afford to be. I’m so bad with money and I LOVE to buy shoes, clothes, just about anything…I swear you could put me in an animal feed store or someplace like that and I guarantee you there would be something in there I would want to buy. I DREAM about shopping and I’m out of control!
As soon as I read this article I immediately thought of my friend Kathy. I have known her for over 7 years and each year she promises to do better with spending and get out of debt. Once again she promises this is the year to do it. I would love the copy of this book to give to her. I manage to live the frugal life already (and am working on paying down the principle on my mortgage) and would love it if she could too!
I need motivation to stop “splurging” on fabric! I tell myself that I WILL be making something useful w/ my fabric! AND, I have a wonderful fabric stash & kits to make quilts, so I am NOT deprived…
I would really like to read this book. From your review, I think it is interesting that she managed to live well while she paid down her debt.
This sounds like a great book and thanks for the giveaway so I can hhave a chance to win it . It sounds like a fun annd educattional book.
I need to read this book because I went into debt to start a business but had to close it after 7 months. Now we are struggling to catch up. I’m about 3 weeks behind on my bills, a few months ago I was a month behind so we are catching up but it’s slow going. Fortunately it is just my husband and I, plus my mother in law part of the time. The kids are grown (youngest in college- on scholarship) so we do have fewer expenses.
Thanks for the info on the Barnes and Knoble Parents Magazine. I was able to get it for $1.08. I would love the chance to read the book on being Debt Free.
Thanks for the info on Barnes & Noble Parents magazine. I got it for $1.08! I would love the chance to read this book on becoming Debt free.
I’m always looking for ways to save and to teach others to save too.
I’d love to win a copy of this book, especally since i’m in such a debt.
I would love to win a copy! Sounds like an interesting approach at something so hard and serious. I’m sure you make anything and everything an adventure!
I am a very good budgeter when it comes to most things but not when it comes to fashion. I’d love to read her tips on this!
I need this book. Am finally getting serious about my finances at age 52 and there is no time like the present to read something that will help me to push through.
I would love to have a copy of this book. For the last two years I have been trying to cut back on spending but I have hit a rut. I think this book would be the ‘push’ I need to start saving even more.
I want to read this book. I’m unemployed and want as much guide as I can get about saving money & spending wisely.
I would like to read this book for myself. I would like to learn to save and spend wisely while paying down my debt.
Let’s pay it forward! I’d love to read this because it sounds fun, informative, and I’d like to blog about it on my blog (http://momscrayon.wordpress.com). After reading it, I’d like to pass it on to MY readers!
I would love to read this book. I am trying to get out of debt but still have some expensive tastes so would like a humorous and helpful approach to spending less.
This is exactly what I and my almost 18 year old daughter need!! We live in the LA area – all we see is people spending, spending, spending! We both need to learn how to spend less!!
I would love a copy of this book. We are trying hard to reduce our spending & we’re always open to new ideas.
I bet this book has ideas that none of us have thought of!
I would love to win this review copy!
Sounds like an awesome book! I’d love to see any additional tips that work for other people. I’m hoping they work for me also.
My parents always told me to save and not spend my money, but they never taught me about budgeting or the consequences of credit cards and loans.
So after college I got stuck with an abusive boyfriend that not only broke down my self esteem, but maxed out most of my credit cards… not to mention… conning me into co-signing student loans that he refuses to put any money towards.
So… having had to struggle to survive without putting my family out too much, I had to declare bankruptcy and am starting over from scratch. Though I’m learning the hard way on how to budget money, I could definitely use more tips.
Financial and budgeting books can be so boring, but this one seems like one I can commit to reading, so I would more than be grateful for a copy of this book.
From divorce and losing a full-time job to part-time and half the pay, I’ve had to watch my money for some time. I’m still trying to get past my timeshare past and credit card history to debt free. The President’s Home Loan Affordable was a great boost at 2% mortgage and mortgage payment cut in half. However, still struggling and losing my IRA to bills, any help on credit card repayments and repair would be greatly appreciated.
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get three emails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove people from that service? Bless you!