My Favorite Books On Frugal Living
When it comes to saving money, it’s the old tips that carry the timeless tips. This is my go-to list of books on frugal living. The ones I refer to even today. Stock up a frugal living library that you rely on any time you need a bit of motivation to keep things on track.
Simple living is all about are less chaotic life and this is true with our finances as well. Use these books to get back on track and simplify another area of your life.
Over the years I have read quite a few books on frugal living. And in this world of internet, some folks may feel books are a thing of the past. I highly disagree. If you are trying to save money it’s the old tips that are the gold mines and the best way to find those tips is in the books they came in.
These are the books I have in my own frugal living library and the reason we were able to weather some pretty rough financial storms.
My Top Picks of Books on Frugal Living
I know having the internet and smartphones are the easiest way to find answers fast, but I’m one of those girls that love a book. And when trying to keep your budget in check or more money in your wallet, these gems on living a simple life will do just that.
Frugal Living Book #1. The Tightwad Gazette I, II and III by Amy Dacyczyn
These books are older but their tips (even though some are a bit “out” there) are still great ones. The books are a compilation of the information Amy Dacyczn wrote in her newsletter over the years. I just love how she has the books organized, very easy to read tips with a few narratives thrown in here and there to keep things interesting.
The Tightwad Gazette was written in the early 90’s, Amy was living a life of frugality before it became a buzz word. Her books were where I first learned the benefits of a price book. Something I still use to this day.
Her tips range from the silly simple to complicated financial equations with her main goal being to see if you are actually saving money by doing the math.
Whether it is figuring out the charge per kilowatt, dividing down each ingredient in a recipe or computing your worth per hour it’s all there to help you better understand if a tip is financially worth the effort.
Who has time to break down recipes to see if bread is actually cheaper to make or buy? Amy does and even though the numbers are drastically higher today you can still use the same formula.
Frugal Living Book #2. Suddenly Frugal by Leah Ingram
I remember purchasing this book on a whim while waiting in line at the FedEx store. No lie! It’s not often that an impulse buy saves you money but this one sure did.
It ended up being one of my favorite books.
Funny how that works out. This book is a quick start guide on frugal living. It is a great place to start if you are just beginning your journey to a debt free and frugal lifestyle. The book is broken down into sections with “money savings” breakdown at the end of each chapter.
This is nice because it tells you if the savings is worth it when you are getting started. You can pick and choose which ones to implement and go back to the others when you are ready.
Frugal Living Book #3. Saving Savvy by Kelly Hancock
This is another frugal book that does the math for you. With Saving Savvy Tips sprinkled in the margins, Kelly lays things out in practical ways showing in writing if each tip is worth it in value. She also has printables in the book you can copy, and you all know how I love printables!
Another bonus is a large section on grocery shopping and couponing.
Frugal Living Book #4. America’s Cheapest Family by Steve and Annette Economides
This is by far my favorite frugal living book and one I still read again and again even today. Their tips are a bit different than the normal, with do and don’t lists for easy application. There are also printables all aimed to make your journey more successful.
The America’s Cheapest Family, the Economides are the original once-a-month grocery shoppers and where I learned this incredibly valuable tip. Their chapter lays out how to grocery shop once a month and that section alone really changed our family’s finances for the better.
It requires a time investment at first but before you know it you will have a system that will not only save you time but money as well.
Frugal Living Book #5. The CheapSkate Monthly by Mary Hunt
This is another oldie but a goodie frugal choice. The Cheapskate Monthly by Mary has more practical applications for frugal living that are a bit more on the financial side.
She introduced me to the “Freedom Account” and it is one I still use today. I recommend her book highly for that one chapter alone. This is a fast and easy read which is nice and it’s laid out in chapters so you can pick and choose what you want to read on.
If you are trying to organize your finances this is a great book to have in your library.
Whether you are just starting out on your frugal journey or an old pro like myself, having an arsenal of useful books at the ready will keep you moving forward.
I like to read these books when I am burned out a bit with the whole frugal living and it inspires me to keep going. Reading not only tips on how to save in all aspects of our life but also the life journey of each author really helps to motivate when things get hard.
I am always amazed at the new tips and tricks I find when I reread these books. Their information is not only valuable but timeless as well.
Do you have any favorite books on frugal living? If so, please share in the comments below I would love to hear from you.
Thanks for sharing! I hadn’t heard of those before !
I would add ” Possum Living” by Dolly Freed to your collection .
I have to say at first I thought you were kidding, but after searching and seeing the book I am intrigued! I just purchased it and after I read it (and like it!) I will then add it to my list. 🙂
Thanks!
Tracy Lynn
I still use Mary Hunt’s “Freedom” and “Contingency” accounts and have spending categories in my checking accounts. She is AWESOME!