Thrifty Ways For Modern Days - Martin Lewis

Thrifty Ways for Modern Days - edited by Martin Lewis



***What's it about?***


This is another money saving book I am reviewing, it is edited by Martin Lewis and brings together lots of advice from the Money Saving Expert forums. It particularly draws upon the 'Old Style' thread, which is a very strong chat thread, where people post their ideas for saving money in ways that were second nature in days gone ...
...modern times, but both the thread and this book aim to bring these old ideas back into fashion again.


The book is split into chapters consisting of:


1. Cleaning
2. Shopping
3. Clothes and Shoes
4. Home Maintenance and DIY
5. The Good Life - Grow Your Own
6. Presents and Home Made Gifts
7. Christmas, Weddings and Other Occasions
8. The Old Style Recipe Book

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Thrifty Ways for Modern Days - edited by Martin Lewis

***What's it about?***

This is another money saving book I am reviewing, it is edited by Martin Lewis and brings together lots of advice from the Money Saving Expert forums. It particularly draws upon the 'Old Style' thread, which is a very strong chat thread, where people post their ideas for saving money in ways that were second nature in days gone by. Sadly, some of this advice has been lost in modern times, but both the thread and this book aim to bring these old ideas back into fashion again.

The book is split into chapters consisting of:

1. Cleaning
2. Shopping
3. Clothes and Shoes
4. Home Maintenance and DIY
5. The Good Life - Grow Your Own
6. Presents and Home Made Gifts
7. Christmas, Weddings and Other Occasions
8. The Old Style Recipe Book

There are lots of little excerpts with real old-style stories, which are experiences submitted from members of the website.

***Opinion***

At last! A money saving book that might actually save you some money!! What a novelty! The book is down to earth and I do feel that you might actually learn a thing or two. It doesn't give the usual stupid common sense tips like cutting down on ready made sandwiches or cutting back on holidays. It just aims to tell you about alternative ways of doing things; as they might have done in the good old days.

It looks in the main at the things that will save you small amounts, but amounts that will soon add up.

Its style isn't at all patronising and it is in a very easy to read format. You can just dip in and out of subjects that you are interesting. At the beginning, there is a Money Diet Monthly Calorie Counter, which contains tables that help you to record what you spend and to plan and budget future spending. This contains many categories so that you are unlikely to forget anything. I appreciate that there are software programmes that can do this, but not everyone has access to this type of thing.

One of the most interesting sections was the article on down sizing brands. I realise that with certain products, only branded goods will do. For those that it doesn't matter for, the difference is startling (although this is an individual matter). For instance if you ate the value brand of rice instead of the leading brand of rice once a week for year, it would save you around £70. This is obviously just one item. If you are able to transfer this to more of your shopping you can make substantial savings, which you can then perhaps spend on something more exiting!

I also liked the table which outlined which leading brands are 'rumoured' to manufacture own brand products for the big supermarkets. Meal plans were strongly advocated as a way to save money and reduce waste. One old style had created numerous meals (all outline) from a £15 spend; giving plenty of ideas and inspiration.

The book also gave the idea of saving receipts for shopping and reviewing them once a month, to see what you didn't need, with the aim to reduce it by just a small amount each month. Shaving off this money gradually would become realistically achievable, instead of a tough goal that is quickly abandoned, because the change is too great.

In terms of cleaning, I now know what white vinegar, bicarbonate of soda and lemon juice can do for you. In addition, there are also quick remedies for common stains etc.

I even know how to make my own gel air freshener - gosh, the excitement is killing me!! I do think I need to get out more!

Seriously, some of these tips are really useful and some are good projects to get the kids involved in. Especially the grow your own section. There are lots of tips for strawberries, rhubarb, tomatoes and potatoes etc.

For gifts there are lots of ideas for home made hampers and cheap (but not naff) presents, as well as ideas for inexpensive, but imaginative children's parties.

I also found the beauty tips quite useful - there were recipes for face pack, treatments for hair and even sunburn remedies.

Everyone knows that having a baby is an expensive business these days and there is a full section that will tell you what you really need, as opposed to what you think you ought to buy, when you take a trip around well known baby shops.

There is a section on de-cluttering also; instead of paying people to dispose of goods you no longer need, it names organisations who will take your things away for charitable use. For example there is a bike website that will donate old bikes to countries in the developing world.

I know these types of books are in fashion at the moment, but this book was first published in 2006, a bit before the recent furore. For that reason I don't think it tries to tell you to reinvent your life - rejecting consumerism and its evils. Rather, it just brings back some of the ideas that were second nature to our grandparents, who had no choice but to put them into practise to survive.

I give this book 5 out of 5, because it truly intends to save you some pennies; not to further the own interests of the author, as many jumping on this bandwagon seem to be doing at the moment. I know that Martin Lewis does make a very good living from his website, but at least the site can save you money, teach you something you don't already know and this book, in particular, is not out to exploit the very people it aims to help.

***Availability***

Although you could get some of this advice for free on the website, I do think it is worth investing in. Especially as proceeds from the book go to the Money Saving Expert's charitable fund.

It is available new for £5.79 on Amazon and for £1.80 used. It sometimes pops up on Ebay and of course will probably be available from the library. It is published by Vermillion.

Summary: Look After the Pennies and The Pounds Will Look After Themselves!!

This review is also published on Dooyoo under the same username.
 

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