Recently our family has been hit with numerous home and auto repair expenses. I know that anyone who has a house or car knows how burdensome those kinds of expenses can be, especially on top of many other expenses for families with kids including summer child care.
Our first plan of attack: Do what I described in my post Ten Things I Do When Times are Tough. Basically, halt all spending, stretch our groceries and try to sell things to make extra money. In addition, one of the things on the list is “Peruse my comfort books for tough times.” These comfort books are my frugal living books with tips and motivation for saving money, and help me stay positive and in control!
Well, I’ve discovered a great new resource to add to my list of books. This past month I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing a new book called Effortless Savings: A Step-by-Step Guidebook to Saving Money Without Sacrifice by Richard Syrop, founder of EffortlessSavings.com.
What a helpful and motivating resource this book has been! Effortless Savings is a guidebook for saving money without sacrifice, containing hundreds of suggestions that make saving money easy and painless. It includes tips for everything from minimizing your grocery bills without having to clip coupons, lowering your Internet and cell phone bills without sacrificing your current service, and enjoying movies and other entertainment for less.
This book is divided into ten chapters:
1. Telecom Services
2. Insurance
3. Home Energy
4. Grocery Shopping
5. Health and Beauty Products
6. Clothing and Household Items
7. Automotive Expenses
8. Additional Shopping Strategies
9. Restaurants and Entertainment
10. Vacations and Travel Expenses
What I really like about this book is that the tips require so little brain effort – with all the stress of parenting and day-to-day money management, especially when hit with numerous repair expenses – it’s a welcome aid whether you’re just looking for a few tips or picking yourself up from a financial blow.
A practical book for anyone to read, Effortless Savings has helped me discover many websites that can help you save on everything from prescription drugs to eyeglasses to car repairs to restaurants. I had never heard of most of the sites he recommends, such as 39dollarglasses.com and gasbuddy.com. Richard also recommends buying an Entertainment Book, which I reviewed last year, and he offers suggestions for getting the most out of it.
I know a lot about saving money, but this book has taught me a number of things I didn’t know including where to get a free copy of your own insurance claim history report, and where to rent designer clothing for special events. And the tips are so simple to follow – they just involve things like checking out a website or taking a few extra little steps to plan an outing or a trip.
An easy read that can be read from cover to cover or browsed as a guidebook, Effortless Savings offers many helpful tips and insights for consumers to make wise choices and save money without giving up fun and familiarity. It has received a number of endorsements from well-known authors including New York Times best-selling author Steve and Annette Economides (whose books I love as well including America’s Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money).
Effortless Savings can be purchased at online sites like amazon.com for around $10.00. For more information and tips, visit the White Willow Press website and Richard’s website EffortlessSavings.com.
(Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of Effortless Savings to facilitate this review. All opinions are 100% mine.)