Five-Star Living on a Two-Star Budget: Living Big on Only a Little
by Margaret Feinberg and Natalie Nichols Gillespie
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Click on book
cover to order
at Amazon.com
Reviewed by Tracy Hodnett
Everybody loves a deal--whether you are living on a modest income or a six-figure one.
In Five-Star Living on a Two-Star Budget, co-authors and self-proclaimed bargain hunters Margaret Feinberg and Natalie Nichols Gillespie, offer readers a practical reference tool for discounts on everything from fashion and groceries to little-known travel getaways and home purchases.
With thoughtful planning and research, these two women empower all of us to learn how to free up our hard-earned dollars to enjoy life more fully and make a bigger contribution to the world.
The authors suggest that those who experience true Five-Star Living have joy in their lives, feel satisfaction with their circumstances and are more willing to share their fortune with others. They have dubbed the Live It! Give It! Principle: God gave you everything you have, so it really belongs to him. You honor him when you manage well what he has given you (Live It!). He blesses you when you share what he has given you with others in need (Give It!).
While a noble notion to be sure, I had to overcome the religious overtones to benefit from the many freebies, discounts, rebates and negotiating strategies provided. The religious reference did not seem relevant to the Live It! Give It! Principle or Five-Star Living.
Five-Star Living invites you to elevate your living standard no matter what your income level. They start out with basic ideas for getting your finances in order, debt under control, saving for the future, taxes in order and giving to others.
The next seven chapters provide specific ideas for saving on beauty and fashion, great ideas for parents, gourmet groceries and dining, entertainment, traveling, high-tech and big-ticket items. With the expanding availability of on-line research, a constant eye for good deals and plenty of legwork to uncover savings opportunities, the diligent consumer can enjoy great restaurants, fine hotels and the activities you love while staying within your budget.
As I read through this simple missal, I reflected how practical and helpful these tips are and wondered who I could pass the book to next. But then again, I think I just might keep it myself to jumpstart my own Five-Star Living experience!
Armchair Interviews says: Who doesn't love helpful tips that are both practical and affordable.