book Archives - Frugaling

Special: Spring Break Sale On My Book!

Finally, after another long winter, the sun’s out and weather is getting warmer. For many students, this week or the next represent a wonderful respite from the rest of the semester. Or, in other terms, it’s Spring Break! From beaches to family visits, the fun begins soon! Meanwhile, I’ll be having a “staycation” and working throughout the week. Isn’t it fun getting older?

Regardless, I wanted to celebrate in my own special way. Over the entire week of Spring Break — March 13th through the 20th — I’ve created a sale for my book, Frugaling: Save more, live well, give generously! Regularly priced at $2.99, the book will be available for $0.99, and if you’re an Amazon Prime or Kindle Unlimited subscriber, it’s free.

The book took years to make, as it was a compilation of all my essays and stories. Additionally, I added special notes and updated articles to reflect new ideas and changes. I poured my heart into making it a special, light, fun read — perfect for a little time away from textbooks.

I hope it’ll inspire you to become more frugal and live intentionally. If you enjoy the book, please share it with others and give a review on Amazon. I’d love your feedback!

Thanks for being a faithful reader.

Stay frugal,

Sam

It’s Time! Frugaling Goes Ad Free!

By Frugaling 29 Comments

I woke up early this morning from a dream. In it, my brother and I were playing basketball. For some reason, he was dressed head to toe in a cheap Power Rangers outfit. As he helplessly tried to shoot the ball in the basket, his superhero mask would flop and fall in his face. It completely distracted him. At one point he tripped over himself when trying to make a shot. Frustrated, he continued to do the same thing without taking off the mask.

Then, my eyes opened. It was 5 AM and I couldn’t get back to bed. Something was restless inside me. With this newfound time, I decided to check the comments on Frugaling.

I saw a new one and eagerly read through it. The commenter said she had just read my book. She called it “interesting” and “inspirational.” I was flattered and humbled that she took the time to read my book, visit the site, and write a comment. But as I continued reading, I realized she was also writing a critique.

She was disappointed to see advertising on this site.

At first, like so many times in my life, I got defensive. Here’s what it sounded like in my head: “Who are you to tell me what I can and can’t put on my site? What would you do if you had five figures in debt and never wanted to live that way again? Google ads don’t even pay that well! It’s not liking I’m rolling in money because those little things.”

After my head exploded, I calmed down and read the comment again. She had a point. On one hand I was advocating for anti-consumption, critical personal finance, minimalism, and frugality. On the other, I was hawking advertisements (and have been since the beginning).

Was I being a hypocrite?
Was I not being true to my own values?
Was I living a lie?
Was I contributing to other people’s consumption by hosting ads?

The answers weren’t pretty: yes, yes, yes, and yes.

Sometimes commenters are dead wrong, confused, and/or seemingly typing while tripping on LSD. Those are easy to ignore. But challenging messages are usually my favorite. They force me to think and react – to qualify and justify my reasoning in life.

While not always right, I aim to do better. I look for these moments and embrace them.

This commenter had struck a chord with me. She highlighted something I’ve long wanted but waited to do: remove the advertisements. I’ve hesitated because income on Google ads has been enough to pay web hosting and domain name fees – basics for any website. Additionally, they’ve helped me pay for ancillary costs associated with running a business (i.e., extra tax help, software, etc.).

Those fees and costs remain. Until another company releases a completely free (of hidden costs and ads) domain names and hosting, it’s going to cost hundreds of dollars each year to run. But the advertisements cannot remain.

Today, I’m taking a risk and officially announcing that Frugaling is now free from ads! That means no pesky advertising trackers or Google boxes anywhere. Nothing will be adapting and changing to your buying/surfing habits. That’s the way it should be – void of third-party distractions that encourage people to spend more.

The Internet is chock full of advertisements predicting your next move, purchase, and trip. Rather than add to the noise, I want Frugaling to be an oasis. And my writings and website should host congruent values.

There are more ways to make an income than ads, and I’m hoping you agree. I no longer want to contribute to that system. I’m hoping you’ll help me in this ad-free endeavor. There are various ways to support me: share and spread your favorite articles, buy the new book, or make a donation.

It’s time to take off the distractions.

How do you feel when websites have ads?
What do you think of authors who accept money to write stories?
How should writers make money?

“Frugaling: Save More, Live Well, Give Generously” Is Now Available!

By Frugaling 8 Comments

After weeks of final edits, a big cover art change, and rounds of feedback from friends and family, I’m excited to announce that Frugaling: Save more, live well, give generously is now available on Amazon.com!

The book is over two years in the making. At the beginning of my frugal journey, I had five figures of debt. Now, I have assets and capital. I no longer worry about what I’ll owe the bank. My potential and future are invested in me. I wrote Frugaling so that others could find financial freedom and empowerment.

But today, rather than focus on why I decided to write this book, I figured I’d acknowledge some of the people that helped make it happen. The people I want to mention have been interested from day one. They have supported, encouraged, and promoted my work better than I could ever do. And for that, I’m eternally grateful.

To Mom and Dad, you shared the site and book with friends and family, provided commentary along the way, and built a home where reading and writing were vital skills. And Mom, a special thank you for reading and editing the early drafts.
To Noah, thank you for providing some last minute changes to the book. I would’ve looked like a fool without your help! Good luck on your first day of school.
To Joshua, your words spawned the last 6 months of work to write and compile this book. I cannot thank you enough for your support and help.
To Danny, Eric, and Kate, I couldn’t have asked for three bigger fans. You signed up for the email digests, marketed my book, and offered inspiration for countless articles over the years.
To Jeff, thanks for keeping in touch all these years. Our shared experiences with debt helped light a fire for Frugaling!
To Chase, Christian, Danika, Devan, Kevin, Laura, Linda, Morgan, Nika, Paul, Susan, Yun, and the many more I probably need to mention, thanks for checking in about the book, commenting on the site, and sending interesting articles my way. You’ve been an incredible network for support and ideas.
To those who email, tweet, text, and/or randomly message me, your words mean so much. I’m always blown away when someone says an article made them feel better and/or connected. I’ll do my best to keep it up.

Gratitude comes easy after writing this book. I couldn’t have done it without you all. I hope you’ll support me by buying the book today! And I’d love it if you shared the book on Twitter and Facebook to help spread the word.

Thanks for being a frugal friend,

Sam

Announcing My First Book: “Frugaling: Save more, live well, give generously”

By Frugaling 20 Comments

After months of conversations, writing, editing, and preparation, I can officially announce the release of my first book, Frugaling: Save more, live well, give generously! You can pre-order it on Amazon and it’ll be automatically delivered to your Kindle or supported devices on August 24th.

Today, I want to talk about the reasons why I wrote this book, the process, and share some special bonuses.

About six months ago a well-respected writer and blogger took an hour of his time to talk with me. As we talked on the phone, I picked his brain about simple living and frugality. We saw eye to eye about the need for people to live minimally.

At the end of the talk he emphasized that I should write a book. Between flattery, confusion, ignorance, and gratitude, I hung up and froze in my chair. For years I had been writing, but doubted whether I was reaching anyone — whether my writing was any good. I had thought about writing a book, but inner insecurities prevailed and prevented me from writing one.

But here was someone I respected, and he was pushing me to publish. Something clicked. I realized that Frugaling was about more than personal finance, and I needed to compile that into a book.

When I started Frugaling, I knew about student loans and credit cards. I had lots of debt, and could share my desire to be done with it. In those early days, my articles felt like a reproduction of other personal finance gurus’ advice. The solutions were simplistic: create a budget, get a good credit card, and don’t eat out as much. They weren’t necessarily bad suggestions, but they seemed to miss perspective and depth.

Unfortunately, despite good intentions, many personal finance gurus were missing large populations in need of help. And I had simply joined the herd of regurgitators.

Then I had a comically simple epiphany: we are all individuals. One set of bullet points, “tips,” and “rules” won’t ever apply to everyone. And frankly, many financial gurus and “experts” are white and middle class or higher. Their experiences will likely differ significantly from various diverse groups and economic statuses. I wanted to reach a broader audience and speak to many pitfalls and problems that systematically prevent others from succeeding financially.

That revelation motivated different directions in my writing. Coupled with the inspiration from a respected author, I decided it was time to write and publish a book. Additionally, I wanted to make it affordable because ideas about personal finance, simple living, and minimalism should be accessible to all.

Using articles from Frugaling.org, new material, and a bold premise of reaching diverse audiences through personal finance, this first book will help readers build a foundation, philosophy, and resistance. Together, these sections aim to provide readers with a healthy dose of encouragement to live well on less. Let me explain what I mean.

Saving more, spending less, and preparing for the future are usually the first steps that people take to become more frugal. The foundation section provides an overview for why I decided to pursue frugality, new ways to pay off debt, and savings experiments that can be started today.

But saving money isn’t easy in a culture that idealizes consumption. Society tends to favor those with material wealth over inner health. As a consequence, frugality can be challenging and trying over longer periods. That’s why I added a section about the philosophy of frugality. If you’ve ever tried to save money, but wondered why you should, this part’s for you.

Armed with a strong foundation and philosophy for going frugal, the last section helps readers develop a resistance to advertising, marketing pressures, and the systemic problems that hold people back financially. I want readers to get upset with how we’re portrayed as mere consumers.

Now, I want to segue into some bonuses for readers today. Rather than have you wait for August 24th to begin reading, I want to share a couple parts from the book today! Click here to read the first few pages and introduction.

Here’s what people are saying about Frugaling:

“Sam provides a fresh perspective into the world of personal finance. In a world of copycat books almost entirely focused on earning more and spending less, Frugaling invites us to find freedom by thinking different about our finances, our lifestyles, and the world around us. It is a must-read.”

–Joshua Becker, BecomingMinimalist.com

“I’ve been following Sam’s website Frugaling for six months now, and it’s clear that he is passionate about questioning consumerism. The methods in which he communicates his message are crystal clear, and I look forward to reading his posts each day.”

–Brian Gardner, NoSidebar.com

“Sam is a refreshing voice in the world of finance. Super authentic and upbeat, and I always leave happier after reading his thoughts. It’s like having (home-made) coffee with a friend :)”

–J. Money, BudgetsAreSexy.com

“Sam is candid in sharing his experience paying off student debt while pursuing an intentional lifestyle. He combines storytelling and his unique Frugaling philosophy with smart, practical advice for young adults looking to pursue the lives they want instead of being trapped by debt.”

–Anthony Ongaro, BreakTheTwitch.com

“Sam’s work will both challenge and inspire you to rethink your relationship with money and the world as a whole – to live a fuller, richer and more meaningful life.”

–Stefanie O’Connell, TheBrokeAndBeautifulLife.com

“Sam writes with a genuine, thoughtful voice on topics of minimalism, frugality, and life improvement. He brings great insight to the issues he covers and challenges readers to question their own assumptions about our image-obsessed culture of endless consumption. A must-read for anyone grappling with the questions of what it means to chart a life that’s outside the ordinary and not focused on following the herd.”

–Mrs. FW, Frugalwoods.com

I want to say thank you to all of these authors for their praise, encouragement, and help along the way. Please visit and check out their sites. They’re all fantastic writers and evangelists for saving more, spending less, and living well.

Lastly, I want to say thanks to you! I really appreciate your readership and hope you’ll support me on this first book. Be sure to share it spread the word on Twitter (#savelivegive) and Facebook. If you’re an Amazon Prime and/or Kindle Unlimited customer, the book will be free for the first 90 days. Otherwise, the book is $2.99.

Click here to go to Amazon.com and pre-order today!

Your frugal friend,

Sam