Thrifty Thinking: Living Well, Spending Less

Disclosure: I received complimentary products to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.

Living Well, Spending Less by Ruth Soukoup is a book that takes a new approach to budgeting. It's not just about saving money, but it's about the attitudes that help encourage us to be content with less. It's a good, holistic approach, rather than a band-aid fix. Although there wasn't a lot of brand-new information in there for me, it's great for anyone who is starting on the journey towards not just saving money, but making lifestyle changes that are sustainable for the long-term. You can also visit her blog to learn more.

I had a chance to interview the author to learn more.

What was the inspiration behind writing this book?

The book is based on the lessons I've learned over the past five years while writing my blog LivingWellSpendingLess.com.  I started writing LWSL in 2010 not because I was a money saving expert, but because I was exactly the opposite of that--a money SPENDING expert!  My husband and I were fighting a lot about money, and I needed a way to hold myself accountable.  The accountability worked, but I also learned so much more than just how to budget and save--along the way my definition of the "Good Life" changed completely.  That's what the book is about.

What sets your book apart from other books on saving money?

It's not so much a money saving guide as it is a book that helps you change the way you think about money, and about your own priorities.  Our finances affect so much of our life, but money problems often go much deeper than just needing a better budget.  I speak to the struggle that so many people have, because I have lived it and continue to make mistakes along the way. 

Who is the target of this book?

Women who are struggling to juggle all the pieces of a busy life.  Women who feel like they can't quite always hold it all together the way they'd like to.

Of all the advice you've heard on spending less, what do you think is the most often overlooked?

I think a lot of the advice that is out there looks at the symptoms rather than the illness.  If we don't change our hearts and the way we look at money, there will never be enough money--or things--to satisfy.