The New Frugality: How to Consume Less, Save More, and Live Better

From the personal finance correspondent for public radio's Marketplace Money, a new plan for a new economic reality―the philosophy and practice of living frugally.

As a once-in-a-lifetime downturn deepens, our go-go economy has become an uh-oh economy. But as trusted finance reporter Chris Farrell explains, there's a silver lining to this cloud: It is accelerating a trend already under way in America toward what he calls the New Frugality―a fresh way of thinking about how, what, and why we consume. In today's economy, a "sustainable" lifestyle isn't just one that's good for the planet―it's one that is based around core values and one that sustains your bank balance as well.

In this friendly, approachable book, Farrell explains both the theory and the practice of living frugally. Frugality, he reminds us, does not mean old-fashioned penny-pinching. It means spending your money on quality rather than quantity―buying the best you can afford but the least you need. Drawing on his expertise as a financial reporter and his years of conversations with his public radio listeners, he provides down-to-earth, practical advice for every aspect of your financial life, including:

• how to always maintain a "margin of safety" in your spending

• the frugal home: renting vs. owning

• the two best ways to save for college

• wise debt vs. foolish debt

• why giving your money away can be "newly frugal"

The New Frugality amounts to a paradigm shift in the way we spend and save. The good news is, a frugal lifestyle is one of less waste, lower environmental impact, greater peace of mind, and, over the long run, deeper satisfaction.