Living The Savvy Life: The Savvy Woman's Guide to Smart Spending and Rich Living [Paperback]

Melissa Tosetti (Author), Kevin Gibbons (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 11, 2011

It's Not About Being Cheap.  Living the Savvy Life isn't about being a cheapskate, a miser or a tightwad.  It's about having security and peace of mind by spending less than you make.  It's about knowing where you stand financially on a daily basis so you can make intelligent fiscal decisions.  It's about being penny-wise on the things that are less important to you so you can spend money on the things that are important to you.  It's about choosing to purchase only the things that you love and make you happy.  It's about cooking at home more often so you can occasionally splurge on dinner at your favorite restaurant.  It's about creating an environment in your home that is warm, comforting, and expressive of  who you are.  It's about having a wardrobe made entirely of clothes that fit and look great on you.  It's about enjoying your time off even more because you planned for it and know you can “afford it.”  Although Living the Savvy Life is filled with ways to save money, it isn't about frugal living.  It's about finding, attaining and maintaining balance.  Are you ready to start Living the Savvy Life?

Editorial Reviews

Review

So many books on how to manage your finances are so technical and, well, just boring! Not Living the Savvy Life: The Savvy Woman's Guide to Smart Spending and Rich Living by Melissa Tosetti and Kevin Gibbons! Melissa actually puts money management into words women can relate to...like "wardrobe", "beauty", "food", "entertainment" and "home". I mean come on, what woman doesn't want to manage her money better so she feels free to invest in a beautiful, functional wardrobe or a well-designed home. Ok, so maybe you're not into fashion (though I think anyone reading this blog is). Some women aren't. But that is what is so great about this book. It teaches you how to save on areas that aren't as important to you so that you have more money to spend where it matters.

Maybe you are perfectly happy with a minimal wardrobe and pared down interior but are a food loving world explorer who wants to try every cuisine in the country or region it is indigenous to (really cool idea actually). You can do it! All it takes is saying no to what's not important so you can say yes to what is. Living the Savvy Life will help you put it all into perspective and show you how to discover your personal passions and financial priorities...there is an entire chapter entitled "What is Important to You" that includes a questionnaire for each basic area of your life. By taking some time and answering this questionnaire in full, honest detail you can determine exactly what is most important to you (not to your friends, not to society) at this time in your life. Once you know what is important to you, you can better decide how to spend your money.

The authors of LTSL know that the first step to being savvy is being organized. You will be aided in organizing your closet and pantry and will be given practical tips on setting up systems so you know what you have at all times. How to set up a bill paying system, checking account management system and manage credit card debt are all covered and of course, it wouldn't be a book on savvyness if it didn't include that little well-known concept of "pay yourself first" (retirement funds and savings accounts ladies!). And if you just really do want more information on how to grow your hedge fund, well, that's not actually covered by the authors but they tell you where to find sources that do cover such in-depth subjects in the "Favorite Resources" section! --Bobbie Michelle Harman, of Euro Chic http://eurochic.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/living-the-savvy-life/

Book Description

Money affects every aspect of our lives. It affects how we dress, where we live, what we eat and how we spend our free time. It affects our emotions and enhances or detracts from our enjoyment of life. Effective money management is about so much more than just 401(k) contributions and saving money at the grocery store.

No matter how much or how little money you earn, the key to financial success is to spend less than you make. However, the majority of Americans spend unconsciously, wasting money on purchases that give them little satisfaction for their investment. Living the Savvy Life teaches how to create habits and routines that allow you to build and manage your finances effortlessly. By learning how to focus spending on what is truly important to you and economizing on those things that are not as important, you can successfully manage your personal finances and enjoy life regardless of your level of income.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Morgan James Publishing (January 11, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 160037834X
• ISBN-13: 978-1600378348
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (58 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #156,406 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Personal finance author, speaker and teacher Melissa Tosetti is the founder of the day-to-day financial education company The Savvy Life and is author of the international best seller, Living the Savvy Life. Melissa's passion is to help people step off the pendulum that swings from overspending to extreme frugality creating a balanced, fiscally secure lifestyle. Melissa believes in creating a strong financial foundation through easy to implement habits and routines that make managing your money effortless. From there, she introduces The Savvy Life Philosophy of saving money on the things that are not as important to you so you can afford to spend money on the things that are important to you.

Understanding the fear and emotions surrounding money, Melissa presents her material in a positive, upbeat manner. Her goal is to encourage people for the future rather than making them feel guilty about their past financial decisions and actions.

Melissa regularly speaks at community and service clubs such as Soroptomist and Rotary. Her corporate speaking resume includes Bayer Healthcare LLC, Cisco Systems, PG&E and International Paper among others. She has appeared on five episodes of Pocket the Difference on the Fine Living Network, The Real Deal with Jeanette Pavini and on Eye on the Bay. She has been quoted in U.S. News & World Report, TodayShow.com, Chicago Tribune and Detroit News among other publications. She has chaired panels on savvy living at the Professional Businesswomen of California conferences in San Francisco and Sacramento. She also teaches courses on savvy living at Chabot College in Hayward, CA as well as running her own Savvy Living Class Series.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

112 of 113 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Savvy Decision January 11, 2011

By Simply Luxurious

Format:Paperback

It is with three thumbs up, if only I had that many to raise, that I would give Living the Savvy Life: The Savvy Woman's Guide to Smart Spending and Rich Living written by Melissa Tosetti and Kevin Gibbons.

Beginning with the premise that a savvy life is one which includes balance, it continues to go in depth with individual chapters focused on money, home organization, entertainment, wardrobe, beauty and food. After all, Tosetti and Gibbons remind the reader continually, that in order to create the life we want, we must prioritize - saving money by not purchasing and spending money on things that are of little or no importance to us, so that we may be able to spend our hard earned money on things that are of great priority.

While this concept may sound simple, living a savvy life is one that involves discipline, and whether we want to admit it or not, money is at the bottom of the foundation of the life we want to build.

Financially speaking, the authors speak to the readers, as though you are having a conversation. Examples from their own experiences are given which makes it much more personable and honest. I particularly appreciated their approach in how they talk about money. The concept of planning to be successful will ultimately help lead to a more confident person who steps forward in pursuit of the life they want. Most importantly, we must all know where our money is going and exactly how much we make and thus spend, but instead of purchasing an expensive Microsoft Money or Quicken program, why not just use Excel?

Now if talking about money for an entire book seems a bit much, don't worry.... There are wonderful chapters on how to be a savvy shopper for your kitchen and your closet, as well as simple ways to make sure you are able to enjoy the entertainment you wish to spend your money on.

One of the tests I have in determining whether a book will be passed on to my friends and family, and now my readers, is if I am annotating madly as I read. And, in this case, it began on the first page, while at the same time I was jotting down notes in my notebook. Here are just a few of the many specific ideas suggested on how to create a more savvy way of life that immediately caught my attention:

*Create a weekly cleaning list

*Create a spa-like atmosphere in your master bath (add an orchid, bamboo, etc)

*Drink 1 glass of water with each meal

*Enter expenditures daily into Excel program

*Sign-up for Ebates

*Call cable, telephone and credit card companies quarterly to look into lowering bills or taking advantages of special offers

*Only purchase things you love

*Create a family cookbook, complete with plastic covers to protect each recipe

*Do not use a credit card a second time until you have paid off the balance in full

*Come up with five different dishes you can serve when you have guests over that allow you to enjoy your company and give you the peace of mind that dinner will be delicious and very much enjoyed by your company

*Create your own style book

The list could go on and on. The specifics that are given endlessly is one of the reasons I know this book will be a resource for me. Not only do the authors share their own ideas, but they share interviews with respected professionals in their fields - for example, with Michael Chiarello (of Food Network fame), excerpts from Debra Ollivier's A Woman's Guide To Finding Her Inner French Girl, five pages full of titles of books suggested as references on all of the topics discussed in the book and at the end of each themed chapter, a list of 10 Tips for that particular topic.

The beauty of this book is that it reminds us that we truly are "the designers of our lives". Because as they see it, and I couldn't agree more, "You are the artist and a savvy life is yours to create."

I highly recommend this book for anyone who desires to perpetually grow, live their best life and create their very own success story. Read more ›

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliantly Simple July 21, 2011

By VespaGrrl

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The first time I read through this book, I felt quite annoyed. I couldn't understand why a book had been published with such simple advice. On the second read (the same week), I realised I was annoyed because the advice IS so simple - and, whilst not in debt, keeping track of finances was something I did with a Fingers Crossed approach. I put all the financial suggestions - every one of them - into practice the first week. That was a month ago, and I am just amazed at how easy saving and keeping track of money/expenses is, and at how creative I've become in finding the best value now that I've set myself various financial goals. The best part - I do not have to go short or take second best on the things that REALLY matter to me. (The book has a great section on having you make the decision on the things you REALLY want in life. What really matters to you.)

By the second week, I started all the Clutter Clearing advice, and consulted the various resources in the book. Again, Excellent and Easy to Achieve advice. I had not realised how difficult I had made my own life.

One of the resources the book refers to is on cleaning - sounds trivial, but, as a full time worker, I seemed to spend my whole weekend cleaning, yet never had a tidy home for more than an hour. Now, with just a few minutes a day, I no longer spend hours of my precious weekend time with dustcloths & vacuums.

I found this book to be an excellent, no nonsense approach to taking back control of finances, and many areas of life that were draining and unproductive.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, simple and fun. January 3, 2011

By Erika A. Lawrence

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

"Living the Savvy Life" is a wonderful guide to enjoying a fuller and richer life within your current means. It has helped me to bring consciousness and forethought to my every day spending. Not only am I no longer wasting my money on things that are not important to me, I am truly enjoying the things I do want to spend money on. Tosetti and Gibbons are gentle with their advice, and I was able to make permanent changes a little at a time. Baby steps!

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome book! January 5, 2011

By teacherlentz

Format:Paperback

This is the first finance "help" book I've ever read that not only made perfect sense but was also full of tips that were practical and easy to follow. I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a gentle nudge in the right direction. Really an excellent read.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Are you Average or Savvy? January 19, 2011

By HLS

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

When Melissa Tosetti opened the "Introduction" with a descriptive contrast between the "Average Woman" and the "Savvy Woman", I was hooked. Refreshingly, I feel that I am doing well in living a "savvy life". I have implemented so many changes in my lifestyle over the past five years that many of the points she makes on how to shop for clothing, food and travel already resonate with me. By reading her book, I felt more validated by my choices. After all, when living in a world surrounded by "Average Women", it can sometimes feel pretty lonely being "savvy".

Her book is full of references, equations and lists that make for easy to follow advice. I loved the information provided on pages 174-175 about financial rules to follow in order to prosper (I have been looking for those equations for a long time). Each of the main chapters that focus on certain life subjects (ie: Home, Food, Money,Beauty,etc) has a Top 10 List recap of the chapter. I took a lot of interest in the chapters on "Food" and "Money". I am now putting forth the effort to look at recipes, list exactly what I need to make those recipes and then go grocery shopping. I know this is going to help us keep our grocery bill down and it will keep me organized with meal planning.

Another tip I am employing is keeping a "Spending Book". I am constantly seeing things I would like to purchase. My old self would have thought nothing of throwing it in the cart (real or virtual) and "buy it now"-even if that had meant charging it. By using a "spending book", this means saving and planning ahead for purchases and/or emergencies. Keeping a list of things I want or need close at hand, will help me to control my spending and not make frivolous purchases I will regret later. OH! And did you know about Ebates?... I sure didn't and it kills me to think about how much money I lost on such ignorance.

All in all, this is going to be one book that doesn't rest on the bookshelf too long. I will be repeatedly reaching for it and referring to it for its fine, simple, non-preachy advice. Read more ›