Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Thriving on Less
Simplifying in a tough economy
by Leo Babauta
E-Book 27 pages letter size
Price: Free downloadable PDF
http://thepowerofless.com/2008/12/free-ebook-thriving-on-less-simplifying-in-a-tough-economy/
Thriving on Less by Leo Babauta is the free E-book companion to the book “The Power of Less” by the same author.
This small volume should be a good introduction to living and thriving on less and thriving is the operative word.
Many people try to live and survive on less and are very miserable with it. The trick is to let go, and that trick is not all that easy, all too often.
Leo Babauta gives great guidance in this free E-book that should help anyone to thrive on less and the 10 short chapters into which the book is broken up make great and easy reading and should be a great entry level for anyone wishing to simplify his or her life while feeling good doing it.
Some of the steps that the author himself took in order to simplify his and his family's life and also in order to reduce debt and expenses I too can identify with.
I got rid of my TV a number of years ago and while it was not cable at a rate of $60 per month but just ordinary British TV I am saving about $200 per year on license fee. I also do not miss the TV at all and must say that I have not, really, ever. So a real good move.
I watch some TV online via a number of the TV companies that offer a watch again service on the day after and some, such as Germany's ZDF, also offer live stream.
Newspapers and such I read online for free – thank you very much – and I also have found a great way to keep in touch with friends and family scattered around the globe, aside from email, and that is by using computer based communications tools, such as Instant Messenger and Skype.
I use Skype for free calling computer to computer and also have a subscription with Skype Unlimited – a Skype Out service – for about $10 per month that allows me to call, at no extra charge, landlines in 40 countries across the globe, including the USA, Canada, etc.
The Skype service is also a useful tool for my writing business in that it enables me, at no extra cost, to make calls to publishers for books for review, and others businesses, and that at home and abroad.
Yes, there is a “Fair use Policy” in operation which means that, theoretically, the limit if 10,000 minutes of calls free on that service and there is also a daily call limit of, I believe, 50 calls. However, I think the service is worth it, especially as I do tend to spend about an hour or more almost daily talking to my adopted father in the USA.
There is furthermore great advice in the book “Thriving on Less” on how to get yourself free of debt and which steps to take in order to achieve this. The advice is very good and solid and should be something that most people could replicate in their lives.
Reducing your spending is the first way to do this and also loving your stuff rather than looking for and lusting after new stuff, new gadgets, new clothes, new shoes.
All in all a great little book and if this is an indication to the book to which this is but the small companion then that book will be a great one too.
© 2009
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