Recommended Read: The Art of Frugal Hedonism

We’re constantly bombarded with messages that to enjoy life we have to spend money. But a lot of the things we spend our money on don’t actually make us happy. And more often than not, they distract us from the things that really matter to us – the stuff that makes us feel deeply connected, awake to the world around us and happy within ourselves.

The Art of Frugal Hedonism is a beautiful book about spending less while enjoying life more. Full of very helpful strategies for tweaking the way we think and behave about money and pleasure, it’s an antidote to a culture of overconsumption and overwork.

If you’ve ever found yourself disillusioned with how much stuff you own, or question the work-spend cycle you’re stuck in, this is a great book to pick up. Much more interesting than any budgeting book, it’s also a good read for anyone wanting to spend less, without losing out on fun, excitement and pleasure.

Written by local author Annie Raser-Rowland, with Adam Grubb, the book is witty, relatable and never dull. A pleasurable read by authors who know what pleasure is inside and out.

The Art of Frugal Hedonism is full of witty wisdom to feel more free, content and awake to your own life.

Here are some of our favourite ideas in the book to whet your appetite:

Grow Your Own Greens: “Leafy greens are some of the easiest, cheapest plants to grow, yet are expensive to store and transport, so are disproportionately expensive to buy. Homegrown and picked right before use, they are definitely tastier and more nutritious, not to mention pesticide-free.”
Beware of Fake Frugal: “Buying cheap disposables or crummy-quality things that quickly need replacing, is not only Fake Frugal because it leads to you spending more money later on, but because it is steadily leading to us all living in a very non-hedonism-compatible rubbish dump.”
Choose What You Romanticise: “Most ads carry a subliminal message that we all have the power of self-creation, and that what they are selling can help us with that. This can only be countered by replacing their suggested romantic visions of ourselves withother romantic visions…Looking to the world around you for people that you find inspiring in terms of strength, contentment and panache is a great start. But why not really cast your net wide? Look at history. Look at fiction.”
Recalibrate Your Senses: “Avoid sugar for a week, and suddenly the juicy explosion of a ripe peach is transformed into the most gorgeous ambrosia your taste buds could imagine… The element of restriction in such scenarios undoubtedly boosts their “reset-effect”... But it is not restriction that lies at theheartof this effect. It is contrast.”
Liberate Yourself From the Terror of Grime: “Cosmetic and detergent companies would have us believe that if we don’t use large globs of their products on a frequent basis, our friends will all desert us and we’ll develop a host of communicable diseases. Your authors suspect that they may be keeping their profit margins – rather than our best interests – at heart when doling out advice.