“Suze Orman, you’ve got a powerhouse who just moved in next door! Ellie Kay is a financial expert whose time has come. Her advice is for Mr. and Mrs. America and not just Wall Street. If you live on Main Street, you need to meet your new neighbor, Ellie Kay, who’s spiked the Koolaid with the wakeup juice that mainstream America needs in order to survive today’s money woes and tomorrow’s future challenges. I love this book more than a bowl of fat grams.”
– Dr. Kevin Leman, best-selling author of Have a New Kid by Friday

“Ellie Kay makes complicated financial concepts understandable. Heeding her advice will give you an extraordinary quality of life as you learn the secrets of living and giving in a way that multiples your resources.”
–Carol Kent, best-selling author A New Kind of Normal and president of Speak Up Speaker Services

“We feel richer already! Ellie Kay gives a billfold full of ideas to help place more money back into your pockets! With three kids in college, and retirement on the horizon, Ellie’s wisdom is a wealth of encouragement, comfort, and practical proven helps.”
–Pam and Bill Farrel, international speakers, best-selling authors of Men are like Waffles, Women are like Spaghetti, and Ten Best Decisions a Couple Can Make

“Ellie work, helping us be better stewards, is one of the great services to families across our nation.”
–Dennis Rainey, executive director and radio host of Family Life

“Ellie is amazing! I don’t think she ever sleeps! She provides great information and is always a fun guest on the show.”
–Bill Griffith, host of CNBC’s Power Lunch

“Ellie is the gateway to mainstream America.”
–Marc Myers, money columnist, Reader’s Digest

“A splen…

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars A common-sense book
In a common-sense book, Ellie Kay provides many tips on saving money, investing money, paying for college, and more. Kay is a popular columnist and speaker about family financial matters and has written several other books on the subject as well. Living Rich for Less is timely, easy to read, or browse. The book is organized into three sections–Giving 10%, Saving 10%, and Spending Smart the other 80% (her 10/10/80 Rule). There are several trademarked slogans (which gets annoying after a while) to keep you paying attention (the Cha Ching Factor ™ for example.) While some of the advice may just not be useful (or obtainable– refinancing your house, for example) for everyone, you would be hard-pressed not find at least several hundred dollars in annual savings from your current budget. And that isn’t a bad return on a $16.99 investment.

1 Star Not worth a read
Since the recession is hitting most of us, I went to the library looking for books that would help and offer some sound advice. I loved the title of this book so I picked it up along with a few others.

This was by far the least helpful. The author provides almost no tips on how to spend smart. She tells us to save 10% of our income, donate 10%, and spend 80%. I already donate to charity, I already save, I wanted advice on how best to save and how best to spend the remainder of my income. This book offered no advice for that.

I admire the fact that Kay dug herself out of $40,000 in debt, but while reading the book you discover part of the reason why is that she was a winning contestant on the Price is Right and took home thousands!

Books like Frugal Living for Dummies are much more helpful.

1 Star Waste of Time
This book gives almost no information on how to live rich for less. In fact, it reads like an infomercial complete with customer testimonials. The book is filled with cute little stories that offer no practical advice.

The entire book can be summed up with Kay’s 10/10/80 principle - donate 10% of your money, save 10%, spend the other 80% wisely. That’s it. Her advice for spending the other 80% wisely is essentially use the Internet to find good deals, use coupons, buy on sale, and negotiate. There are many other books that cover these same topics but in much greater detail.

I was also turned off by Kay’s product placement. She has been a paid spokesperson for Proctor & Gamble and others and it shows. She tells consumers to buy Dawn dish soap because it is ultra concentrated so it lasts longer, but most stores have generic versions of ultra concentrated soap that works just as well and lasts just as long (and is much cheaper). She also pitches another PG product, Bounty paper towels, and I’ve used other less expensive brands that were just as good. But Kay never recommends buying the generics of these products. I do not think a paid spokesperson should offer supposed unbiased advice.

If the book offered other great tips or advice I could have overlooked the product pitches, but unfortunately it didn’t.

4 Stars A Spoonful of Sugar with this Medicine. Can Money be Funny?

I’m not going to lie. I hate financial stuff. Not that I don’t have reason. On paper I’ve BEEN worth a million…unfortunately, paper doesn’t actually mean much, especially in light of our economy. Foreclosure of rental properties and the crashing and burning of the asset of equity have been companions over the past couple of years. Money savvy and natural money sense are terms that don’t define me.

Another reason to be queasy when dealing with finances… I have a “legal” first name that is used to bind me to contracts. When I sign it, hear it or see it, well, let’s just say that life often feels like a trip to the principal’s office.

That said, Ellie Kay made financial details amusing and almost painless. She shares stories and experiences from her financial growth curve that are down to earth and full of humor.

Living Rich for Less is geared more for folks who haven’t made many financial or budgeting changes or haven’t considered how they can cut back on expenses over those who’ve already begun the basic process of scaling back. However, Kay offers a great overview of insurance needs, different savings options, and the value of giving, saving and smart spending.

5 Stars Upbeat Financial Planning For Families
Ellie Kay’s “Living Rich For Less: Create the Lifestyle You Want by Giving, Saving and Spending Smart” offers useful tips written in a friendly style.

You can pick up this book, skim the chapter titles, and skip to any topic that most interests you. Her book is in no way a dry, scientific tome, but is full of lively ideas, with chapters like “Shopping to save: shop till you drop savings in groceries, on clothing and online” and chapter 8 “The new cool: slashing insurance costs and room-by-room cash savings.”

“Living Rich for Less” is also peppered with Ellie Kay’s Cha Ching money saving tips, like how to dramatically increase miles per gallon for your vehicles, with big cash savings on what you spend on gasoline. She includes a chapter on “Giving green: eco-friendly savings for energy, the environment and eggplant.” Yes, eggplant.

This book is a useful tool for all who need help with financial planning at the beginning and intermediate levels.

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