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  • The No Spend Year

  • How I spent less and lived more
  • By: Michelle McGagh
  • Narrated by: Lucy Brownhill
  • Length: 5 hrs and 13 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (431 ratings)
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The No Spend Year

By: Michelle McGagh
Narrated by: Lucy Brownhill
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Summary

Personal finance journalist, Michelle McGagh, takes on a challenge to not spend money for a whole year in an engaging narrative that combines personal experience with accessible advice on money.

Michelle McGagh has been writing about money for over a decade. You'd think that would make her a whiz with her own cash, right? Wrong! Spending with abandon and ignoring bank statements were her modus operandi. Just because she wasn't in serious debt apart from her massive London mortgage, she thought she was in control. She wasn't. Something needed to be done, but rather than cut back here and there, Michelle's approach was more radical. She set herself a challenge to not spend anything for an entire year. She paid her bills, and she had a minimal budget for her weekly groceries and household essentials, but otherwise Michelle didn't spend any money at all. She was finding creative ways to get the things she needed, to travel and to still be able to enjoy her time. Not only has she saved money, but she is happier, no longer feeling the desire to buy things all the time or feeling the pressure of being sold to. Her relationship with money, with things, with time, with others has changed for the better.

The No Spend Year is Michelle's honestly written and personal account of her challenge. But it is more than that; it is also a tool for life that will help you get to grips with your own financial situation. She talks about money in an accessible, unintimidating and often entertaining way, and interspersed throughout are really brilliant personal finance tips and life hacks about interest, mortgages, savings , pensions and spending less to help you live a more financially secure life, too.

©2017 Michelle McGagh (P)2017 Hodder & Stoughton

What listeners say about The No Spend Year

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Nothing new and London centric

I normally find books like these fascinating but this book failed to hold my attention. It is intended for someone who has never known or been aware of any money saving techniques (free museums) and assumes you have access to everything that a huge city like London has to offer. I found it incredibly simplistic and dull.
I don't normally write reviews but feel I need to share with others my disappointment.

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29 people found this helpful

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Banana Eating Hippie on a bicycle!

Brilliant concept, great achievement and excellent first chapter but all down hill from there. Boring and repetitive tales of bike rides and bananas. Save yourself the time and read my header again, yes that pretty much sums up the entire book. I just saved you five hours, you're welcome!

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14 people found this helpful

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Surpisingly Informative

This is not something I would usually look at to read but seen as it was being read to me I thought I'd give it a go as any help with money has to useful right?

Well all I can say is I was pleasantly surprised with just how helpful this book was. Not only did you hear about the no spend year but also lots of information about finances - where to save, what to do, whats available to us to help along the way. 100% worth a listen in my eyes. Also I now feel more prepared for saving correctly and knowing how to make dents in a mortgage when I need that.

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10 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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A handy little guide to personal finance

An enjoyable and honest little documentary about a woman's year disentangling herself from the consumerist grip. Some great tips, not at all preachy with some nuggets of personal finance information dropped in. We could all learn something from this

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5 people found this helpful

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This book will put you to sleep!

While this was a very good experiment and the concept really intrigued me. The writer does nothing to entertain her reader. Even non-fiction should be written in somewhat of an entertaining manner. The concept was great, and there was some very good advice and ideas. Only thing is I had to stop listening after 10 mins for fear of getting out to sleep. I don't think it was the readers fault she was doing the best with the material she had. It was very very boring. Thanks for the few tips gained from your experience but it shouldn't have made it to print.

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4 people found this helpful

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Book that is based in U.K.!

Really good look at our every day life and experiences. Some good ideas on how to safe some pennies in your pocket. Highly recommend to anyone who's interested in minimalism!

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4 people found this helpful

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A good insight to more than you think

A well narrated book with little repetition. The interesting find being that you really do begin to question why you need things and your own self worth.

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4 people found this helpful

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Interesting book

What did you like most about The No Spend Year?

The book was easy tbut listen to and gave some practical tips and ideas on how to review your spending habits. The book was enjoyable and funny and hit home on the consumerism habits I have bought into

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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inspiring interesting entertaining

Enjoyed the "listen" as had it as audio book. Quite cool challenge and well done for achieving such a great result.

if you are looking for a book with a good story based on true experience around challenging one self and impact it has - this is a good read
it also gives some tips on how to be wiser with you money. as well as suggest perhaps we spend more than we have to? check it out for yourself!

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2 people found this helpful

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really informative

thoroughly enjoyed this! set myself a no spend challenge and I'm looking forward to it :)

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2 people found this helpful