Bitches on a Budget

So there is this whole genre of books dedicated to personal finance for women.  Of course we've always had the Suze Orman stuff, but this is different.  It's like non-fiction chick-lit.  Given my love of all things chick-lit AND my fascination with personal finance, I thought this might be the greatest thing that ever happened to me.

Not so much.

Bitches on a Budget is actually my second dip into this type of writing.  The first was so unimpressive and irrelevant to my life that I can't even remember it.  Bitches started out pretty much on the same level for me.

First of all, I apparently am not a "bitch."  (Yeah, try telling some of my exboyfriends that!)  A bitch, as defined by this new fad in books, is a woman who knows what she wants and goes for it.  She's a ruthless professional climbing her way to the top, but still likes to be feminine and treat herself to the nice things in life.  You will find these bitches, apparently, spending A LOT of money.  They like spa days, professional grade makeup, and incredibly expensive clothing with brand names I'm not even sure if I pronounce correctly...  If that's you, super.  Maybe you can get something out of this book.  But it's pretty much the opposite of me, or any person I would ever hope to be.

This book is full of ideas on how to compromise your insanely high expectations and still maintain your standard of living.  For example, instead of shopping at the highest end retailers and buying the most expensive apparel, check out the moderately priced stuff-- you'd be surprised what great, professional looking clothes you can get from Banana Republic!  And there's no reason to never enter a Sephora again.  You can go and only buy the lipstick!

Well, yesterday I visited the Banana Republic website and, while I admit I do like their clothes, I felt like I'd been punched in the gut when I looked at the prices.  Bear in mind, I do not work outside the home so I have no need for professional looking clothing.  Maybe I would feel differently if I did.  And Sephora?  Never even been there.  For me a splurge in clothing is visiting Target or Old Navy.  Makeup splurges involve buying Cover Girl instead of the dollar stuff from Wal-Mart.  And I've got to say, the author TOTALLY lost me when she said one should never shop at Goodwill, because that is a place for the truly poor and one should never take advantage of that unless they have to.  She claims shopping at Goodwill is like stealing from the poor.

OK, I thoroughly disagree.  I love Goodwill!  I was turned on to it about 8 or 9 years ago by this hippie-chick who was all into protecting the environment.  Why buy new clothes that were made in sweat shops when there are perfectly good used clothes out there that are just waiting for a second life?  Think of all the clothes you get rid of.  I get rid of at least a couple of garbage bags a year.  Every house in America probably does that.  That is more clothes than the poor alone need.  And by the way, Goodwill still costs money.  I am still purchasing things, not taking them off the homeless guy's back.  I would never go to a church or other organization that GIVES clothing to the poor and take them, but if I can get cute shirts for $3 a piece AND be doing my part to keep more crap out of landfills, I'm going for it.  I have even been known to buy shoes from Goodwill (though I totally Lysol them first).

That being said, there were parts of this book I enjoyed.  I liked the chapter on eating well and exercising on a budget.  It's easy to fall into that trap of buying junk and convenience foods because they seem cheaper than buying whole foods, but it is true that you can get great on a small budget.  I work towards that goal all the time.  I also thought the chapter on traveling was fun, though I'm not sure how plausible it is.

Overall, I was not the audience for this book.  To be perfectly honest, it made me want to buy more!  I WAS perfectly satisfied with my life until I learned of all the cool stuff I'm missing, that apparently are the things that "Bitches" are going to be downgrading to.  Now I'm considering redecorating my home and buying better makeup.  I didn't think I needed it before, but now I'm not so sure...  If you're a Bitch, give this book a shot.  Maybe you can find something in it that I didn't.  If you're REALLY on a budget, do not be fooled by the title: this book is not for you.