Joining me today is Rosalyn Hoffman. She is a former buyer for Bonwit Teller, Filene’s, and Lord & Taylor in New York City. She was also a marketing executive for Avon and Lillian Vernon. She speaks Chinese and has traveled extensively in China. In addition to being a serious cook and wine collector, she has lived and studied cooking in France and has traveled the world cataloging changing markets. Her latest project is her book, Bitches on a Budget, which I’m excited to get to talk to her about today.
Natalie: Rosalyn, tell me about how you came up with Bitches on a Budget.
Rosalyn: Our new book, Bitches on a Budget, was conceived two years ago over a cup of coffee and a discussion about women, money, lifestyle and values. Not only were we lamenting the Paris Hilton’izing of American values—status symbols as markers of identity over substance–we also felt the underpinnings of the mortgage and financial markets were shaky. In short, we believed we were headed into bad times (if only we had sold our stocks then!).
Natalie: What financial advice do you have for all of us as we head into 2010?
Rosalyn: Our advice is the same every year. It’s simple common sense. Live within your means.
- Make a budget: know your income, know your expenses.
- Go over your spending with a fine tooth comb: Make sure you’re not over paying for services. If you don’t watch premium channels on cable eliminate the package. Do you need a landline and a cell phone? Check all your plans and policies and see if you’re getting the best prices.
- No credit card debt. Period. Get out of the debt you’re in.
- Plan to save.
- Change your shopping and buying habits. Think libraries and consignment stores.
- Find ways to enjoy yourself every day. Pleasure is free. Life is short.
Natalie: What can we expect to find in the book?
Rosalyn: Our philosophy? Life is short and should be lived with humor, joy and pleasure. Beautiful things should be admired and yes, even lusted after, but it’s time for all of us to break out of the ninetie’s and aught’s pattern of mindless consumption. It’s bad for our wallet, bad for the environment and bad for our psychic health!
So we set to work to write a book about living well, in good times and bad times. To give you a feel for the book we’d like to share a short section from the introduction:
Budget is Not a Dirty Word
Fiscal responsibility is like monogamy… if you think it’s boring, you’re doing it wrong. Since when has budget been a dirty word? After all, we’re not talking chastity belts, abstinence rings, knee-jerk denial. Think of budget as just another way to say edit. The key to good living is in using your limited resources wisely– we’ll show you how to hitch your mind to that little lust engine that’s driving you. The end result? You’ll make smarter shopping decisions. Bargain buys will replace designer labels as your new badge of honor. Besides, since you want to be a good green citizen of the world, it’s time to stop consuming everything in your path. Nothing is less attractive than a bloated bitch.
Be a Bitch, Bitch
Bitch isn’t a bad word, either. We’re proud to be modern women. Women who know what we want and aren’t afraid to get it; women with the sense to edit the good from the bad; women who choose to live with style and with conscience. Independent women who say what they think, are in touch with our femininity, and know how to enjoy our pleasures. Hell we make less than men do by the hour, work harder and produce more value (just think about it, can they have babies?). It’s time to stand proud, Bitch. “
Be sure to visit www.bitchesonabudget.com and don’t forget to enter this holiday giveaway by leaving a comment on this post before Saturday December 19th. A special thank you to author, Rosalyn Hoffman, and to Rachel Tarlow Gul at Over the River Public Relations for putting this giveaway together.
