A review by lu_wilson
In the Red by Alexis Hall

1.0

Review originally written for my blog www.moosenoose.com[return]I came across this book in the mini library at work and was interested in how somebody could pay off almost £32k in a year. I’ve been on a strict budget for the past couple of years and thought this book may offer a few interesting tips and advice, as well as being an interesting read. Unfortunately I was wrong! It turns out that it isn’t that hard to repay the debt when bot you and your partner earn a bloody decent wage and don’t have to worry about losing our home or not having enough to eat. Hall’s version of cutting back on her expenditure just didn’t ring true for me. In the very first month, Hall decided to buy a scooter. Now I can get that the petrol is cheaper etc etc, but most people who are deep in debt and worried about it don’t shell out another £1700 for the latest scooter! Although Hall did cut back on a lot of things such as unnecessary clothes shopping, she still had luxuries every day that the rest of us don’t see as essential. Like spending £5+ on lunch in Boots and ridiculously expensive presents for her partner, her friends and her dog. Unfortunately this book is written in a daily diary format which was repetitive and boring. It focused more on Hall’s whining about how unfair and unjust life is, rather than offering any solid advice on cutting back on your expenditure. The idea of 12 whole months of complaining made me just skim through each chapter to reach the end. Can’t recommend this one!