Leo Babauta’s first book, The Power of Less, hits shelves today. The book focuses on doing less and getting more and, to promote it, Leo has reduced a free ebook: Thriving on Less. The ebook focuses on how we can simplify and save money — and it’s free.

Right now, many people are trying to figure out how to minimize their expenses and make it through the recession. Leo suggests that, instead of stressing about your finances, you can use the situation as an opportunity. You can use it to simplify your life and actually spend time on those things you consider priorities — like family or relaxation.

A simple life is not an uncommon goal — at least financially speaking. Consumerism is a part of culture these days, but it can become a major problem for a person’s finances. What Leo is advocating requires a significant lifestyle transition to most people. But Leo is living the same lifestyle he discusses in this ebook: he truly thrives on less. As he simplified his life and concentrated on those things he actually enjoys, he eliminated his debt, tripled his income and spent more time with his six children.

Thriving on Less offers a number of different approaches to scaling back on just about everything: the clutter in your life, the money you spend on hobbies and even the time you spend on other people’s priorities. Rather than pushing so hard to get ahead — a tactic many of us have tried and few of us have succeeded at — this ebook focuses on how less can be enough. It’s a question of satisfaction:

We aren’t satisfied, because there are new ads for new iPods, for new laptops, for new iPhones, for new cars, for new clothes. We have to have those. It’s impossible to satisfy that hunger for more, because our culture is not satisfied with what we have, but is geared to wanting more. It’s consumerism, and it’s the official religion of the industrialized world.

Don’t worry — Leo’s ebook isn’t about preaching a better way. Instead, it’s a discussion of options, a review of the tactics that have helped Leo create a life that makes him happy. I’d recommend reading this ebook if only to see how Leo manages his own life so comfortably. Particularly, his explanation of how he eliminated his debt makes for a valuable read for anyone unsure on their finances. But Leo didn’t limit the ebook to his own experiences — he researched tools that could help people in very different circumstances move to a point where they could thrive on less. He also made a point of listing out resources that readers could use to find more.

This ebook is does not contain every bit of wisdom on the topic of simplicity — it doesn’t even cover all of Leo’s knowledge. It’s meant to serve as a taste of what you can find in Leo’s new book. But even if you aren’t planning to pick up The Power of Less, I’d recommend reading Thriving on Less. It’s a fast read, full of useful ideas and it’s free! You can download the ebook from Leo’s website.

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