Dance Diaries: Ballroom Budgeting: How I Afford to Dance by The Girl With the Tree Tattoo : A Review

BOOK TITLE: Dance Diaries: Ballroom Budgeting: How I Afford to Dance

AUTHOR: The Girl With the Tree Tattoo

ISBN/ASIN: ENTER ISBN

GENRE: Non Fiction

NUMBER OF PAGES: 41

FORMAT: Digital

SERIES / STANDALONE: Dance Diaries #2

HOW I GOT THIS BOOK: I thank iRead Book Tours for this review copy

SUMMARY:

Anyone who tries ballroom dancing quickly learns how expensive it can be. From private lessons to competition fees, the monetary cost of being a ballroom student can quickly skyrocket. In my experience, the high cost is the most frequently cited reason for quitting dance. It shouldn’t be that way! I live paycheck to paycheck, carry credit card debt, and still dance and compete in pro-am ballroom. In my first two years as a pro-am competitive ballroom dancer, I entered five competitions, had the money reserved for two additional events, and, at the same time, reduced my credit card debt by almost 50%! I wrote this second book in my Dance Diaries series out of a desire to help my fellow struggling dancers do the same thing. From budgeting basics to specific tips on how to save on ballroom dancing, in Ballroom Budgeting, I share exactly how I dance and compete in ballroom while living paycheck to paycheck AND reducing debt! I even provide the tools I use to help you start organizing your own ballroom budget right away! Stop stressing over the cost and focus on what is important – the dancing!

FIRST IMPRESSION:

I had the first book in the series, Learning Ballroom dance, with very less idea of what ballroom dance was. But as I read and really liked the neat, efficient presentation of the first book, I picked this book up with the idea that it will also talk about everything mentioned in the summary in a way even rookies could understand. The cover picture, cleverly placing the glittering shoe with the money, impressed me very much.

REVIEW:

The book began as a guide for ballroom budgeting, with the ultimate goal being - practicing ballroom with consistency and lessening the strain on the overall family budget. I began reading with interest because the book spoke of following the dream of ballroom dancing despite the expenses biting into the budget. This can happen only with the proper passion and planning. Ballroom dancing is not the only hobby that fell victim to the major deterrrent called 'lack of funds'. The author has chosen a right theme for her second book and it is clear that the experience is speaking through every written word.

Ballroom dancing can be expensive, and if one decides to follow that hobby they must be ready to manage their income and other expenses such that they make way for this one. All budgeting necessities arise because of clashes in the income and expenses, with the expenses exceeding income. Adjustments are quickly made, and unnecessary spending is cut down, and ways to increase income are searched for. Dance Diaries #2 tells you why it is essential to ensure that ballroom dancing does NOT become one of the cut off expenses.

The concept of the book is simple. If you really enjoy ballroom dancing, and want to do it with you full heart, you need to budget accordingly because ballroom dancing is expensive, both in coaching and the competitions (which have high entry fees, but without which ballroom dancing does not have much of a point). The book is generic enough to be considered a general guide on budgeting. The fact that it focuses on the inclusion of ballroom dancing as a necessary part of the budget is why this is directed at it. The author has clearly given good ideas for both cutting down on the expenses, and other ways to increase income. While the book is not essentially a perfect guide to ballroom budgeting, it still is a good budget guide material.

The book works due to its presentation style, but there really is not anything revolutionary and new in the book that you didn't already know. Ballroom dancing is expensive and if you are interested enough in it to make the expense, find out other avenues where you can cut down on expenses and increase your income by some method - but don't give up on ballrom dancing because of lack of money. If you want to read a book on budgeting, this book might be the beginner's course. Nothing exciting or novel, still a treasure trove of information that breaks down all expenses related to ballroom dancing.

VERDICT:

The book is a budgeting guide that includes ballroom dancing in the 'important expenses that cannot be avoided column'.

RATING: 3.5/5

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Katie is known as the Girl with the Tree Tattoo because of the tree of life tattoo that covers her entire back. She has been taking ballroom dancing lessons since December 2012 and competing in pro-am ballroom competitions since April 2014. It was through ballroom dance that Katie started to discover who she really was and what she was capable of, despite the demons of fear, self-doubt, and anxiety that live in her head. Through sharing her own experiences, Katie hopes to lead others to experience the amazing effect ballroom dancing can have on a life.

EDITIONS AVAILABLE: Kindle

PRICE $5.09 for Kindle

BOOK LINKS: Amazon