J
eff Yeager
Lesson number one rule in Yeager’s amusing and instructive books: cheapskate is a GOOD word. I couldn’t agree more. Rather than going down the usual money-saving how-to roads, namely the “how to save money by reusing old string and cardboard boxes to make shoes” and the “just stop drinking that triple frappe half-caf latte every morning and you’ll be rich in no time” books, Yeager focuses on helping you find your inner cheapskate.
He lays out the major areas of our lives where people often make poorly informed choices with little forethought. His advice runs the gamut of being below your means, considering the total cost of a purchase (including upkeep, repair, etc), ways of saving money and amount of time you need to devote to it. Not every option works for every person. Pick and choose to what suits your lifestyle and plans for the future. Yeager also points out the pitfalls of becoming too focused – such as the coupon clippers that spend hours a week to save on products they may not even want.
Most importantly, he takes a view (which I wholeheartedly agree with) that the most precious commodity of all is free time. Being careful with your money can help you buy something that no one ever seems to have enough of. The book is written in a witty, fun way – rather like having a talk with a favorite irascible uncle.