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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not Suitable for Children, September 26, 2009
This review is from: Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel: 100 Dirty Little Money-Grubbing Secrets (Paperback)
This book is a great, lighthearted read. The author writes with a certain undeniable charm like that of a grungy sailor coming into port.
The advice in the book can only be taken half seriously and with a grain of salt. From a financial perspective many of the tips would and have been used by many but the author says it best, "Honor. Integrity. Honesty. Dignity. If you live by any of these values, you may as well drop the book right now(...)"
I would say leave your pride at the door as well because digging through dumpsters or posing as a homeless person are part of the curriculum covered in detail in the book.
Each of these 100 juicy secrets are quite detailed and clearly written from experience. Phil's tongue-in-cheek commentary on each tip is hilarious and just adds value to the great ideas as well as the horrible ideas.
I admit to having done and still do about half of the tips in the book. The other half, most of which I am kicking myself for not coming up with and the rest make my moral compass go haywire, are extremely tempting and almost make me want to take up a few new hobbies.
What you will find in this book:
* How to "dine like a cheap SOB"
* Ways to dodge costly relationship milestones
* Instructions on getting freebies in every situation
* What it means to really pay yourself first
* Doing all of the above while looking like the hero
What you won't find in this book:
* The same tips everyone else already knows
* "Honor. Integrity. Honesty. Dignity."
* How to score points with the man upstairs
* Tips on building healthy relationship with friends or family
* Anything boring!
I can just imagine Phil at the family Christmas party hoarding Tupperware, scraping leftovers off abandoned plates back into the container for later use and giving out handmade sock puppets as gifts to all his relatives.
All jokes aside, the book really has some great information that just about everyone can apply to their finances and was worth every penny.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Review from my Website, September 14, 2009
This review is from: Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel: 100 Dirty Little Money-Grubbing Secrets (Paperback)
Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel could not be more aptly named. Within these pages lie some of the most despicable and outrageous ways to save money you could ever imagine, many that even border on illegal. Now, I am a relatively hard person to shock or offend. Anyone who knows me personally also knows that I am gross, inappropriate, idiotic and almost completely desensitized to everything. This book shocked me.
I was unprepared for just how money-grubbing and unethical the tips in this book would be. Add to that the writing style (which is uproarious) and what you get is a book that [...] me right in. I would love to say that I did not like Secrets, but I enjoyed every second of it! Even those tips that I completely disagree with on a moral basis (like taking post-it notes to the grocery store with made-up prices for the store to match) are delivered with such wit that it is hard to even be irritated. It takes a special kind of writer to tell you to basically steal from a company and do it with a sense of humor that makes you laugh out loud as you sit alone on the porch, book in hand.
Although I am steadfast in my plight against some of the borderline criminal tips in this book, there is enough sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek expressions to show that much of the author's seemingly unethical tips are nothing more than entertainment. For example, in the section of Secrets regarding relationships and what a drain they can be on your finances, Phil recommends instigating fights before holidays and special occasions. This way, you will get to avoid gifts, dinners and other holiday fare. Here is a sample of his writing, which (if serious) is disturbing to say the least:
I recommend at least four, I-never-wanna-see-you-again (till next week) throw-downs. Valentine's day, her birthday, your anniversary, and Christmas. Throw Thanksgiving in there too if her parents annoy you and she's asked you to dine with your family.
I am fortunate that I can recognize what should be taken seriously and what is meant to be funny. But it is a VERY fine line. What may be too "over the top" for me may just be an idea or method you will gladly be willing to adapt. If you are looking for tips that will genuinely save you money, and morals have no boundaries, get this book. If you just want to laugh, and could care less about how stingy the author really is, get this book.
On the other hand, if you are easily offended by almost anything at all, this one is not for you. Don't say I didn't warn you.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bargain Babe digs the Stingy Scoundrel!, September 29, 2009
This review is from: Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel: 100 Dirty Little Money-Grubbing Secrets (Paperback)
I like to laugh, and I bet you do to. Which is why I'm digging Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel. I can tell this book is funny from the Table of Contents, which makes me like it even more.
Chapter 1. All the free t-shirts, hats, squeeze bottles and hip sacks a man could ever want. How to clothe yourself by signing up for on-the-street credit-card promotions.
Chapter 5. Don't smoke. That's it. Just don't become addicted to cigarettes, you moron.
Chapter 14. Kids eat free. Let your bottomless-pit stomached rugrats punish foolish restaurants.
Chapter 18. Art of the well-timed fight/breakfup. Why you should save your big fights for just before holidays and birthdays.
Are you giggling as much as me? Okay, then. I'll just share one more.
Chapter 19. Things you never ever have to buy. Napkins, mustard and ketchup packets, and straws - the best things in life are free.
And on till Chapter 100. Each chapter is two or three pages long, so it moves along quickly. And the paper is really nice with curved corners so it feels like a luxurious read. The illustrations by cartoonist Adam Wallenta are also pretty cool.
Here's an excerpt from Chapter 16: Yay WNBA, that illustrates how sassy and cheap the author, Phil Villarreal, is. Phil is a contributing editor at Consumerist and a reporter for the Arizona Daily Star. His personal blog is called Because I Told You So.
"As you flip through the newspaper sports section or watch SportsCenter, it's common to wonder, "Why the hell does the WNBA exist? The answer is twofold. One is to provide a role model for young girls, teaching them that basketball isn't as pointless as softball or soccer and could actually pay off if they work hard enough. Never mind that most players make less than your garbageman. The other reason is to provide silver-bullet dates for horny young men looking to pretend they're evolved and sophisticated.
"It's the second purpose of existence we'll focus on here.
"While the average real NBA ticket price is about $50, the average WNBA admission is less than $15, meaning you won't have to sell your spleen on the black market in order to afford a game, parking, and a soda.
"Volunteering to go to women's athletic events elevates you to heroic status in the eyes of your potential beloved. All their lives, athletic-minded ladies have had their endeavors belittled and marginalized by even the men they love the most, but you emerge as a white knight who appears to actually take an interest in girls' meaningless sporting pursuits. You can boost your credibility by reading up on the teams involved so you can toss of little inside-baseball-ish tidbits as you watch the game unfold. And because the tickets cost so little, you won't even need to wince when she orders at the concession stand."
Got you hooked? I highly recommend this book if you like to save money, have a sense of humor, or are looking for a gift for someone who is frugal.
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by Trent Hamm
by The Writers of Wise Bread
