In Cheap We Trust

Could be that for as long as you can remember, guilt-free consumption has been a cherished American value. But, In CHEAP We Trust: The Story of a Misunderstood American Virtue by Lauren Weber explores the flip side and the current fascination with frugality in this country. Weber points out that we’re beginning to realize how wasteful we have become as a society in the last forty years. Where we once nursed contempt for the penny-pincher, we now choose to look down on (and be secretly fascinated with) both the sinfully wasteful and the sinfully cheap.

Weber sides more with the cheap, and after reading this book, you may find yourself at odd moments chanting the WWII mantra, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without." While she doesn’t actually encourage dumpster diving, she is among the growing number of folks who simply believe less is more and suggests we should think about saving.

Although In CHEAP We Trust is written in a lighthearted style, reading the book is not a lighthearted experience. It messes with your financial awareness. Weber’s big message is timely -- to think before we consume, which is the beginning of stopping waste. No doubt once the economy bounces back many of us will resort to our old ways. But for now, “waste not, want not” is not a dirty slogan.