How About Us?

On Tuesday, the Arizona Republic published an item titled "10 Steps to Big Savings". Always looking for ways to save money, I eagerly read the article.

Big disappointment. The article turned out to be little more than a puff piece that was compiled with little or no thought paid to the common man. The only money saving tips offered were things like mowing your own lawn, cleaning your own house, and cancelling the bottled water service.

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Bottled water service? I've never heard of such a thing. Everyone I know buys their bottled water at the grocery store. And some of us even refill and reuse our bottles. GASP!

This leads me to ponder: what about the regular people? What about those of us who don't wear a dry-clean only wardrobe?

What about those of us who ALREADY wash our own cars, brew our own coffee, clip coupons, paint our own nails, buy generic toilet paper, wait for movies to come out on DVD, shop at Goodwill, and drive paid-for cars with high miles?

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What about the housewives who reuse dryer sheets? Or the office workers who carpool to work? How about the family who only eats out on special occasions...and even then, they choose a budget-friendly restaurant and/or use a coupon?

So, how about those of us who are naturally thrifty? How about offering up some practical, creative, money saving tips for the segment of the population who--even during times of economic prosperity--don't spend frivously and are still barely able to stay afloat?

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For those people, I have one tip: cancel your subscription to the Arizona Republic and read it online for free. That's an $18 per month savings right there!