Top Ten Wackiest Ways to Save Money

Let's face it, finance can be a boring topic. You can plow through manual after manual purporting to give financial advice, especially to householders, and find (along with perhaps some interesting bits) the same budgeting worksheets and the same safe n' sane investment advice doled out over a generation. Considering how popular these books are, you'd think more people in America would be managing their bottom line better.

BUT THEY'RE NOT!

The real savings rate for US citizens is now -1.3%. It hasn't been this bad since the Depression. Which is pretty much what Amy D. sums up in the first few pages of The Tightwad Gazette, Book One.

For people who are dang near desperate for money-management advice (and don't want to fall asleep learning about it), the unconventional approach is worth a look. For instance, have you considered trying some of these offbeat ideas?

1. THROW YOUR BUDGET OUT THE WINDOW

2. EARN LESS

3. DUMPSTER DIVE

4. HIDE YOUR MONEY IN YOUR MATTRESS

5. LIVE IN A BUS

6. FLEE YOUR 401(K)

7. GIVE BIRTH AT HOME

8. EAT CAT FOOD

9. BUY "LOSER" STOCKS

10. FREQUENT PAWN SHOPS

Sound sensational? I hope so, because this post is an introduction to a series I've already mostly written, according to the subtitles above. Look for each new post with a lag time of 1-3 days to allow for editing (and possible teething). I'm serious about spewing out my new-found insights to anybody who feels like they might benefit from them...so stay tuned....