Live Large, but Pay Little!

The market goes up, the market goes down. We’re in a boom, we’re in a recession, we’re in a depression. None of this economic see-saw has ever affected me, because I’ve been a thriftaholic all my life. And as we continue to follow this roller-coaster ride we call the economy, skills in the art of penny-pinching are becoming a necessity.

In my book, Bargain Junkie: Living the Good Life on the Cheap, I show that living on a budget doesn’t mean abandoning expensive tastes or a love of culture. Because I’ve practiced frugality all of my life, I’m a bargain expert who’s figured out how to spend my cash sparingly and still live a lifestyle of the rich and famous.

As a self-described “thriftaholic,” I wear designer clothes, have filled my home with valuable objects, eat in restaurants (a lot!), give the occasional dinner party, put a child through college, and have traveled all over the world – all on the cheap. My mantra? You don’t have to be rich to live well.

Bargain Junkie details how smart shopping doesn’t hinder my social life of rubbing elbows with celebrities.

• Best dressed for less: I attend a wedding reception for the Swedish actor Max Von Sydow wearing a swanky dress from a consignment shop. It retailed for over $800 – I paid $100.




• Grilled cheesin’ with celebrities: Alot of swanky restaurants have low-cost specials on certain days. In Los Angeles, I run into Patricia Heaton – an old friend from acting class – at Campanile’s grilled cheese night.




• Easy come, easy go: At a celebration of his Oscar win, my husband Benni manages to dip the sleeve of his suede blazer into a bowl of tomato soup. Good thing I only paid 90 cents for it in a thrift shop!




• Leftovers with the rich and famous: Masaki, a film producer from Tokyo, can’t contain his horror as I place a pot of yesterday’s beef stew onto the stove. “Annie-san! Are you serving garbage?”

The economy is down, but there’s no need to do without.  Learn how to live large for very little with Bargain Junkie!

 

About the Author

Annie Korzen is a comedy writer and performer. Her humorous essays have been printed in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and more. She has delivered commentaries on NPR’s Morning Edition and appeared on Oprah. She was the recurring Doris Klompus on Seinfeld; other credits include ER, Judging Amy, Hannah Montana, and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.   She has done her solo shows, Yenta Unplugged and Keep Your Mouth Shut on three continents.  She is also on the lecture circuit with the Harry Walker Agency. She calls Los Angeles her home, with frequent trips to New York.