我的生活信条是“锱铢必较!”我会驱车几公里，为的是买菜省几毛钱;我会把买了的杂货退回去，为的是到打折季再买便宜的。金融危机对我来说可不是什么坏事儿，因为我终于能昂首挺胸，大大方方地过我的小抠儿日子了!
Mygrandmotherhadasaying: “Peoplearefunnywhenitcomestomoney.” Shecouldhavebeentalkingaboutme.
I’vealwaysbeeninsanelyfrugal,[2] nomatterwhatmyfinancialsituation. It’snotjustthatIbringmyownbagofcandytothemovies. Ialsodrivemilesoutofmywaytosave 70 centsontomatoesandpatronizedrugstoresonlywhereIhaveafrequentshopper’scard, andIhavebeenknowntoreturngroceryitemswiththeintentionofbuyingthemagainwhentheygoonsale.[3] WhenIfirststarteddatingBen (whoisnowmyhusband) andhenoticedthatIwasreusingpapernapkins, heasked, “Uhhh, didyougrowupintheDepressionorsomething?”[4] Irememberblushing, crumplingupmytwo-week-oldnapkin, andthrowingitaway.[5] (Sob. Good-bye, oldfriend!) Iunderstoodthatmycoupon-clipping[6] waysweren’tcoolandtriedtokeepthemsafelyhiddenfromview.
Butthenthefinancialworldcollapsedandeverythingchanged. Thebeautyofthetotalglobaleconomicmeltdown―forme, anyway―isthatnoweveryoneisfreakingoutaboutmoney.[7] I’mnotaloneanymore! Likeneverbefore, I’mfreetoobsessaboutmyquestforbargainsandfreerstilltoworryopenlyaboutmoney―ahabitthat’safundamentalpartofmyidentity.[8] I’minrecessionheaven.