Courtesy of Jeff Yeager
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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle goes the mantra, but I will admit that I'm an extreme case. It's in my blood --- my great-aunt used to make Christmas decorations out of specimen cups from the urologist's office. And today, in that same frugal family tradition, I painstakingly cut worn out bicycle inner tubes into thin strips, like black calamari rings, to use as rubber bands, and I re-purpose the plastic bladders from five-liter boxes of Peter Vella's Chablis (which I'm told is French for "vineyard in a box") to use as comfy travel pillows.
Growing up fifty years ago in the farmlands of Ohio, we didn't consider such practices "green." Instead, we proudly thought of ourselves as "resourceful," "frugal" or, in the case of my mildly eccentric family, just plain old "cheap." You see, I come from a long line of self-actualized skinflints. In fact, the Yeager family crest bears the inscription "Spartica Homo Erectus," Latin for "Cheapskate Who Stands on Two Feet."
So today, I'm the Ultimate Cheapskate ? America's Cheapest Man ? and I find myself at the intersection of the green movement and those who are, first and foremost, concerned about saving a buck. And you know what? That's a terrific place to be, because contrary to what many Americans think, time and again it's the least expensive choices in life that also happen to be the best for the environment. From little things like using cloth instead of paper napkins, to big budget busters like cutting your heating and cooling bills by properly insulating your home, what's good for the environment is usually good for your bank account.
That's why I jumped at the chance to host a series of segments on the G-Word, $aving Green by Living Green, where we can show folks just how much dinero they stand to save by incorporating simple eco-friendly practices into their daily lives. And oh yeah, maybe we'll have some laughs along the way, 'cause not only is laughter the best medicine, but it's the only one that drug companies aren't ripping us off for.
Stay Cheap!
-Jeff Yeager
The Ultimate Cheapskate
Jeff Yeager is a freelance writer and broadcast journalist specializing in an offbeat blend of original humor and practical advice for enjoying life more by spending and consuming less. He is the author of the book The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches (Broadway Books / Random House 2008) and creator of the website, Ultimate Cheapskate. In addition to appearing on G-Word, Yeager is an occasional guest correspondent on the NBC Today Show. Earlier in his career, Yeager spent 25 years as a CEO and senior executive with national nonprofit environmental organizations in the Washington, DC area.
