Bargain$, Budget$, Discount$, and Deal$: Eking Out in Brutal Times
by Brian M. Mich
Stratton Press Publishing


"Learn to know the difference between wants and needs, luxuries and necessities."

In this three-part debut work, author Mich offers wise advice for simple, sensible financial decision-making. The bulk of his book is "A Saver's Glossary," in which he shares useful terms in alphabetical order, applying his own definitions to them. These terms range from the purely economic, such as "affordability," "Automatic Teller Machines," "Mortgages," and "Nest Egg," to a wider range of potentially useful concepts that affect a multitude of life's needs and activities. For example, visiting "Quebec, Canada" is "like traveling to Europe" but far less complicated. "Magazines" can be borrowed or read at libraries to save on subscription fees. "Karate" is good exercise; just shop around for the best lesson fees. Cut your own hair, make your own Halloween costumes, and grow your own vegetables. The book's second section contains essays focused on a similar subject matter, and a third portion offers poems that are often sardonic. "Have and Have-nots," "Nickled and Dimed," and "It Never Pays to be Poor" are some of the offerings here.

Mich, disavowing any special knowledge of economics, writes in a personable style that engages the reader and implies but does not preach his opinions. He gives sound, practical advice on issues ranging from managing credit card debt to avoiding sweets and buying cheaper "tag-less tea" while advocating for more ponderous strategies like universal healthcare in an equally fair but undeniably thought-provoking way. Mich places his poems and other materials on a blog, and some of his essays have been published elsewhere. He believes that his techniques and recommendations can benefit readers "from the unemployed to the well-to-do." His glossary, accrued over a long period of dictionary study, puts specialized material in a recognizable, accessible format that will appeal to anyone trying to organize a budget and stay afloat in the current, often confusing, financial flow.

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