This newsletter is for people at the various extremes of frugality. Perhaps you have the time to pinch every penny and live life as the ultimate tightwad. You will find helpful suggestions to further your quest. If, on the other hand, you have limited time to clip coupons and live such a hectic life that you barely know your kid's names, you too should find some helpful hints to help you feel more in control of your money. Forced Frugality Many families are being forced to scale back their expenses due to corporate downsizing, layoffs and reorganization.
Job security is no longer a benefit offered in the work place.
It is shocking to think that nearly 440,000 people were laid-off in 1995 and the trend doesn't seem to be slowing down. In the late 1980's only one out of every three Americans were concerned about losing their jobs or taking a pay cut. Yet, in the mid 1990's, more than half are anxious about job and pay security. Credit card debt, huge mortgages and living beyond ones means has forced many to re-evaluate their current standard of living and look for alternative methods to reduce expenses. For some, living frugally may have been a choice in the past, but it has now become a necessity.