Advice and Cereal: Frugal Friends

I have one extremely frugal colleague, and my life took a definite upward turn when I moved to the office opposite his. (The window also helped). We chat about trivial things, which is relaxing, and fairly important things, which is not. Last week he brought me a frugal gift: a twin pack of Kashi cereal. "Why are you giving this to me? Don't you like it?"

Frugal Colleague explained that the twin pack was marked down to $1.25 at Walmart and that he had bought all 7 packs. And I was to be the recipient of one of the packs. There was also a sticky coupon for a free pack of cereal bars. Wow! thanks, Frugal Colleague.

This morning, Frugal Colleague explained that his new dental crown broke off when he was eating part of a chocolate Easter bunny that was reduced to 25 cents. Since we share the same dentist (and I swear that, between our families, we contribute about 90% of her income) I could tell him that her phone # is listed and that she takes emergency calls.

After he came back from the dentist's office, we continued out chat. As it happened, he had many issues to discuss. As it also happened, I had advice on all of them. So, just in case you have any of the same questions, here is the advice.


1. Frugal Colleague said he and his wife had not made any funeral arrangements.

Advice: Look into a burial society, like the Neptune Society. These are prepaid and no-frills. My in-laws did this and, when my mother-in-law died, it was a great simplifier.


2.Frugal Colleague said he had to buy some quick-drying pants for a 10-day trip to Turkey.

Advice: Pack about 3 pairs of old pants and discard as you go along. That way, you'll have room for souvenirs. Not that frugal people buy many souvenirs.

3. Frugal Colleague's wife just turned 66 and thinks she should wait till 70 to take Social Security.

Advice: Take it now, and repay at 70 if you want to reset the payments. This is a little-known feature of social security.

And here is a little poem from the days of autograph books. It is sent out to students and teachers during finals.

Can't think, brain numb,
Inspiration won't come.
Can't write, bad pen,
Best wishes , Amen.