In what world are age-old concepts such as creating a budget and delaying gratification considered “new”?
I guess the “new rules” in the WSJ’s New Rules of Personal Finance book—which also include classic no-brainer frugality strategies like eliminating credit card debt and saving money by walking to work or the coffee shop rather than driving—are more of a commentary on how wasteful and clueless many consumers have been in the recent past.
If these are new rules, what exactly are the old ones? Buying whatever the hell you want and not thinking about it for two seconds?
Then again, it’s never too late to start saving, and everybody can use the occasional reminder to pay off debts, save more, and maintain a lifestyle of thrifty (rather than conspicuous) consumption.
But it’s gotta be said: Sure, you can save some money by walking to the coffee shop instead of driving, but you’ll save way more by (duh) brewing your coffee at home.
