SKU: 12573509421

In Cheap We Trust: The Story of a Misunderstood American Virtue

Sale price$16.82 Regular price$18.69
Save 10%

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Jul 10 - Jul 15

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

In Cheap We Trust: The Story of a Misunderstood American VirtueCheap suit. Cheap date. Cheap shot. It's a dirty word, an epithet laden with negative meanings. It is also the story of Lauren Weber's life. As a child, she resented her father for keeping the heat at 50 degrees through the frigid New England winters and rarely using his car's turn signals to keep them from burning out. But as an adult, when she found herself walking 30 blocks to save $2 on subway fare, she realized she had turned into him. In this

Cheap suit. Cheap date. Cheap shot. It's a dirty word, an epithet laden with negative meanings. It is also the story of Lauren Weber's life. As a child, she resented her father for keeping the heat at 50 degrees through the frigid New England winters and rarely using his car's turn signals-to keep them from burning out. But as an adult, when she found herself walking 30 blocks to save $2 on subway fare, she realized she had turned into him.

In this lively treatise on the virtues of being cheap, Weber explores provocative questions about Americans' conflicted relationship with consumption and frugality. Why do we ridicule people who save money? Where's the boundary between thrift and miserliness? Is thrift a virtue or a vice during a recession? And was it common sense or obsessive-compulsive disorder that made her father ration the family's toilet paper?

In answering these questions, In Cheap We Trust offers a colorful ride through the history of frugality in the United States. Readers will learn the stories behind Ben Franklin and his famous maxims, Hetty Green (named "the world's greatest miser" by the Guinness Book of Records) and the stereotyping of Jewish and Chinese immigrants as cheap.

Weber also explores contemporary expressions and dilemmas of thrift. From Dumpster-diving to economist John Maynard Keynes's "Paradox of Thrift" to today's recession-driven enthusiasm for frugal living, In Cheap We Trust teases out the meanings of cheapness and examines the wisdom and pleasures of not spending every last penny.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Published: 10/11/2010
ISBN: 9780316030298
Pages: 310
Weight: 0.67lbs
Size: 8.25h x 5.50w x 1.00d

Review Citations: Christian Century 10/19/2010 pg. 56
New York Times Book Review 11/28/2010 pg. 28
Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 12573509421

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.8 ★★★★★
Based on 1092 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
V
Verified Purchase
V Morgan
Belleville, US
★★★★★ 4
Warm and Stylish
Size: X-Large, Color: Khaki
Perfect for dressing up ay outfit. Comes folded in a bag with tons of wrinkles, so leave time for dry cleaning if purchasing for an occasion.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2026
C
Verified Purchase
Chris Wade
San Leandro, US
★★★★★ 5
Good buy
Size: XX-Large, Color: Black
Its a nice coat. I like it a lot.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2026
T
Verified Purchase
ThreeOaks
Houston, US
★★★★★ 3
Nice Coat, But Could Better
Size: Medium, Color: Black
I like this coat overall. It fits really well, nicely tapered, and a good weight, but the fabric has a sheen to it, very noticeable in brighter light, which I'm not crazy about. It doesn't have any inner breast pockets, and I don't feel secure putting my phone in the side pockets. I did get lots of positive comments from friends.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2025
J
Verified Purchase
Jaden Allen
Boise, US
★★★★★ 5
Great style chose for any occasion
Size: Medium, Color: Black
Genuinely the perfect fit and great for the style I prefer. Great material and thick to keep you warm but not to hot. Black is deep and adds that depth that I am looking for
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2026
V
Verified Purchase
Vladimir
Carnegie, US
★★★★★ 1
fake description
Size: Medium, Color: Black
The description states 100% cotton, but it is actually 100% polyester. I don't know what I was counting on... Returning
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2026

recommand products