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Phil Villarreal
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Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel: 100 Dirty Little Money-Grubbing Secrets Paperback – Illustrated, September 1, 2009

by Phil Villarreal (Author)
3.2 3.2 out of 5 stars 37 ratings
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Phil Villarreal is not a Harvard MBA or a professional financial advisor or a talking head on a cable television network focusing on business, but he can change your financial life—if you are willing to move into the gray areas of money and ethics. His advice is as funny as it is useful as it is a little bit evil.

Instead of playing straight and saving money by cutting back on things you need or want, Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel has a better plan to save money by working the system and sticking it to “the man.” Here’s how to get free Internet service, never pay for ketchup and plastic straws, get refunds on already opened DVDs, clothe yourself using free swag from credit card promotions, benefit from the bonanza that is the garbage thrown out by college kids, how to get in free to sporting events, score free on-demand movies in hotels, and more!

Hilarious, tongue-in-cheek, and sardonically practical, this is the book for everyone who loves rule-bending, loophole-exploiting, money-saving madness. In this economy, it’s every man for himself and dog-eat-dog—and this book can help.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    256 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Skyhorse
  4. Publication date
    September 1, 2009
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 0.6 x 7.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1602397546
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1602397545
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

This book not only pays for itself within the first few chapters, but Phil unearths ways to subvert the scams of cellular companies. Eye opening at the very least, this money-saving manuscript is less an ode to parsimoniousness, and more a call to arms. --Maddox, author of New York Times Bestseller "The Alphabet of Manliness" June 16, 2009

Review

Phil is a devious mastermind. He'd be the Lex Luthor of tightwads if Lex Luthor was hilarious. Most of the advice in this book will at best destroy your treasured personal relationships and at worst get your butt kicked, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it is awesome. If you've ever done something cheap and blushed slightly, you'll be gratified to know that not only is there someone else doing that exact cheap thing -- he's perfected a system and is willing to share his knowledge with a grateful public.

Not only did Phil get me to write this blurb for him, he also convinced me to give him $20 from my wallet.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Skyhorse; Illustrated edition (September 1, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1602397546
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1602397545
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.6 x 7.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.2 3.2 out of 5 stars 37 ratings

About the author

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Phil Villarreal

Phil Villarreal

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Phil Villarreal is the author of "Groovy Movies,' "Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel: 100 Dirty, Little Money-Saving Secrets" and "Stormin' Mormon." He has been a movie critic since 2001, writing for an ABC TV news affiliate, Arizona Daily Star, Engadget, OK! Magazine and COED.com. He blogs at becauseitoldyouso.com

Customer reviews

3.2 out of 5 stars
3.2 out of 5
37 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

TheDadReview
5.0 out of 5 stars Make a Few More Cents With This Book
Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2019
Verified Purchase
The title itself is inviting and this book will not disappoint. It is very insightful, especially as a college student trying to stretch the dollar and making ends meet. The book gives you a deep dive into a different thinking of money and it will change the way you think of certain situations in your everyday life after finishing this read. Invest in this book and you'll undoubtedly invest in your financial way of thinking.
3 people found this helpful
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njfeds
1.0 out of 5 stars Can't imagine living with this person
Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2010
Verified Purchase
I actually bought this book (paid real money for it). The author strikes me as a person who most people would not want to befriend. His ideas are written in a sometimes funny way (except when he marginalizes women) but he is like a person who would rather throw litter in the street than use the garbage can. He is totally out for himself at the expense of all others and he comes across as a person without any real kindness and generosity of spirit. So he tells you to take the coupons off of groceries that you are not even buying so that the next person loses out. He tells you to stuff ketchup packages in your pocket along with mustard when you are at a fast food place. Can you imagine his apartment or house with little soy sauce packages and mustard and ketchup stuffed in a Tucks box. The laughs don't take this book very far. He reminds me of the person who has his car broken into and claims that he had $10,000 golf clubs in the trunk (although it would be more likely mini golf cub that he stole from the kids park) so that in the end we all wind up paying higher insurance costs. It's an ugly book written in an ugly manner. Also, if your teenager ever read it, he/she would be on the road to a petty and unlawful life. Keep away and save your money for the $1.99 supermarket ketchup that will last you a year or so.
75 people found this helpful
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Paul Alton
4.0 out of 5 stars Funny, usually impractical, tips
Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2019
Verified Purchase
Not recommended for people easily offended and with no sense of humour. If you took author’s advice as serious advice you might find much of it horrendous.

There are a few gems that in the right hands might prove ethic and useful.
One person found this helpful
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robert lawson
1.0 out of 5 stars Freak
Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2019
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Nothing , U are nothing but a thief & need to be in prison.never read a more crooked book. Bye
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Diane M. Milinkovich
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2015
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A+A+A+A+A+A+A+A+A+A+A+A+
One person found this helpful
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Shtetl Fabulous
5.0 out of 5 stars Super Saver Shipping makes the Stingy Scoundrel Pround
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2009
Back in my college days, I actually got paid to write about various topics ranging from escaped West African performance artists to Carl Reiner to the legalization of the abortion pill and interracial relationships. I also spent a semester serving as Arts Editor of the Arizona Daily Wildcat with a shyly brilliant observer of human habits named Phil Villarreal.

A few years ago, he asked me to edit his first book, Stormin' Mormon, which he went on to self-publish. One of the only copies sold now sits proudly on my shelf and I was honored to be included in the acknowledgements.

More recently, Villarreal released Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel: 100 Dirty Little Money-Grubbing Secrets to broad publicity including book signings, stories in newspapers nationwide and coverage on morning shows in his current home of Tucson and in the bigger market of Phoenix. And since shameless self-promotion is a habit the author and I share, I was all too happy to add my own critical take on the book to his list of clips.

Many of the suggestions are utterly ridiculous and yet incredibly logical if you follow Villarreal's central premise that saving money is a noble goal unto itself. Into this category falls #33 about the psychology behind the dealer and customer when buying a car. Similarly, #35, advises readers at the negotiation table to simply ask for another $20 or $50 off the deal in order to get your name on the dotted line. Audacious as it is, when you think about it, why shouldn't you ask for an extra $50 off? It's a free night out on the town or family time at the movies and you earned that money!

The section of the book that I would seriously consider implementing, societal judgment be damned, was the portion covering Finance. Villarreal offers such logical suggestions of avoiding ATM fees, paying down debt and taking advantage of rebates.

He even manages to challenge fiduciary stereotypes while bringing an element of humor to the art (or tedium) of coupon clipping, "It saddens me that coupon clipping is viewed as the pastime of the desperate housewife...Here and now I want to start an effort to reclaim coupon clipping for men everywhere. I want Harley riders to start keeping plastic, accordion-style coupon holders in the back of their hogs. I want UFC fighters to tout the benefits of $1 off Raisin Bran coupons after bouts. I want John Wayne to rise from the grave, visit a Circle K, and push a buy-one-get-one-free Thirstbuster card over the counter." Classic.

Also in Finance is #44 which offers Villarreal's personal story of shaving $1000 off the hospital bills that came with the birth of his second child earlier this year. How did he accomplish this feat? By simply calling the billing department and asking for a 25% discount in exchange for paying in full right away. Audacious, but I will admit I trimmed $600 off my rent for the year just by making a phone call to my management company.

But back to those utterly absurd suggestions that other critics of this book have been so eager to point out. There's an entire section of them that Villarreal prefaces with the following disclaimer, "Let me make clear that the advice from here on out is strictly for laughs, and I'm not held responsible if you actually enact any of this insanity. Try any of these heinous tactics and you'll be in need of a soul cleansing, but you'll also have a bigger bank account and great stories to tell at parties."

So what falls into this odious section that has raised the ire of humorless columnists and morning show hosts? Let's just say some of the suggestions involve posing as an illegal immigrant, turning your pet in a foundling, scamming bartenders and the ever-popular Dumpster diving. The book advises against ever attempting these money-saving tactics for fear of incarceration, but my hunch is that many of us have pondered such schemes, generally under the influence of booze or various hallucinogens. Besides, as a Netflix user I'm a big fan of #76 and I'm pretty convinced my last two boyfriends used #82 on me.

Ultimately, anyone who's been poor, merely felt poor, gone through unemployment, gone through college or who doesn't mind losing a few points of social grace for the same of saving a few bucks will thoroughly enjoy Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel. If you loyally adhere to the tips contained therein, you will more than make up for the $[...] price tag on Amazon. Avoid the shipping fees to make Scrooge and Villarreal proud.
4 people found this helpful
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juego
1.0 out of 5 stars not ethical to teach to cheat
Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2010
Verified Purchase
just not ethical to teach to cheat and lie.part of the degenerating cultural times being promoted.
39 people found this helpful
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