Hello….I am Willie Garson. Some of you may know me as an actor, best known for the TV shows “NYPD BLUE”, “Sex and the City”, and currently “White Collar”, as well as my films with the Farrelly Brothers, Spike Jonze, Mike Nichols, and many others……and some of you may not. What many people DON’T know about me is that I have been investing, saving, and trying to live an affordable, “frugal” life that some would even label as “cheap” my entire life…..what those who do know me well are aware of however, is that I have never wanted for ANYTHING as a result of my frugality. 

My dear friend Sarah Jessica Parker, (we’ve been pals for close to 25 years now, which is odd because we are both in our late teens now, ok maybe not), came up with the idea that we should create a book, “SMART NOT CHEAP”, as it is so ingrained in my fabric to live this way….so this web-page is the start of that journey. (I refuse to use the word “blog”, I can’t stand easy acronyms, much like “yuppie” or “LMAO”, they drive me crazy).

I watch TV morning shows, yes it’s an addiction….but let me be clear, this is not going to be a site dedicated to spending 9 hours making your own macaroni to save money. My lifestyle has been based in reading the paper, reading magazines(all available for FREE at your local library) and PAYING ATTENTION…that’s it. I put it this way, if my son and I love Cheerios (we do), and there is a coupon in the paper for $1 off, and they are on sale this week, and the store DOUBLES the coupon—-then why would I NOT use and go buy my Cheerios there? As Sarah Jessica pointed out, it gives some people anxiety, or makes them feel “poor”, we will try to work on those feelings, giving people permission to save and live better. Simple as that.

Listen, I have been very fortunate in my career in entertainment…however I have also always lived under the weight of it possibly stopping, as it historically has for so many, or that i could go long, long periods with NO income whatsoever. That’s my reality and the life I have chosen. But I decided VERY early on, that if I was going to try to be an actor, I was NOT going to be a person who couldn’t live wherever I wanted to, eat wherever I wanted, or go on a vacation wherever I wanted to. I get no joy just spending money for the sake of spending it, I get alot of joy out of spending money on EXACTLY what I want, because everything up to that point has made that possible.

I have seen people in such pain over the last 5 years, losing their homes, their jobs, their security. And to be brutally honest, they are living in more valuable houses than I am, driving more expensive cars than I do (why anyone, in a city like Los Angeles where we drive 200 miles a day, would drive anything other than a hybrid car that is even less expensive than most other cars, is beyond me)…..and yet, they feel they don’t want to take any time to save money, they hate the idea of being “practical”, they hate to drive the extra 200 yards down the street where paper towels (same brand) are literally HALF the price…..

As Sarah Jessica and I discussed, even if one doesn’t NEED the savings, the waste is a line of thinking that is very depressing to me. I am purely an advocate for people, especially after what our global economy has been through, to live smart and allow themselves the freedom to afford everything within their wildest dreams…..

I look forward to this journey….please feel free to comment, add your stories, and share your ideas (just remember, by doing so on here, you are officially giving me permission to use them, it’s a nice way to pass them on)…..

Talk to you tomorrow, as I am off to go food shopping for the week, (yes, with a pocket full of coupons and store loyalty #’s)….

WG