Cheapskate in Lotusland: The Philosophy and Practice of Living Well on a Small Budget

Cheapskate in Lotusland is an entertaining and exuberant testament to the philosophy and practice of frugality and an invitation to live better by living within one’s means.

Set in Vancouver, one of North America’s most expensive cities, this wry and insightful book offers writer Steve Burgess’s account of living well without ever earning much. With over three decades in Vancouver, Steve Burgess has watched his rent more than triple while his income has stubbornly hovered in the same bracket. By some financial measures, he qualifies as poor. Yet with a home near Stanley Park, a well-stocked kitchen, money saved, and plenty of stamps in his passport, he is, by most measures that matter, doing just fine.

Blending personal memoir, economic philosophy, and sharp social observation, this book explores frugality as a way of life rather than a sacrifice. From mastering grocery store bargains to questioning the relentless push of consumerism, the author offers lessons in living comfortably on less—without deprivation or despair. Along the way, he engages with experts, literature, and other everyday people to reveal how financial security isn’t always about numbers—it’s about priorities, perspective and knowing the value of a good pair of shoes.