“An Unexpected Offer from TLC’s Extreme Cheapskates”
Being a blogger often takes you down strange paths, especially in the early days. For a while, my little blog was a cozy community of a few dozen readers – my sort of digital friends. Suddenly, my readership exploded to a few hundred daily, my inbox became swamped with some oddball emails and a smattering of interesting proposals.
I got small change to guest write on other blogs, book review offers, and requests for guest posts on my blog. Until I got the most peculiar invitation yet – an email from Extreme Cheapskates.
At first, I thought it was a prank. However, I decided to give it a shot and responded politely, explaining that I didn’t see myself as an extreme penny-pincher. I was quickly reassured. They thought of me as a possible voice of reason on the show, providing guidance on how to retain frugality without going overboard.
Excited by the prospect, I engaged with the process. I filled out their standard questionnaire, detailing my thrifty but banal habits. I mean, the most extreme thing I do is dilute my liquid soap to squeeze out the last bit. Still, they seemed to want someone less eccentric.
I made it through a few rounds, including a lengthy call with a casting agent that focused overly on my frugality. Yet the tone seemed to veer too extreme. Nevertheless, I was reassured that they were still seeking a reasonable voice.
Everything shifted when I reached the round to shoot a self-presentation video. As I was recording, another call came through. The same casting director commented on how she envisioned me for the show. Shockingly, she wanted me to get free meals from guys through online dating platforms.
I was floored. This was nothing like what we had initially discussed. Not just thrifty, but ethically dubious, exploiting others, raising their hopes for my personal gain. Facing continued pressure after expressing my discomfort, I ended the call, deciding to forfeit my brief chance at being on TV.
The takeaway? Fellow finance bloggers, avoid Extreme Cheapskates unless you genuinely align with their outlook. As for me, the venture didn’t quite yield the gain I expected, but I stand by the attempt.
Looking for real stories from TLC’s Extreme Cheapskates participants? Check out an eye-opening piece by Jordan at My Media Guy.