About Mary Hunt

Mary Hunt

Mary Hunt

With many years of successful entrepreneurial experience under her belt, Mary Hunt felt ready to take public her credo, “Bringing dignity to the art of living below your means.” As creator and editor of Debt-Proof Living (formerly Cheapskate Monthly), a monthly newsletter that premiered in January 1992 to overwhelming success, Mary has combined her expertise in business with a message that over-spenders and those burdened with debt seem ready to hear.

Debt-Proof Living continues to expand its consumer influence and subscriber base, most notably through its electronic family of subscribers via its website, www.debtproofliving.com. The website attracts more than 8 million hits a month and features Mary’s constant themes of financial responsibility, empowerment and hope.

In the fall of 2005, Mary joined the editorial team at Woman’s Day magazine (20 million readers), as WD’s money guru and contributing editor. Her column, Your Money, first appeared in the January 2006 issue and can be found in every issue of the magazine.

2006 also saw Mary’s national platform expand as she stepped into the role of AOL’s newest Money Coach. As a member of AOL’s self-help coaching staff of experts, Mary teaches AOL’s audience of more than 112 million unique users how to use their resources wisely and manage their households responsibly. Mary’s online video workshops, book excerpts and extensive coaching are free and available at www.coaches.com.

Mary also can be seen every weekday in hundreds of newspapers across the country in her Everyday Cheapskate  column. Distriubted by Creators Syndicate, Mary’s column features household tips, money-saving strategies, reader questions and recipes. Debuting in January 2003, Everyday Cheapskate has been embraced by consumers unsure about the economy and looking to tighten their financial belts.

In October 2007, DPL Press Inc. will release Mary's 17th book, Debt-Proof the Holidays. With the 2005 release of Live Your Life For Half The Price (DPL Press) and the re-release of her 1999 bestseller, Debt-Proof Living (DPL Press), Mary continues her role to educate and equip consumers.

Prior to devoting herself full time to her writing and speaking projects, Mary co-founded the highly regarded and very profitable industrial real estate brokerage and property management firm, Hunt Industrial Properties.

Mary is a longtime resident of Southern California, first as a student and graduate of The Master’s College in Los Angeles and, along with her husband, as a resident in Orange County for the past 35 years.

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Don't Rely on Vinegar to Disinfect Jan 08, 2026

Dear Mary: What is a safe disinfectant for colored clothes, such as underwear and bath towels? I can't use chlorine bleach, and since I usually wash my colored clothes in cold water, I do not feel like I am getting them sanitized enough. Thanks. R... Read More

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How Getting Through Hard Times Makes Us Stronger Jan 07, 2026

Discouragement plagues all of us from time to time. If you're discouraged about your situation — be it financial, family, job or just basic uncertainty about the future — there are some things you can do to counter those feelings and atti... Read More

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Ask Cheapskate Jan 06, 2026

You should see my email inbox. Yikes! It's overflowing with questions, tips, stories, feedback, rebuttals and all kinds of love from you, my dear readers. Today, I'm making a tiny dent in the pile with these responses to a handful of your questions o... Read More

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Cheap Yet Quality Sunglasses in the Unlikeliest Places Jan 05, 2026

If you've ever left a perfectly good pair of sunglasses in a restaurant bathroom, dropped them off a boat, or sat on them in your car, you know the sinking feeling: There goes $50, $75 — maybe even $200 — down the drain. I've learned (the... Read More