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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Frugality on the Fun Meter of Life May 06, 2026

I was not born with a natural bent toward frugality. Everything in me cries out to spend, acquire, spend, achieve, amass, spend, spend, spend! I am drawn to the extraordinary, the luxurious and the unique. I live with visions of grandeur and opulence... Read More

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Financial Planners and Other Mysteries of Life May 05, 2026

I am noticing a growing trend in my mailbox — readers in search of financial planners or advisers. Or assistants. The problem is that when taking in the message's context it's pretty clear that not everyone means the same thing when they refer ... Read More

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The Cheapest Mother's Day Gift Might Be the One You Don't Buy May 04, 2026

Mother's Day has become one of those occasions that comes with a lot of expectation — and a lot of suggestions about what you're supposed to buy. There are reminders everywhere — emails, store displays, last-minute "gift ideas" that guara... Read More

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A Shelter in the Time of Storm Apr 30, 2026

The most important thing you can do to make your personal economy strong is to have an umbrella — a contingency fund with at least enough money to pay all of your bills without a paycheck for three to six months. Call it $10,000. On a weekly ba... Read More