Cheap Is The New Cool But Will America Stay Thrifty

NEW YORK (Reuters) – When Jeff Yeager's book “The Ultimate Cheapskate” came out 18 months ago, he felt like a voice crying in the wilderness telling people to ditch their cell phones, hoard their pennies and pay off the mortgage. Now the Internet abounds with self-proclaimed penny-pinchers offering tips on living frugally as the recession bites into America's shop-'til-you-drop lifestyle. The rise of thrift may be bad news for a U.S. economy where in 2006 consumer spending accounted for 70 perce