Be proud and say it loud. I am a bargain hunter!!!

People talk in hushed tones when they tell me they, too, are a bargain hunter. In fact, the admission is often just that - a confession they do not want to fall on the wrong ears. Non-bargain hunters often mistake being thrifty for being cheap, and it is no fun being on the receiving end of that judgement.

If you are not sure which category you fall into, thrifty is ordering economically at a restaurant, cheap is leaving a 10% tip.

With the troubled economy, being frugal is becoming more common and more widely accepted. My proof? A story on the front page of the NY Times Sunday Styles section devoted to the term "recessionista."

"Welcome to "recession chic" and its personification, the "recessionista," the new name for the style maven on a budget," the story says. "That the word represents the times could explain why Sarah Palin's new wardrobe ($75,000 at Neiman Marcus and nearly $50,000 at Saks) struck some as distasteful."

Retailers use the idea of cheap chic to sell clothes and shoppers use the idea to justify purchases, the story says. Both sides point to the "value" of recession chic purchases. But it is a trend nonetheless, just like military chic, geek chic, and eco chic, the story says.

Still, it is more fun to call yourself a recessionista than admit you simply cannot afford something, says a recessionista blogger quoted in the story.

"It is more lighthearted to say 'I am the Recessionista, and I don't really go for that,' instead of saying 'I can't afford that or I don't want to spend the money,' " Ms. Hall said. "The 'ista' on the end there, it gives it a little touch of the bling, I think."

Sigh. In the end, it is all about the money. Thanks, Tony and Sarah!