the skinflint philosopher



See the far sidebar on your right (the big why?)  or go to our homepage. The Skinflint Philosopher facebook page is up and running, as is @skinflintph on Twitter , so please use whichever format suits you best to keep in touch with us- Tiddler, Thrifter and Digger.

Introducing Tiddler

Age: 3 and a bit
Description: glossy haired, chubby cheeked,rag-rug rat.
Skinflint credentials: finding bits of cereal previously dropped on the carpet for an extra snack, not being bothered about brands and fashion (although showing a random preference for a pair of Spiderman socks that are a few sizes too big), when asked how many of something she wants then ‘two’ is always her answer even when I could have given her more.
Most likely to be found: dressed up as a cat, bouncing on the now very squished Rosie the Bear, making a picnic with the toy food.
Least likely to be found: ordering a frappe whilst holding onto her Gucci bag.
Languages: English, Bulgarian, Dinosaur.
Aspirations: To get up on to the worktop.
Skills for off grid survival: good at helping Mama peg out the washing, own plastic spade and bucket, ability to snooze on demand, willingness to wear wellie boots at all times if Mama would just let me get into bed with them on.


Introducing Digger

Poor Digger only gets to read these posts after Thrifter has already published them, and usually squirms with a faint bemusement that other bloggers might possibly be interested in reading anything as random as his love of eggs or his preference for outdoorsy working jumpers. Sorry Digger, this might make you feel even more self-conscious.

Appearance: Rugged, in a Heathcliff meets Andy Garcia kind of way. Has recently been scouted as an extra for a movie playing an inter-war Eastern European gypsy, so the apple not really falling far from that particular tree.
Age: Rugged. Sun-kissed, wind-battered thirty something.
Education: Silviculture expert.
Working life: Replanting Bulgarian forests for the government, cultivating seedlings for national parks in Oregon, working like a dog as an immigrant in the British Isles for minimum wage doing manual jobs that British folk turn their noses up at.
Current status: Official British Citizen (passed the language test with flying colours, and beat British born Thrifter in the general knowledge question section).
Most likely to say:  I’ll just get something from my tool box and I can fix that for you.
Least likely to say: No eggs for me please.
Aspirations: To work less.
Special skills:  Providing piggy-back rides for dinosaurs.


A rare occasion when Digger was not clad in his customary PPE garb.

Introducing Thrifter

Aliases: Thrifter, Skinflint Philosopher, Mama, Miss (and on occasion ‘mum’ by students who forget where they are- oh the embarrassment in front of their peers), Merlin, Kirk.
Age: the right side of forty.
Unusual jobs held: courgette picker, embassy dog walker, frisker, Didi Moni, teacher, bat detectorist.
Common phrases used: Meanwhile back in the classroom, the plan of action is, no you can’t take the (insert random item e.g. saucepan into this space) to bed with you.
Current status: Thwarted backwoodsman
Off grid survival skills: Scouting for girls, kayaker, general skinflintage