Don't listen to the squander bug

British Second World War poster issued by the National Savings Committee depicting a 'squander bug', a devil covered in Nazi swastikas. The grey and white monster is set on a mauve background. Above him is a white circle with the word 'DATE' written in black text. A grey arrow is pointing to the circle, with the words 'SHARE OUT' written in black text. Beneath the arrow is a purple square which contains the following black text: '"IT TOOK THEM MONTHS TO SAVE IT UP - BUT I'LL SPEND IT IN NO TIME!"' Written in purple and white text at the bottom of the poster, set against a black rectangular background: 'DON'T LISTEN TO THE SQUANDER BUG BUY WAR SAVINGS'

The poster encourages the purchase of war savings certificates over spending on unnecessary goods and services. The Squander Bug was a World War II propaganda character created by the British National Savings Committee to discourage wasteful spending. Originally designed by freelance illustrator Phillip Boydell (Boydell, inspired while at home with a cold, produced a series of six sketches depicting an imp-like creature named the 'Money Grub' that could 'push, pull, scratch, bite and steal') for press adverts, the character was widely used by other wartime artists in poster campaigns and political cartoons. It is one of the few propaganda campaigns from World War Two to be fully documented from the original concept sketches to the finished adverts.

The character was intended as a positive alternative to endless government warnings on what not to do. British wartime cartoonists such as David Low and Carl Giles also used the character. An adapted version was used in Australia, where the Squander Bug was given a Japanese appearance.