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Summary: This is the most complete book on thrift ever written.
Review: Reading the four books and the newsletter Amy has written has change my life. We have much less debt, we are happier and all on one income. Hooray for Amy!! She has prooved that you can make your cake and eat it too!!!!!!!!
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Summary: Guerilla frugality for the masses
Review: This book is the culmination of six years of Amy Dacyczyn's "The Tightwad Gazette" newsletter, a paper dedicated to all things thrifty. The book is organized into three sections (each section was originally its own book), that each cover two years of the newsletter's run, as well as some extra bits here and there. The structure is loose - reading like a huge stack of back issues of the newsletter, and includes feature stories, editorial-style comments, and letters and tips from readers.The author's tone is friendly, practical, and logical, and the book goes far beyond simple tips for living a frugal life. In fact, Dacyczyn extols the merits of living life on your own terms, instead of on society's terms, using frugality as a vehicle to get fulfillment out of life. On the way, she dishes out some sound suggestions for things like quality of living, child-rearing, and of course, tons and tons of demonstrations of HOW to cut costs in your own life. I was amazed at how detailed some of Dacyczyn's comparisons and plans were - some demonstrating how you could save a few pennies (they add up), or some larger and more dramatic strategies for saving a lot more money. Through all, Dacyczyn's committment to complete ethics within the framework of frugality (never practice frugality at the expense of others) is emphasized. Although reading the entire book in a few sittings may feel a bit overwhelming (it is six years' worth of info, after all), there are some core strategies that are very worth the price of the book. If nothing else, this book will cause you to evaluate how you spend your money, what you spend it on, and what you could be using it for, as well as perhaps motivate you to tighten up your budget a little (or a lot). This book is highly entertaining, very inspiring, and extremely motivational. And although I am making it sound rather theoretical, the book is actually mostly hands-on and practical. Frugality is an extreme art, but one that has afforded many people with the means to truly live and enjoy life the way they choose to. Both the book and the lifestyle are definitely worth taking a look at.
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Summary: How did I get along without this?
Review: Simply put: it changed my life. Even if you don't use all of the ideas, you will save money. I cut off about $100 on my grocery bill.
Be a true tightwad, get it from the library!
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Summary: Save yourself even more money by borrowing it from a library
Review: Frankly, I found Jonni McCoy's "Miserly Moms" and Mary Hunt's Cheapskate Monthly more useful than this. I ended up returning my copy of the Tightwad Gazette and will check it out from my local library if I want to look for cost savings in specific areas... I guess what it comes down to is you need to determine what is important to you and adjusting your finances accordingly...What people should do is determine their budget/spending habits, then go to a good financial advisor to determine how best to invest their money. Save yourself the money and check this book out at your local library!
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Summary: An amazing tightwad tool
Review: As with any tool, its all about how you use it. Amy D took a gamble detailing her life and the choices she and her husband have made to make sure that they were there for their children and to make sure that they could be financially independent in their retirement. She opened herself up to a lot of criticism for people to attack her way of life. While extreme, the examples she outlines are just that, examples. Meant as a suggestion that can be accepted or rejected, depending on the needs of the reader. Some of the other reviews objected to her not buying books for her children. She does say though that she routinely checks out books from the library for free and reads to them, or with them. Others object to dumpster diving. It is merely a suggestion, a tidbit of advice among many, that she offers. She offers a way to think creatively about money and how it is spent. She empowers a person to think realistically about money, and not to hide beneath "I can'ts" or "I wish". We ran the numbers and found that it acutally saved us money if my husband quits his job and stays home. We looked at the cold hard numbers and saw where we were being wasteful. Once we plugged our money leaks we have saved a lot of money. We have learned to be creative and think outside the box, we think of money saved as money earned, and that time spent saving omney together as a family to be our entertainment. The tool is there, and it does what it promises, to be an eye opener that pormotes thrift as a viable lifestyle. It does not promise to make money appear out of nowhere, nor does it promise to be the end-all be-all of frugality, nor does it offer a get rich quick scheme. The lessons are there to be learned.
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Summary: l love this book
Review: i checked the tightwad book out so many times from my local libary!!! i could never finish the books over the years and
the ideas are so many and so useful that after finding the
compliation of all three books on amazon.com for an excellent
price...i had to have it and i just mailed in my payment today!!!
IT IS CHOCKFUL OF USEFUl, very useful ideas that you have never
heard anywhere else!!! being a divorced, single mom of 2 children and 2 cats in a new home...the book has become more useful than ever...i was getting ready to donate another big bag of clothes...but after seeing a designer recycled jean bag and 'homemade jean' skirt made out of old bluejeans in a hot women's magazine going for hundreds of dollars ...i decided to make my own like i use to when i was a child...i just happen to have a copy of the 'tightwad gazette' from the library and just by chance i happened upon illustrated directions for recycled blue jean items including a purse and skirt by accident!!! it was lunchtime at work and i laughed with joy!!!! DURING these tough times for country with so many being laid off and all of us trying to cut corners that still have a current job we need this book more than ever...i admit...i did not take this book too seriously when i was still married and had two incomes...but now it is a blessing...a Godsend!!! i cannot wait for my very own copy to arrive from amazon...i have a quick hint to add...fancy sheets bought at discount stores or sales can be used as fabric for clothes, pillows, skirts, halters, etc. i am upholstering my lazyboy with leopard print ralph lauren sheets that i found at a discount store...i bought 3 twin sheets with elastic total= way, way under 30 bucks!!! THIS i find is cheaper than buying fabric by the yard...
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Summary: Excellent reference!
Review: I love this book. The recipes are tasty, the author has a good sense of humor, and you can find a lot of ways to creatively slash your budget. The author also does an excellent job of poking holes in the "keeping up with the Joneses" mentality. She asks "is it really necessary to buy a new ____ every year?" "Does one really need a lot of material possessions to be happy?" The essays on consumerism, distribution of household chores and other issues will make you think and give you a new way of looking at thrift. It's also important to note that just because Amy often talks about the strategies she employs, it doesn't mean that you MUST use the same strategies. She recognizes that not everybody will want to be a "black-belt" tightwad and that some folks will only use the less extreme techniques. There is an article about this in the book where she says that she puts the "extreme" techniques in because she knows some people will want to try them due to circumstances or an interest in the subject. Others will not, and that's perfectly OK with her. There are a great many paths to thrift. Similarly, when she explains the way she raises her kids, it's just that - an explanation. She doesn't expect everyone else to raise their children exactly as she does - or even *have* children. You can take the advice you like, and leave the rest. (It's also important to remember that we only get a partial picture of her family life - there are probably a great many details that the book does not show.) Being single and childless, there was quite a bit of information in this book that did not apply to me, but I was able to learn some useful things. This book was not meant to be taken as a whole, but rather as a buffet of information.
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Summary: New Years Resolution to Save Money
Review: If your New Years Resolution is to save money then this is a great resource for ideas. Not only are there tips for how to save cash, there are also lots of ideas for recycling tons of household items. If you are really truly trying to save hit the library first before you buy.
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Summary: Why Didn't I Think of That?
Review: That is what you will be saying to yourself once you've perused the Complete Tightwad Gazette. Many of the ideas for living more frugally are common sense, some are not. The author even says that some are extreme ideas. Overall, this book is worth the money you spend on it so you can become a better consumer. I especially like the section that dealt with raising a child. No, it does NOT have to cost so much to raise a child, something the author does a good idea of explaining with real-life examples. Filled with recipes, gift ideas, and ways to save on your household expenses, no house should be without this book.
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Summary: Bought for a completely different purpose!
Review: I worked as an ESL teacher in college last summer and we did a unit on recycling that was in the text. I vaguely remembered some 'tightwad lady' who had 'wacky uses' for leftover things, so I thought it would be an amusing supplement to the lesson and I bought the book to photocopy some of the pages. The joke's on me! The class has long since been over and I'm *still* reading Amy's book! I love it, and read a little each night before sleep. Because of her, I went on to read YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE and I have a whole new attitude. Saving is fun! I get self-esteem boosts when I say "buh-bye" to items I don't need. I know I can only get better, cheaper, smarter in the coming years! Buy this book!
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