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Summary: THIS CONCEPT WILL ENRICH YOUR LIFE
Review: AS A NEW BRIDE, WHO WAS MARRIED TO A SPEND THRIFT, I FOUND AMY'S BOOKS TO BE AS PRECIOUS TO ME AS GOLD. BY PUTTING INTO PRACTICE HER IDEAS, I WAS ABLE TO ESTABLISH A BUDGET THUS ELIMINATING THE DREADED "MONEY FIGHTS" THAT SO MANY COUPLES HAVE. THIS BOOK COVERS A VARIETY OF TOPICS FOR A VARIETY OF PEOPLE. UNLIKE OTHERS I'VE READ, IT IS NOT FOCUSSED ON ONE ECONOMIC OR SOCIAL GROUP. THERE IS SOMETHING IN IT FOR EVERYONE. WHETHER YOU ARE A CHEAPSKATE OR JUST LOOKING FOR NEW IDEAS ON HOW TO SAVE MONEY, THIS BOOK WILL BE WORTH YOUR TIME AND EFFORT.
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Summary: GOOD STUFF!
Review: I'd checked out the TWG II from the library, but had missed the other two versions. Well, I liked the one so much, I decided to buy the others as well. Then I came across this version, which combines the three books into one! Definitely a purchase that will pay for itself. (For me, it already has!)
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Summary: Life changing....
Review: I am one of the most frugal people I know but I've got a long way to go to reach the level of expertise Amy D. had incorporated into her everyday living. Tightwadding is a wonderful game and I am inspired with new ways to make it even more exciting. Destined to be a classic.
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Summary: Shows how to save money, have fun without over doing it
Review: Great book. Amy has lots of tips. Many are for families, but I'm single and have found the information invaluable. The idea of homemade pizza alone has saved me at least $500/year. The recipe is quick to make and much better than ordering out. She also explains when it is better to spend money rather instead of trying to save a few pennies. The book teaches how to approach money management in addition to giving lots of tips.You might also want to look at the misc.consumers.frugal-living newsgroup.
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Summary: The ultimate "How To" to a simpler life.
Review: After reading this book the fourth time, we are amazed at how easy it is to get caught up in keeping up with the Jones', Amy writes in way as to touch our sensibility turning embrassment of being frugal (or just plain cheap) to an understanding that if everybody wasn't so darn wasteful maybe, just maybe we all could take better care of our children and our world. Is she a prophet ? I don't know, but she made me very proud that we don't have any "new" furniture in our home, but we have learned to and have reupholstered every piece of furniture that we own....we dont't have any credit card debt, and we proudly drive an eleven year old minivan...In these times of detached families, Amy is that grandma that lived through the depression and hates to see waste, why be oppulent when it ultimately cost time from what you ultimately love and will remember for always. This book will teach you the incredible lesson of being a intuitive yankee. Thanks Amy.
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Summary: Encouraging and a bit discouraging, all in one!
Review: This book is the compilation of The Tightwad Gazette newsletter issues, and I subscribed to The Tightwad Gazette back when it was still a subscription newsletter. I started reading it because our family was facing some serious financial difficulties and I needed help NOW! The first time I read the newsletter, I was able to pick up tips that turned our family's financial situation around right away. The author is a black-belt tightwad and has been from the beginning of her marriage. She and her husband did things "right" from Day One. Which is great for them, but that's where the discouragement from this book came in for me. My husband and I didn't do things "right" from the beginning and consequently weren't going to be able to live in a big, beautiful farmhouse in the country while our children were still small. It was sort of depressing to read about all the wonderful benefits that frugal living brought to the author's life. We'd made some major mistakes in the past (both of us were raised in spend-thrift homes so we really didn't know another way until we'd hit rock bottom ourselves) ... and all of the penny-pinching in the world now wasn't going to allow us to live out our "dream." Anyway, please know that I LOVE this book for it's tips and ideas! Frugality really is an alternative lifestyle in this day of easy credit and disposable everything, so the author's voice is desparately needed by those of us looking for some frugal encouragement. But because of the depressing aspect of feeling like the author doesn't "get" the situation of people who've made financial mistakes, I found that reading Mary Hunt's books (especially "The Cheapskate Monthly Money Makeover") has helped to balance things out a bit for me. Mary Hunt's family overcame more than one-hundred-thousand dollars in consumer debt (her family's debt made my family's finanicial situation at its worst look GOOD!). A good friend of mine -- who's made "right" financial decisions her entire marriage -- thought Mary Hunt's books were just plain "stupid." But then she LOVED The Tightwad Gazette and found it incredibly encouraging -- she also couldn't figure out how I could find The Tightwad Gazette depressing. But she'd never seen life from the view I have. So I think it's a matter of perspective how people relate to the different books. That's why I'm so glad there are numerous people writing on frugality. Somebody's voice is bound to speak to you whereever you're at in your personal financial journey -- if it's not Amy Dacyczyn ("The Tightwad Gazzette") or Mary Hunt ("The Cheapskate Monthly"), maybe it'll be Jonni McCoy ("Miserly Moms") or Deborah Taylor-Hough ("Frugal Living For Dummies"). If you're facing a mountain of debt -- or living the consequences of bad decisions in the past -- be warned that this book could make you feel a bit "down" ... but keep a stiff upper lip, buck up, read this book, and apply its tips ... you -- and your bank account(!) -- will be glad you did!
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Summary: The Bible for Stay-At-Home Mom's on a Tight Budget!
Review: When I decided to stay at home with our daughter ,instead of putting her in a daycare, I knew it would be tough. Our income wasn't much but our family was more important than the money. I quit working and did a lot of research for money saving ideas. When I came across Amy's books I could hardly contain my excitement. There are tons of great ideas. It has become my second bible and a divingboard for my own creativity. My husband has been able to spend more time at home and less time working. Lots of family time! Our child is happier. Our marriage is happier. At a yearly income of $15-18,000 (never been on welfare), we are a testiment to the fact that money really doesn't matter.
Yes, some of the ideas can seem extreme. I think when you prioritize you life, you'll see it really isn't. If you are truely serious about changing your life/situation, you'll open your mind to anything.
This book isn't just great for stay-at-home parents, but college kids, newlyweds, even folks who want to get rid of debts. I recommend the Tightwad Gazette books to anyone who wants to save money.
The true tightwad will make a run for the library. I also recomment the monthly Tightwad Newletter.
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Summary: wish I had this book years ago!
Review: This book really changed my life. I never was a 'spendthrift' but my tightwaddery career really begun with this book. I live in the Netherlands but many tips are universal. I bought this book 6 months ago and have already saved hundreds of euro's. Not everything is applicable, some because I don't want to (dumpster diving) and some because they are specifically for Americans. I disagree with the comments that the book is too extreme: if you are financially challenged, you will try anything. I had to laugh at some comments from readers on possible child abuse: if Ms Dacyczyn is abusing her children, than so is the majority of the world's population. The USA is by far the richest country in the world, one should think in a wider perspective than `mainstream america' before making such serious accusations.
My husband and I started a business two years ago. We don't make a lot of money yet. Last year we had to withdraw some money from savings (savings made a few years ago in orde to buy a house in the future) to make ends meet. But now we manage to get by on a very low income - and I feel richer than ever before! We live in a rental house with 3 kids and we are even able to own a car, which in the Netherlands is very expensive to own due to taxes and fuelprices. We are not only making ends meet but even saving on a minimum income. We would like to buy a house in a couple of years. I can now actually see it happening, where a year ago we felt bad about not being able to make more money with our business.
The real change is about changing your behavior and your attitude towards money. We started to feel good about buying second hand clothes. I live in a relatively rich area, where real-estate prices are high, but the market for second hand clothes is very good. I am able to dress our family of five almost completely from thrift shops, including designerclothes. I have read the book three times from cover to cover in the past 6 months and I have just started all over again. Each time I reread it I see new things that I missed earlier. I wish I had this book years ago, I can't bear to think of all the money we wasted!
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Summary: Love this book!
Review: This book is the gold standard for frugality books. It covers topics that other books don't cover as well as the topics that are traditionally discussed in frugality books. One of the things I like best about the book is the author's sense of humor. This is a very enjoyable book to read. I also like that the book includes tips for those who are very desperate financially and need to use every tool available to save every penny. You can pick and choose from these tips based on your own financial situation. I haven't tried every suggestion in the book but the ones that I have tried are great!
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Summary: This is the best frugality book ever
Review: I love this book and do not find Amy too extreme as some people have stated. To the contrary, Amy makes a point of saying that all her ideas are not for everyone. I love her muffin recipe, her free paint tips for painting your home, her lentil recipe and all her funny cost comparisons.
This book reminds me a lot of Living More With Less by Doris Janzen Longacre. I have several copies of both and love to give them as presents.
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