"Stuff I Like" Sunday: Tightwaddery

I'm cheap.

Wait - let me rephrase that, lest I get "tramp" and "harlot" comments hurled my way. (Does anybody even say tramp or harlot any more or have those been replaced with slut and ho? I totally need to brush up on my insult-slinging. You know, in case of emergencies.)

Anyway ... I'm not cheap. Let's call it FRUGAL. As in, "Hi, my name is Rita, and I wash and re-use baggies." I don't take it to any weird extremes - 'cause Lord knows it's not like I'm lighting our home with candles and stockpiling the mounds of cash we save on electricity - but I do like to pinch pennies where I can. (See my previous post on coupon codes for a couple of my favorite ways to save.)

When Curtis and I got married, my slightly-tighter-than-me-(and-I'm-talking-about-money-although-who-am-I-kidding-she's-got-buns-of-steel)-sister Amy gave us a fabulous gift: this book.

I have referenced this so often in the last almost-decade that it's actually getting worn out - I love it that much. You want a treasure trove of money-saving tips? This is it. It was written by Amy Dacycyzn (her last name is pronounced "decision") and is a compilation of the best stuff from her long-running newsletter, "The Tightwad Gazette." This woman is a money-saving genius and raised six kids on one income.

Some of the things she suggests are pretty hardcore (like dumpster diving), but don't let that turn you off ... even if you're not into that level of tightwaddery, there are abundant nuggets of fiscal wisdom to be found. And to top it off, it's just an amusing read - I love the way it's written.

You can buy it here ... after a while, it will totally pay for itself. Or if you're a tightwad in the purest sense, just check the book out from the library. Either way, do your budget a favor and fatten it up a bit.



Comments

  1. I have a copy of that. But I'm a little turned off by the format. It doesn't make a good reference. You kind of have to read the whooooooole thing. I'm thinking of purging my copy.

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  2. I'm going to dash to the library~

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  3. Very interesting.

    My Mom is very frugal. She'll re-wash paper plates.

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  4. I used the word "tramp" in a post the other day. I may be out of the current lingo times too. Or maybe we're the same age and thus have the same verbage.

    The book sounds interesting.

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  5. I love that book, too, thanks to Amy! I have to admit that you girls are far better at the whole idea of frugality than your mother! I don't spend randomly, but I'm often just too lazy to put forth the effort to find coupons and good deals. That's why I depend on you and Amy to tell me these things! ;o) I do, however, dumpster-dive at the local landscapers for discarded plants. With a little care, I can adorn my house and yard for almost no money!

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  6. wow! sounds like a gem to have. my hubby would LOVE that book.

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  7. I need to check out that book! Although, I may see if the local librarian can get her hands on a copy.
    Tramp and Harlot are such great words...and my high school students would never use them. They prefer skank, ho, and slut. *sigh*

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  8. i have moments of frugalness, but not enough to deem the title. found you via sits, have a great day!

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  9. I call myself frugal. My husband calls me cheap. I'm right, he's wrong.

    I think I *need* that book!!

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  10. LOL...I have never seen such a thing! And Whispering Writers comment CRACKED me up too.

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  11. I love this type of stuff. As you know, I'm also "cheap." A co-worker just sent me the address to her friend's blog today. It focuses on saving money. She is raising her family on one income. I haven't gotten a chance to check it out yet, but once I do, I'll let you know about it if it's good.

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