World Famous Comics: The Complete Tightwad Gazette
The Complete Tightwad Gazette
By: Amy Dacyczyn Publisher: Villard Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Villard Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 959 Publication Date: December 15, 1998 Release Date: December 15, 1998
Product Description: At last--the long-awaited complete compendium of tightwad tips for fabulous frugal living!
In a newsletter published from May 1990 to December 1996 as well as in three enormously successful books, Amy Dacyczyn established herself as the expert of economy. Now The Complete Tightwad Gazette brings together all of her best ideas and thriftiest thinking into one volume, along with new articles never published before in book format. Dacyczyn describes this collection as "the book I wish I'd had when I began my adult life." Packed with humor, creativity, and insight, The Complete Tightwad Gazette includes hundreds of tips and topics, such as:
Β ΒΈΒ Travel for tightwads Β ΒΈΒ How to transform old blue jeans into potholders and quilts Β ΒΈΒ Ten painless ways to save $100 this year Β ΒΈΒ Picture-framing for pennies Β ΒΈΒ A comparison of painting versus re-siding your house Β ΒΈΒ Halloween costumes from scrounged materials Β ΒΈΒ Thrifty window treatments Β ΒΈΒ Ways to dry up dry-cleaning costs Β ΒΈΒ Inexpensive gifts Β ΒΈΒ Creative fundraisers for kids Β ΒΈΒ Slashing your electric bill Β ΒΈΒ Frugal fix-its Β ΒΈΒ Cutting the cost of college Β ΒΈΒ Moving for less Β ΒΈΒ Saving on groceries Β ΒΈΒ Gift-wrapping for tightwads Β ΒΈΒ Furniture-fusion fundamentals Β ΒΈΒ Cheap breakfast cereals Β ΒΈΒ Avoiding credit card debt Β ΒΈΒ Using items you were about to throw away (milk jugs, plastic meat trays, and more!) Β ΒΈΒ Recipes galore, from penny-pinching pizza to toaster pastries Β ΒΈΒ And much much more . . .
Three books in one--a $38.97 value for only $19.99!
Amazon.com Review: Though tightwad seems like a derogatory term, author Amy Dacyczyn wants to assure you that it's okay to be a penny-pincher. This self-styled "Frugal Zealot" wrote and published The Tightwad Gazette for over six years to spread the frugal gospel. Each issue contained tips from her personal experience and from her many readers. The wealth of information contained in all these issues has been compiled into one volume for the first time. You'll find literally thousands of ideas for saving money, from the simple or practical to the difficult or bizarre. On the simple, practical side, Dacyczyn advises would-be tightwads to keep track of price trends at several stores in a "price book" and to buy in bulk when prices are low. Other, stranger offerings include tips for turning margarine-tub lids into playing-card holders, old credit cards into guitar picks, and six-pack rings into a hammock or volleyball net. More helpful are inexpensive recipes for making homemade versions of pricey, well-known products and ingenious ways to fix broken or damaged items. The book's disorganization encourages browsing, but the detailed index will point you to the exact page for specific items. Dacyczyn's occasional "thriftier than thou" tone is balanced by the friendly support for frugality that infuses every page. She even reminds her readers that it's okay to "sweat the small stuff"--because this small stuff is the essence of frugality. --C.B. Delaney
One of my favorite books of all time! I am a moderate spendthrift on my way to becoming a tightwad and I love this book! We all need to rethink our purchasing habits and ditch our consumer-driven lifestyles and this book has inspired me to do just that.
Even though this was written in the nineties, the ideas are still relevant today. Yes, some of the ideas might be a little extreme for some people, but it will depend on where you are on your journey to becoming more frugal.
This book is for anyone trying to create a simpler more frugal lifestyle not just those starting out. I read this book many years ago as a young adult and recently read it again. In the past few weeks, I have cut my food bill by hundreds of dollars! I am eating out less, spending less time at the grocery, planning ahead, cooking from scratch and spending more time with my family. It has also reminded me to consume less rather than buying more junk that needs to be recycled. You might think that I have more time than you. I work full-time, I am in the process of finishing my master's, have a husband and child, and volunteer in my community.
Amy suggests buying clothes secondhand. Some people think you are hurting your children by doing this. I am not sure these people have gone to thrift stores in recent years. I buy my child clothes from thrift stores, yard sales and from retail stores. She always looks really great and her clothes are generally the more expensive name brands purchased at a tiny fraction of the cost. Her secondhand clothes actually look nicer and are in better shape than some of her newer clothes that fall apart! I also dress mostly in secondhand clothing. I am a college administrator and have to dress professionally every day. Over 75% of my clothes come from thrift stores and I am complemented all the time on how I look (and often by fashion forward college students). In fact, most of the women in my office and many of the college students I work with now buy clothes at thrift stores.
Most importantly, this book reminds you that spending time with your family and doing what is best for them is more important than spending money on them. I have always thrown amazing parties for my child, but have always made the birthday cake and decorations like Amy does. My child has never suffered and I am usually answering parents questions on how to plan parties on a budget. However, I have never been able to do it for as cheaply as $25 or less. I am working on it. My point is that this is a great book with tons of ideas that you can try or not try. It has certainly helped me change my outlook on my spending habits and the time spent with my family.
P.S. My bank account is currently a lot fatter than it was a couple of months ago.
Not worth it. Unless you are young and just starting out in the 'world of frugality', the book just is not worth it. Long written, short ideas.
A Book Every Home Should Have Several years ago when Amy had written her first frugal savings book I purchased it, I liked it so much that I purchased her next book. She has great ideas on how to save. The Tightwad Gazette is a book every person should have in their collection. It's worth the read and the savings you will get out of it. If you are wondering how to deal with a bad economy or just like being frugal, you will enjoy this book.
Magnifisoso Magnifisoso is a word our daughter made up when she was 10. It means that something is mediocre. This book is magnifisoso.
The book does have some interesting and valid ways to stretch a dollar, but it also has crafts and such that are pretty uninspiring as well.
Love it! I read this book page for page. It has so many great articles and suggestions. I love how the book reads; small articles and extremely witty. I read it every morning with my breakfast. It's amazing how much you can save with a simple suggestion or two. :)
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