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 pr...

#Good advice, some outdated (2006-11-21) This book offers great money saving advice for those who don t care what others think of them. Many of the tips given result in obviously home made solutions. I think more of us need to use these tips and forget about trying to keep up with the Joneses. My only complaint is that prices are very out of date, so it is a bit odd, but you can get past that.

#Encouraging and a bit discouraging, all in one! (2004-07-03) 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 ",...

#Good, but irritating (2004-06-10) While I enjoy and have used much of the information in this book, my big gripe is that the index is done terribly. It seems like they just copied the indexes from the three books instead of re-doing them, so nothing is listed under the proper page number. It makes trying to find anything a nightmare.

#The Bible for Stay-At-Home Mom s on a Tight Budget! (2004-06-04) 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! Ou...

#Nice book but not for everyone! (2004-05-27) I agree with some of the authors advise like not to spend money on disposable things like diapers,paper towels,paper plates etc. . . some of the advise in this book is a bit too extreme like trash picking but still makes a nice reading .