The Cheapskate’s Bible: The Complete Tightwad Gazette

steve Says:

September 4th, 2007, 6:46 am

thanks for the book review! i’ve used this book myself in a few ways, more as reference, but it has been very rewarding. i’ve learned how to reuse many things i would normally throw away.

(a small spelling note, on your last book review link, you have a ‘V’ where it should be a ‘P’, “shaved” instead of “shaped”)

Balfour Says:

September 4th, 2007, 7:37 am

I loved getting her newsletters back in the early 90s. I believe it cost $1 a year and the newsletters were like you would get from a club - very low-tech, on 8 and a half by 11 paper, folded into an envelope or with a staple through it. And with her own drawings (she was a graphic artist in her previous life). I don’t know if you said this, but I believe “Your Money or Your Life” was her inspiration too and I think that’s where I first heard of that book. I was sad when she decided to stop doing the newsletter.

Leo Says:

September 4th, 2007, 7:46 am

@Steve: Thanks for the spelling catch! I’ve corrected it.

@Balfour: I read somewhere that Amy stopped doing the newsletter after her books were so successful that she didn’t need to be frugal anymore. :) I don’t know if that’s true.

Nice to find two fellow Tightwad fans on ZH! I’m sure there are more.

Mike OD Says:

September 4th, 2007, 10:19 am

Your Money or Your Life is probably the most eye opening career and financial book I have read (along with the Millionaire Next Door). I give it another nod…..as it awakened me to what I was really doing with my career and life. Funny how nothing looks the same anymore.

Spike Says:

September 4th, 2007, 10:35 am

Not exactly related to the book itself as I’ve never heard of it, but I’ve always found books on frugality to be rather extreme. As you say, there tends to be a lot of heavy advice involving re-using stuff which means a lot of messing about for only a few pence benefit. If the book has some “bigger picture” tips I will def check it out.

Spike
Organize IT

Dutra Says:

September 4th, 2007, 10:41 am

@Leo,
Have you read Charles Long’s How to Survive Without a Salary?
It’s one of my favorites.

Balfour Says:

September 4th, 2007, 12:08 pm

Spike, yes, Tightwad Gazette is often extreme to the max - as is “Your Money or Your Life” - with the author having one continual theme of trying to figure out ways to use dryer lint, which seemed to her so wasteful to just throw away. But, they are both fun to read and make you stop and think about how you are actually living your life. Personally, I’m not frugal much at all and likely never will be, in spite of having read these but at least I can look at expenditure areas that don’t mean so much to me and pinch a few pennies there, instead of being completely unconscious about everything.

amanda Says:

September 4th, 2007, 12:35 pm

Anyone actually know what happened to Amy? She was on quite a roll for a while - the books and newsletter were very successful, she appeared on Donahue.

And then after the Complete tightwad came out she seems to have vanished. I tried Googling, etc. but with no luck. I’d be interested to know how her family has fared, especially as her (then) young children have likely grown into adults.

Jen B. Says:

September 4th, 2007, 13:41 pm

I got a lot out of Your Money or Your Life too. My favorite part was the concept of “Enough.” Much simplified, Enough is the point at which more won’t make you any happier. And it isn’t a concept that you see much in this society.

Now when I spend money I think about whether more will make me happier. Do I care whether I have a new hardcover, or is a used paperback enough? Do I need to own the book or is getting it from the library when I wan to read it enough? It is a much gentler way of saving money than beating myself about the head and shoulders with my budget, though I have to do some of that occasionally too.

Grace Says:

September 4th, 2007, 15:27 pm

I am familiar with the book and the newsletter, but they seem directed mainly toward people with kids. Doesn’t having that many children negate her intent by having a major impact on the environment, the school system, and social services?

Leo Says:

September 4th, 2007, 16:10 pm

@Grace: To answer your question, first point is, she decided to become frugal after having her kids.

Second, I think the point of the book, and of frugality and simplifying in general, is being able to live the life you want, the life that makes you happy, and do the things that are important to you, without having to buy a lot of stuff or spend huge amounts of money. And for some people, including Amy and myself, children are a big part of the life that makes you happy. :)

Sure, you’d spend less and have less of an impact on the environment and all the rest if you didn’t have kids … but would you be as happy? For some, the answer is no.

Daiko Says:

September 4th, 2007, 16:16 pm

Amanda wanted to know:

“Anyone actually know what happened to Amy?”

I believe that Amy and her husband, Jim, achieved what “Your Money or Your Life” calls Financial Independence. My wife and I were receiving the newsletter when Amy decided to stop publishing it. Her letter said she felt she had thoroughly investigated the major themes of frugality, and since she no longer needed work to support her lifestyle she had decided to discontinue the newsletter.

I expect the Dacyczyns are living happily within their means in their rambling farmhouse up in Maine. And I’m sure they are still frugal.

_________________________
Wishing you a prosperous future,

Daiko

Androsch Says:

September 4th, 2007, 17:05 pm

I bought the Complete Tightwad Gazette recently and browsed it with a friend. Soon I was worried about, how to get back the 17 Euro I spent, because the book is quite extreme and rather family oriented. And as a frugal single I allready know how to live cheap.

We comforted ourselves by thinking the book was worth the 17 Euro, because at least we would improve our English by reading it.

But now I found a tipp that will safe me lots of time and money: Buy a freezer.

Debbie Says:

September 4th, 2007, 17:42 pm

The great thing about this book is that it is all about the bigger picture, but with many, many detailed examples.

There are quite a few articles, especially from readers, with specific tips. But the majority of the information is articles that explain a strategy and then give a detailed example of how to apply this strategy. That example may not be right for you, but the strategy can be applied in infinite ways, some of which might be just the perfect thing for you.

For example, she talks about investing in tools. The best tool for you may not be a tractor or whatever, but you may be able to imagine a tool that can save you money in the long run. For example, replacing some cooking tool that’s on the fritz may lead to your cooking at home more, or getting a good pair of running shoes may mean you no longer feel the need to belong to a gym.

And the example of her own life is quite compelling. The author was willing to spend less than most people do on food, clothing, and entertainment in order to spend more than most people on housing, children, and having only one parent working outside the home. Can you imagine a family with one income buying a large house in the country (with attached barn) and affording six kids? Inspiring!

I have almost completely different goals from her (and I don’t have any kids at all). I want to spend less than most people on transportation, housing, food and clothing so that I can spend more on traveling and so that I can retire young on a low-stress (thus relatively low-wage) job. I still get plenty out of her book. Partly that’s because many of her examples come from her readers, so you get plenty of other perspectives as well. And partly it’s because she focuses on techniques and strategies and how to adapt them to your wants.

She really did quit working on the newsletter because she felt she had nothing more to say. And in fact the third volume isn’t as good as the first two.

The main point of her book is that there are often many ways to do things, not just the one that first comes to mind. And if you want something that you think you can’t afford, maybe you’re wrong about that. Maybe it is possible to afford what you want merely by sacrificing some things you don’t care about.

What do I really want in a car? Reliable, affordable transportation. I am willing to give up good looks and status in my vehicle in order to be able to afford piles of other things instead, like trips to very interesting places. Everyone has some things they want more than others, and this book helps you remember that you have the power to make choices in your life. I like to re-read it periodically to inoculate myself against all the advertising messages that tell me I should have everything.

And not only that, sometimes it’s not sacrifice. Sometimes the cheaper way is the better way. She had the most fun parties and costumes imaginable. Her food is healthier than restaurant food, too, though more boring. It’s surprising how often you’ll try something just for a little while and realize that not only do you not mind it, but you prefer it, so even when you don’t have to be so frugal, you choose to.

And yes, this book has some extreme tips. I like that. It means no matter how good you are, you can probably find more ideas in here. It also makes the tips I’m using seem less odd! Also, her tips do not border on theft, so it’s not that kind of extreme. She explains, for example, why she washes out baggies–it’s easy for her, she has plenty of space, and the per hour savings for her time are substantial. I don’t go quite that far–I use those little plastic containers with lids (which are more expensive, but easier for me to wash because I seem to use them mostly for greasy things).

Note: this book is not about simplicity. Some of her ideas are more time-consuming or complicated than what people would normally do, partly because she has extra time in her ideal lifestyle. On the other hand, she is mostly doing only the time-consuming activities that she finds fun (or extremely financially rewarding)! Also, focusing on what’s important to you can make your life feel simpler because everything just makes more sense.

This is my favorite personal finance book of all time. I can’t guarantee you’ll like it, but if you like blogs and you like having options, I highly recommend checking this book out.

charise Says:

September 4th, 2007, 21:55 pm

This is one of my favorite books of all time! I’ve had my copy since the late 90’s I believe. The cover is falling off, but I still find it useful. I love perusing it on occasion as my lifestyle has changed as I’ve gotten older. So many of the principles are universal, so I think it can be useful to those without children (like me.)

I agree that some of the ideas seem extreme, but there are a lot of useful ideas in this book!

I too have wondered what happened to Amy and her family, but since I wouldn’t want attention on a national level, I can understand why she has stayed out of the public eye.

Matthew Glover Says:

September 5th, 2007, 10:34 am

I checked out a copy of The Tightwad Gazette from my local library and tried to read it. I gave up about a third of the way through.

All of the techniques and recommendations are so nickel and dime, so small potatoes, that they seem practially inconsequential. I have no doubts that if you implement *all* of them, you’ll save yourself a lot of money. I also can’t help but feel that doing so would take a *huge* amount of time. An hour I spend washing out ziplock bags and flattening out tinfoil may save me a dollar, but that’s an hour that I can’t bill to a customer. You can bet I’ll earn a lot more than that dollar I would’ve saved.

I appreciate that these tips may be great for a mom who’s primary job is figuring out how to raise six kids and manage a household on a single salary, and I respect that, but I don’t have kids and my wife and I both have a full-time day job as well as both doing freelance consulting and web development on the side. We’d lose more money than we’d save if we spent our time working most of these tips.

I also returned the book to the library two days late. I’m sure that somewhere out there, Mrs. Dacyczyn is grinding her teeth over my wasted thirty cents. I’m okay with it, though. Those two days, I was finishing up a big project. I’ll never miss those dimes. :D

kitkat Says:

November 4th, 2007, 16:04 pm

Awesome books, just bought the entire set off ebay