If you are anything like me, you need to watch your pennies. My chronic illnesses have put an enormous of strain on our budget requiring me manage it closely. As with de-cluttering books, I have read many (and I mean many) books on how to save money, budgeting and frugality. Some of the books were a total waste of time, others have been very helpful, but the one that changed my life more than any other money saving book is, The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn.
The Complete Tightwad Gazette is not a typical book that reads like a story, instead it is based on the subscription newsletters that Ms. Dacyczyn published from 1990 – 1996. Therefore, the book is divided up into smaller articles ranging from………..should you let a bar of soap dry out before using it, how to make a volleyball net with plastic rings from a 6-pack, to a basic muffin recipe, and everything in between. Because the newsletters were published in the 1990s many of the money saving tips are now outdated and no longer relevant. Despite the book having some out dated money saving tips, I found it extremely useful. I did read the entire book cover to cover, all 959 pages, and it was the only book I have read that encouraged me to start thinking of as many ways as possible I could save us money, how to creatively use up what we already have, and make the most out of every single penny. No other book has pushed me past my comfort zone, to think creatively and encourage me to search for even the smallest ways to save…………hey, it all adds up!
Because this book has been so wildly popular you should be able to check it out from your local library. If you cannot find the Complete Tightwad Gazette, you maybe able to find one of the first three volumes: one, two and three………the later ones would probably be more beneficial. I have seen copies of her books at Half Price Books and Goodwill. In my very humble opinion, it is worth the time and effort to find a copy of her book.
~ wendi, under the pen name Charlie, is the author of Frugal Seeds: 501 Ways to Save, Make or Stretch a Dollar
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Simply Chronically Ill 