Book Review: Tightwad Gazette

 

The Tightwad Gazette: Promoting Thrift As Viable Alternative by Amy Dacyczyn

I read The Tightwad Gazette book recently. I really liked it. Amy Dacyczyn actually wrote a news letter by that title in the early '90's. Her news letter was hugely popular. In response to popular demand she compiled the news letter into a book. The book I read is only the first two years of the news letter. Amy Dacyczyn dislikes dry boring books and she made her book the opposite. It is very funny, with humor on every page! 

I considered myself pretty thrifty to begin with, but reading The Tightwad Gazette made me take a second look at areas I could get "tighter." I already save plastic zip top bags and rewash them for multiple uses. (My Mom taught me this, along with washing and folding tin foil for multiple uses.) After reading The Tightwad Gazette I realized that I didn't have to throw away trash bags every time either. I just take my trash bin to the big trash can that goes to the curb, and dump all the garbage into the big trash can. The liner (bag) stays in the kitchen trash can for another use. Now, I recognize this is not a viable option for everyone. Our garbage service issues us a big garbage can for the curb. This special garbage can is compatible with a mechanical arm on the garbage truck that dumps the can into the truck. Because of this mechanism our garbage man doesn't have to lift bags out of garbage cans, and I don't have to use bags in my garbage can.

After reading The Tightwad Gazette I have been asking myself, "Do I have to throw this away?" and, "Do I have to buy this?" and, "Can I repurpose this?" about things that I had never questioned before. 

Amy Dacyczyn has helpful tips, as well, as articles on deeper subjects, like, contentment. When it comes to birthday presents(or Christmas), she says, you need to know the sweet spot for how many/what kind of gifts to give for the maximum enjoyment. At a certain point opening gifts just becomes about opening gifts. You lose the joy of what's inside the package if you are just looking for the next package. Before Christmas was about all the commercials you are bombarded with on TV and the internet, only children were given gifts, and they were very simple gifts at that, an orange, a coin, a piece of candy. These simple things used to satisfy the recipient. And I think their level of satisfaction was greater to that of their modern counterpart, even though the number of gifts have grown and gotten bigger, fancier, and more exciting. Spending money does not bring joy.

Amy is very practical, too. She points out that your time is valuable. Don't do things to save money that cost you more time than the savings are worth. Repurpose items that will save you money. Don't save trash just to keep from throwing things away. Save things from the garbage if those things will save you money. Your cabinets don't need to be packed with salvaged sour cream and margarine tubs. Do you know what I mean? :)

There are a lot of tips and tricks in The Tightwad Gazette for saving money in all areas of life. Some of the information is out dated. She writes a lot about saving money on your phone bill. For instance she says writing a four page letter is going to be a more effective and cheaper way of communication than a long distance phone call. But, stamps aren't ¢35 anymore and I don't pay any long distance fees with my cell phone.

I really enjoyed this book and the format. It is laid out like a news letter. It is entertaining and informative. It helped me evaluate some of my spending habits and I learned some things. I will probably be sharing some of recipes for things like homemade bubble solution and hot cocoa mix, etc. Or other handy ideas I try because I was inspired by The Tightwad Gazette.