The Tightwad Gazzette/the fans/ the foes

[ipsidoodle]

The book and author is arranged to offer advice on how to live one's life more frugally.  It is at many times humorous, and the author through out uses examples from her life on what she does.  She also states finding the  acceptable level for you.  For some people, gung-ho frugal living really makes there day(and these people are probably the true tight wads), the more spendy people are going to like less of the book. Take what you can use, disregard the rest, and don't pass judgement. If you don't like powdered milk, don't use it, no guitar picks, don't make them.  If you only eat organic, free range food from local farms, then make a price book around those foods--The author explains about the price book, it is for the foods you eat,  not to follow her diet. Another good idea is placing value on your purchases(i.e."Your money or Your life" what amy dazyczn values is a large house and many kids, so she was frugal so she could have those things, maybe you want to be frugal so you can buy jimmy choos or get botox--it doesn't really matter.

[VisionaryMom]

As a reference, the book is terrible. I understand that she simply used newsletters she'd previously laid out and turned them into a book, but I don't know how useful people could find the book. You have to create your own index or remember all of the ideas you read to get the best (and most frugal!) use out of the book.

I actually realized when reading her book that I'm not a tight wad. I don't love the hunt of frugality. I'm thrifty. I bargain shop, but I'm not going to go without something I need for a year until I find it free while dumpster diving. It's just not going to happen for me, but I know there are people who get a great thrill from that. 

I heard a piece on talk radio (it wasn't NPR, but I was traveling and don't know what it was) about how people in certain demographic groups pay higher for the same groceries because for some groups money is more important than time and vice versa. So, for example, for a janitor, money's more important, and he will spend more time looking for bargains while for an attorney, time is more valuable. I definitely fall on the side of time, which is why a lot of things like Tightwad Gazette don't really appeal to me.

[MommaRNCCRN]

I don't know....I've had a copy of the Complete Tightwad Gazette for about 10 yrs...I've gotten some good tips from her book regarding recycling things and reusing things that wouldn't have made a blip on my radar had it not been for her book and she's been a 'frugal zealot' LONG before it became 'cool' with the recent economic situation in this country.

I'm glad her ideas were able to allow her to 'retire' back in 1996. I'm curious though how she'd adapt her advice to the current age as the internet was basically non-existent when she wrote her newsletters. I'd also like to know if her children, the youngest twins will be 20 this year...still follow the lessons that their parents taught them or if they rebelled against their teachings and became spendthrifts

[VisionaryMom]

Originally Posted by MommaRNCCRN 
I'm glad her ideas were able to allow her to 'retire' back in 1996. I'm curious though how she'd adapt her advice to the current age as the internet was basically non-existent when she wrote her newsletters. I'd also like to know if her children, the youngest twins will be 20 this year...still follow the lessons that their parents taught them or if they rebelled against their teachings and became spendthrifts

I've wondered as well. I saw an interview with her when she showed a picture her daughter made & gave her. It was of a "frugal apartment," and this daughter was in her early 20s at the time. I assumed that daughter was living that way, but surely at least one of the kids isn't.
 

[heatherdeg]

I read the books back in the mid-90s and at the time, it was overwhelming.  I was working full-time and going to school full-time, so I truly just couldn't devote the time to some of her stuff that she had.  I also didn't have kids, so some of it wasn't applicable.

But it definitely gave me food for thought about how to view things in terms of their value to your life vs. what you pay for them, giving second hand a first chance, and doing whatever I could on my own beyond the things I did (I was pretty good there, though).  I think the thing that was most life-changing for me out of it was a price book.  And I still use one today, 15 years later. :)

[BetsyS]

My parents got the newsletters back in the day.  I re-read the book occasionally.  It's fun to sit and read through.  I think that the biggest lesson is that frugality is different for each person, but it's worth pursuing, because that means that you can spend much less on things that don't matter, while leaving more money to spend on the things that do matter.  It's a great book to get you out of the "we have no money" doldrums.  It changes it into, "we're choosing to be one income to pursue our goals right now".

Here's a recent interview with her.  http://ortlundsincanada.blogspot.com/2010/01/interview-with-amy-dacyczyn.html

[philomom]

Thanks for the update. I liked the books even if I'm not that hard core... she really is an inspiration.

[NullSet]

I really liked the books.  Maybe I didn't use everything but it was inspiring to read.

[swede]

I liked a lot of what she had to say 10 years ago when I first read her books.  I am frugal about some things, not so mych about others.  SHe is very inspiring, but out of my league.