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The Complete Tightwad Gazette: Promoting Thrift as a Viable Alternative Lifestyle
At last—the long-awaited complete compendium of tightwad tips for fabulous frugal living!
In a newsletter published from May 1990 to December 1996 as well as in three enormously successful books, Amy Dacyczyn established herself as the expert of economy. Now The Complete Tightwad Gazette brings together all of her best ideas and thriftiest thinking into one volume, along with new articles never published before in book format. Dacyczyn describes this collection as "the book I wish I'd had when I began my adult life." Packed with humor, creativity, and insight, The Complete Tightwad Gazette includes hundreds of tips for anyone looking to save money or get out of debt, such
Travel for tightwads • How to transform old blue jeans into potholders and quilts • Ten painless ways to save $100 this year • Picture-framing for pennies • A comparison of painting versus re-siding your house • Halloween costumes from scrounged materials • Thrifty window treatments • Ways to dry up dry-cleaning costs • Inexpensive gifts • Creative fundraisers for kids • Slashing your electric bill • Frugal fix-its • Cutting the cost of college • Moving for less • Saving on groceries • Gift-wrapping for tightwads • Furniture-fusion fundamentals • Cheap breakfast cereals • Avoiding credit card debt • Using items you were about to throw away (milk jugs, plastic meat trays, and more!) • Recipes galore, from penny-pinching pizza to toaster pastries • And much much more . .
In a newsletter published from May 1990 to December 1996 as well as in three enormously successful books, Amy Dacyczyn established herself as the expert of economy. Now The Complete Tightwad Gazette brings together all of her best ideas and thriftiest thinking into one volume, along with new articles never published before in book format. Dacyczyn describes this collection as "the book I wish I'd had when I began my adult life." Packed with humor, creativity, and insight, The Complete Tightwad Gazette includes hundreds of tips for anyone looking to save money or get out of debt, such
Travel for tightwads • How to transform old blue jeans into potholders and quilts • Ten painless ways to save $100 this year • Picture-framing for pennies • A comparison of painting versus re-siding your house • Halloween costumes from scrounged materials • Thrifty window treatments • Ways to dry up dry-cleaning costs • Inexpensive gifts • Creative fundraisers for kids • Slashing your electric bill • Frugal fix-its • Cutting the cost of college • Moving for less • Saving on groceries • Gift-wrapping for tightwads • Furniture-fusion fundamentals • Cheap breakfast cereals • Avoiding credit card debt • Using items you were about to throw away (milk jugs, plastic meat trays, and more!) • Recipes galore, from penny-pinching pizza to toaster pastries • And much much more . .
959 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
81 people are currently reading
2639 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews
September 19, 2008
I am fucking obsessed with these books. This woman is possibly the most sensible human being on earth. Come for the novelty tips, stay for the practical philosophy.
August 27, 2009
A few good tips, but on the whole not an entirely useful resource. Many of her suggestions are outdated. There's a lot of "teaching you how to think creatively" sorts of articles that aren't practical to most people, but are supposed to help you get in the mindset of using what you've got creatively to solve problems rather than simply spending money. Eh... ok. But how many reminders do we need about that?
From a philosophical point of view, I have one major problem with this book… A sort of “grab all you can” mentality is actively taught and openly applauded. Yes, you can get things for free. Yes, it’s great that you’re saving money for what really matters to you. BUT you should also demonstrate gratitude and generosity. Someone spends too much money on baby clothes and then passes them on to you? Woo hoo! You’re a lucky tightwad. And you should definitely send them a batch of your famous homemade bread and a thank you note, rather than just gloating about how much money you saved. Girl Scouts trying to sell you cookies? Dacyczyn teaches you how to say “no” in a snotty, superior way. I say, buy a box of the damn cookies. You’ve saved so much money on free baby clothes you can afford to spend $5 to support the Girl Scouts. If you really can’t stomach spending money on overpriced junk, give a donation without taking any cookies. If you can’t be generous with your money, then be generous with your time instead. Seriously. Tightwads are great. I’m a tightwad! But we should all give a little back.
From a philosophical point of view, I have one major problem with this book… A sort of “grab all you can” mentality is actively taught and openly applauded. Yes, you can get things for free. Yes, it’s great that you’re saving money for what really matters to you. BUT you should also demonstrate gratitude and generosity. Someone spends too much money on baby clothes and then passes them on to you? Woo hoo! You’re a lucky tightwad. And you should definitely send them a batch of your famous homemade bread and a thank you note, rather than just gloating about how much money you saved. Girl Scouts trying to sell you cookies? Dacyczyn teaches you how to say “no” in a snotty, superior way. I say, buy a box of the damn cookies. You’ve saved so much money on free baby clothes you can afford to spend $5 to support the Girl Scouts. If you really can’t stomach spending money on overpriced junk, give a donation without taking any cookies. If you can’t be generous with your money, then be generous with your time instead. Seriously. Tightwads are great. I’m a tightwad! But we should all give a little back.
March 9, 2011
this book could potentially change your life (or, more specifically, your relationship to money, time, debt & a whole host of other things). it's a compilation of self-published newsletters that ms. dacyzyn published in the early-to-mid 90's about her frugal lifestyle. sounds like a snooze-fest, but she's an engaging writer who is not without a sense of humor. my mom used to subscribe to the newsletter & i remember reading it as a kid, which is part of the reason i re-read this as an adult.
quite a lot of the things she suggests are for people who a) have kids b) drive cars c) live in the country d) own their houses or e) live in the 90's (there are a LOT of tips on how to save money on home perms! and a hilarious article on the internet that has the line, "you can 'chat' on the internet, which is like a typewritten conversation..."). despite the fact that i fall into none of the above categories, i still found this book useful and interesting. she writes a lot of articles examining the shopping-is-happiness, debt-isn't-a-big-whoop mentality that a lot of amerikans are privy to, and shows lots of ways you can have a full, satisfying life without a lot of money. and she makes it sound so simple, with clear, easy-to-follow instructions! you don't feel like you have to be a nun or a complete maniac to save money. some things just make me want to yell, "PLEASE, PLEASE LIGHTEN UP!!!" but mostly it's good advice, and worth a glance at least. she really economizes on EVERYTHING, to a level that most people probably wouldn't be ok with, but you can always take the suggestions that you're comofortable with and ignore the rest.
it's pretty thick, so it's good for flipping through. makes me feel less crazy for my commitment to a debt-free lifestyle.
quite a lot of the things she suggests are for people who a) have kids b) drive cars c) live in the country d) own their houses or e) live in the 90's (there are a LOT of tips on how to save money on home perms! and a hilarious article on the internet that has the line, "you can 'chat' on the internet, which is like a typewritten conversation..."). despite the fact that i fall into none of the above categories, i still found this book useful and interesting. she writes a lot of articles examining the shopping-is-happiness, debt-isn't-a-big-whoop mentality that a lot of amerikans are privy to, and shows lots of ways you can have a full, satisfying life without a lot of money. and she makes it sound so simple, with clear, easy-to-follow instructions! you don't feel like you have to be a nun or a complete maniac to save money. some things just make me want to yell, "PLEASE, PLEASE LIGHTEN UP!!!" but mostly it's good advice, and worth a glance at least. she really economizes on EVERYTHING, to a level that most people probably wouldn't be ok with, but you can always take the suggestions that you're comofortable with and ignore the rest.
it's pretty thick, so it's good for flipping through. makes me feel less crazy for my commitment to a debt-free lifestyle.
June 23, 2023
Good as reference for skimming the suggestions that are useful to you, can be used as an encyclopaedia of reducing waste and saving money in the process 👍
October 20, 2007
The MOTHER of all books on frugality! This author is VERY extreme in her frugality; and that behavior allowed her to be a stay-at-home mom of 6 (I think) kids on her husband's small salary.
Many things were to "out there" for me but at least 3/4
s of the ideas I easily adapted to my own life.
While I don't save tin foil or iron wrapping paper to use again I was very inspired by this book to implement a lot of her ideas.
I re-read this book about once a year and usually find a few more ideas that I'd passed over before but have since adopted.
Many things were to "out there" for me but at least 3/4
s of the ideas I easily adapted to my own life.
While I don't save tin foil or iron wrapping paper to use again I was very inspired by this book to implement a lot of her ideas.
I re-read this book about once a year and usually find a few more ideas that I'd passed over before but have since adopted.
January 30, 2022
This is the second time reading this frugal bible, not to mention all the many times I've gone back to skim it for motivation. I've had this book for 9 years and I feel like anyone trying to live a humbler life for whatever reason, you need to add this to your library. You won't use everything and the prices and some tips are outdated or no longer relavent. But it will teach you so much, get you in that frugal frame of mind and keep you motivated.
April 21, 2013
The Complete Tightwad Gazette has got to be the best purchase I have ever made, with the possible exception of my kindle, and I didn't even pay full price. Thanks to a gift voucher I won for Powell's Books, I was able to acquire this book for the cost of postage.
When I first received this book, I was advised to read it cover to cover first, then go back through it with a notebook and write down all tips I think are relevant to my family. I have just finished reading it for the first time and I can understand why I was advised to read it this way. This three-in-one book is so chock full of useful information that I would have quickly been overwhelmed if I had started copying tips from the get-go.
The Complete Tightwad Gazette is not a dry, boring list of hints and tips. Rather it is a seemingly random selection of articles, written in an engaging and personal style that keeps the reader entertained and prevents boredom. The length of book seems daunting at first, but the articles capture the imagination so well that, despite the more than nine hundred pages, one is left hungry for more.
Off the top of my head, my top ten tightwad gazette tips are:
• The universal recipes. I love these because they are so easily adapted to utilise whatever I have in my cupboard.
• Selective Squeamishness. So your potato has a brown bit on it. Cut around it - the rest of the spud is still good. Same goes for fruit that has had one or two bites taken out - no need to discard the entire thing.
• Dumpster Diving (or scrounging trash piles left out for pick-up). It is absolutely amazing the stuff people will throw away. We have found some perfectly good toys, clothes and furniture this way - some with minor faults (such as a missing draw handle), others in brand new condition. We even got ourselves a perfectly good working vacuum cleaner this way.
• Thrift Stores and Garage Sales. Second hand does not mean second best. Plus, your wallet will love you!
• Price Book. Having a price book is a great way to keep track of when and where various food items are cheapest.
• Learn to Sew. Knowing how to repair that small tear will make your kids' clothes last so much longer - and you will be able to utilise the material when clothes are no longer useable.
• Make time to cook. Even if it means getting up a little earlier in the morning. Home-cooked snacks are a lot cheaper than store-bought and your kids will like them much better.
• Libraries. Join your local library. They generally stock the most popular books. If, like me, your tastes are a little less common, you can still save money by getting what you can from the library and only buying those books they don't have.
• Re-use. With a little imagination and a small amount of effort, almost everything that comes into your home can be re-purposed. Turkey nets can be used to drain bath toys, a bunch of six pack rings tied together are strong enough to make a hammock, old milk cartons can be used to make dog toys or toss-and-catch games.
• Use Less. Products (like laundry detergents, shampoos and so on) generally have a recommended amount per use. However, these are not always accurate. There are two reasons for this. First, they want to sell more product and the more you use at one time, the sooner you will have to replenish. Secondly, they are unable to take account of your individual circumstances - how dirty your hair is for example or how hard or soft your water is. Experiment with different amounts of products until you find the minimum amount you need to do the job. Doing this will save you loads of money.
Not every tip in this book will suit every reader, but I challenge you to read it without finding a single article useful.
When I first received this book, I was advised to read it cover to cover first, then go back through it with a notebook and write down all tips I think are relevant to my family. I have just finished reading it for the first time and I can understand why I was advised to read it this way. This three-in-one book is so chock full of useful information that I would have quickly been overwhelmed if I had started copying tips from the get-go.
The Complete Tightwad Gazette is not a dry, boring list of hints and tips. Rather it is a seemingly random selection of articles, written in an engaging and personal style that keeps the reader entertained and prevents boredom. The length of book seems daunting at first, but the articles capture the imagination so well that, despite the more than nine hundred pages, one is left hungry for more.
Off the top of my head, my top ten tightwad gazette tips are:
• The universal recipes. I love these because they are so easily adapted to utilise whatever I have in my cupboard.
• Selective Squeamishness. So your potato has a brown bit on it. Cut around it - the rest of the spud is still good. Same goes for fruit that has had one or two bites taken out - no need to discard the entire thing.
• Dumpster Diving (or scrounging trash piles left out for pick-up). It is absolutely amazing the stuff people will throw away. We have found some perfectly good toys, clothes and furniture this way - some with minor faults (such as a missing draw handle), others in brand new condition. We even got ourselves a perfectly good working vacuum cleaner this way.
• Thrift Stores and Garage Sales. Second hand does not mean second best. Plus, your wallet will love you!
• Price Book. Having a price book is a great way to keep track of when and where various food items are cheapest.
• Learn to Sew. Knowing how to repair that small tear will make your kids' clothes last so much longer - and you will be able to utilise the material when clothes are no longer useable.
• Make time to cook. Even if it means getting up a little earlier in the morning. Home-cooked snacks are a lot cheaper than store-bought and your kids will like them much better.
• Libraries. Join your local library. They generally stock the most popular books. If, like me, your tastes are a little less common, you can still save money by getting what you can from the library and only buying those books they don't have.
• Re-use. With a little imagination and a small amount of effort, almost everything that comes into your home can be re-purposed. Turkey nets can be used to drain bath toys, a bunch of six pack rings tied together are strong enough to make a hammock, old milk cartons can be used to make dog toys or toss-and-catch games.
• Use Less. Products (like laundry detergents, shampoos and so on) generally have a recommended amount per use. However, these are not always accurate. There are two reasons for this. First, they want to sell more product and the more you use at one time, the sooner you will have to replenish. Secondly, they are unable to take account of your individual circumstances - how dirty your hair is for example or how hard or soft your water is. Experiment with different amounts of products until you find the minimum amount you need to do the job. Doing this will save you loads of money.
Not every tip in this book will suit every reader, but I challenge you to read it without finding a single article useful.
April 21, 2012
Good only for a bit of a laugh at the notion of people paying for long distance calls and being frugal by sending a 29 cent letter instead of calling. Even looking past the outdated advice, there's really nothing here for someone with no kids who lives in a Seattle-area apartment. Even if hanging my laundry out to dry wouldn't result in an eviction (and probably all my clothes being stolen), the likelihood of it raining would defeat the purpose. The author is pretty high and mighty while being dismissive of issues like lack of space (she constantly refers to her huge farmhouse with attached barn and other outbuildings).
April 24, 2012
This book is LIFE-CHANGING. sometimes I miss being the ignorant person I was before I read it, because now I have a hard time letting ANYTHING go to waste. I'm afraid I'm on the verge of becoming a hoarder.
Amy Dacyczyn shows how you can do so much with so little. There are so many good ideas in this book. Genius things to do with items you'd normally throw away. Use an empty milk jug to irrigate your garden by poking holes in the bottom and burying it. Or turn it into a dustpan. Use the plastic ring on the milk jug to keep socks together while washing them. Turn a mesh produce bag into a scrubber for your dishes (or, in my case, to clean cloth diapers).
Not only that, but she breaks down how to shrink your grocery bills. There are so many graphs comparing prices of products, such as frozen french fries, instant mashed potatoes, and bulk potatoes. (the prices she gives are relevant to the early '90's, but the difference in price per ounce is still relevant today.) She shares cheap recipes, time management advice, and even craft ideas.
Even if you think you don't need to read this book, buy a copy and put it on your toilet. Flip through it at your leisure and I guarantee you will find at least 5 ideas you'll love.
Amy Dacyczyn shows how you can do so much with so little. There are so many good ideas in this book. Genius things to do with items you'd normally throw away. Use an empty milk jug to irrigate your garden by poking holes in the bottom and burying it. Or turn it into a dustpan. Use the plastic ring on the milk jug to keep socks together while washing them. Turn a mesh produce bag into a scrubber for your dishes (or, in my case, to clean cloth diapers).
Not only that, but she breaks down how to shrink your grocery bills. There are so many graphs comparing prices of products, such as frozen french fries, instant mashed potatoes, and bulk potatoes. (the prices she gives are relevant to the early '90's, but the difference in price per ounce is still relevant today.) She shares cheap recipes, time management advice, and even craft ideas.
Even if you think you don't need to read this book, buy a copy and put it on your toilet. Flip through it at your leisure and I guarantee you will find at least 5 ideas you'll love.
January 24, 2011
I am so pleased that I decided to buy this book. I was wavering about whether I could afford to give up work and raise my son full time on just my husband's salary and Amy showed me just how easy and fulfilling it could be. I do not do many (most?) of the ideas in the book, but it gives me the confidence that we should never find ourselves in a bad financial situation.
I have now been a SAHM for 4 months and am delighted with my decision. I will work again in the future but time with my son is irreplaceable.
The book is in no logical order, as it is simply a reprint of several year's worth of Amy's subscriber newsletter, but it does have a good index. It is also rather out of date for the same reason and some of the household tips are laughable. But the real gems come in the articles illustrating Amy's philosophy of frugal living - i.e. every penny counts. Amongst other things she introduces price books, various methods for analysing best value, and shows how to determine the net value of a second income. These tools can make a huge difference to a family's spending and standard of living.
I recommend that anyone in the slightest bit interested in personal finance or frugality or even just homemaking generally buys this book and reads it cover to cover!
I have now been a SAHM for 4 months and am delighted with my decision. I will work again in the future but time with my son is irreplaceable.
The book is in no logical order, as it is simply a reprint of several year's worth of Amy's subscriber newsletter, but it does have a good index. It is also rather out of date for the same reason and some of the household tips are laughable. But the real gems come in the articles illustrating Amy's philosophy of frugal living - i.e. every penny counts. Amongst other things she introduces price books, various methods for analysing best value, and shows how to determine the net value of a second income. These tools can make a huge difference to a family's spending and standard of living.
I recommend that anyone in the slightest bit interested in personal finance or frugality or even just homemaking generally buys this book and reads it cover to cover!
December 6, 2010
This 925+ page book has taken up a huge chunk of my reading time. So hopefully I'll be posting more frequently now that it's on its way back to the library! Anyway, this is sort of a thrift Bible; she's really taken things to their logical extreme. Her writing style is very conversational; she investigates the cost of things that most of us would never have the time to do. I loved her attitude - she was doing these activities as a way to make the most of her family life (without any overzealous religion or gender issue) and she saw that improved life as a payoff for this.
She can be pretty extreme. Many of the reader-generated ideas are also extreme - I'm not even going to consider making my own tampons. Even if I was going to think about cloth diapers, the idea of using used ones (from a diaper service) does skeeve me out. But it was still interesting to read about.
One of the key things that separates her from Radical Homemakers is that she stays firmly within the letter of the law - she encourages people to have insurance, obey laws and be responsible citizens. That was very appealing to me - it's a way of life, and philosophy, but one that embraces society. Also, her principles can be applied at will - if you only want to take a few ideas away from this massive tome, that would still probably save you a decent amount of money.
The one downside is that this is over 10 years old - I would love to hear about how her family and staff are doing now, how they're tackling college tuitions and teen driving, etc. Also, some ideas here are obviously dated - email technology was very new at the time she addressed it in her book. Many of the suppliers that she mentions may also have changed. I also found her recipes to be kind of bland - I don't think I'd eat most of them if there was another, less-frugal option. Again, I think that in the time since she signed off, we've learned more about nutrition and that tastes may have become more sophisticated. Also, given the 12-year lag, most of the prices she mentions are outdated, but the principles remain mostly the same.
She can be pretty extreme. Many of the reader-generated ideas are also extreme - I'm not even going to consider making my own tampons. Even if I was going to think about cloth diapers, the idea of using used ones (from a diaper service) does skeeve me out. But it was still interesting to read about.
One of the key things that separates her from Radical Homemakers is that she stays firmly within the letter of the law - she encourages people to have insurance, obey laws and be responsible citizens. That was very appealing to me - it's a way of life, and philosophy, but one that embraces society. Also, her principles can be applied at will - if you only want to take a few ideas away from this massive tome, that would still probably save you a decent amount of money.
The one downside is that this is over 10 years old - I would love to hear about how her family and staff are doing now, how they're tackling college tuitions and teen driving, etc. Also, some ideas here are obviously dated - email technology was very new at the time she addressed it in her book. Many of the suppliers that she mentions may also have changed. I also found her recipes to be kind of bland - I don't think I'd eat most of them if there was another, less-frugal option. Again, I think that in the time since she signed off, we've learned more about nutrition and that tastes may have become more sophisticated. Also, given the 12-year lag, most of the prices she mentions are outdated, but the principles remain mostly the same.
March 16, 2009
This book changed my way of thinking. Thrift is a rich and satisfying way of life, and it is connected with our relationships with community and the natural environment. There are so many gems here, so many ingenious ideas for saving money. I still have much to learn from Master Dacyczyn, but this book was my introduction to this radical way of thinking. And yes, I do think it is radical in our society that is so ravenous in its consumption. Be more inventive. Borrow. Share. Trashpick if you want. Garden. Use cloth diapers. Make your own baby food. Fix things. Seek out entertainment options that are free. It is kind of ridiculous that these ideas are radical, but they really are. My only complaint about this book is that the index is not complete. Sometimes I really have to fish through to find what I'm looking for. But I don't mind because every time I go "fishing" in this book, I find and revisit more great ideas.
August 1, 2018
A complete life philosophy in a time-capsule. Extra star for the headlines with literary references, like 'Farewell, Two Arms' (about how to make a bib for your kid by cutting off pieces of a sweatshirt) or 'War and Peas' (about how to make your kids eat anything). 'Is Your Child a Cereal Killer?' (on how to get your kids to eat cheaper breakfast) is not bad either.
Read
April 9, 2009This was a pretty thick book, but it was easy to skip over parts that didn't apply to me, and when she was "investigating" something, I skipped over the details and just read the results. I thought this book was poorly organized, and she's definitely extreme (I feel sorry for her kids!!)- but I did find some great ideas I'm willing to try. I also liked her attitude about recycling and reusing. Most of us would never dare to buy used bed sheets at a garage sale- but how many of us take our own sheets to a hotel? We may be leary of buying used silverware, but do we take our own to a restaurant? It's a good way to examine whether your thoughts are rational or not. It was also a good reminder that I don't need to buy everything at the store- cakes, egg dye (great with Easter coming up), cleaning solutions, etc... can all be made from scratch, and for a lot less at home (don't quote me on this, I'm just starting to 'wean' myself).
One of my favorite tips from the book is an egg substitute for cooking- 1 tbsp. of soy flour and 1 tbsp. of water in place of an egg. I bought a bag of soy flour at Albertsons (likely overpriced), but at $2.99 it is the equivelant of 80 or more eggs. So far, we haven't noticed a difference in taste/look of recipes. I also like to use powdered milk when I'm baking as she suggests.
It was good to see how much money we save by having gas appliances, and there were some nice cleaning tips in there as well.
Oh- and when you buy cottage cheese, store it in your fridge upside down. I'm not sure why, but it can extend the shelf life quite a bit.
It's a book full of little tidbits and info to save money.
Anyways, this book was a good reminder that we don't have to be victims in economic circumstances that are beyond our control. If we learn to save and live more frugally (in lean times and good times)- we won't experience the worst kind of deprivation- which is a lack of security.
I hope as we graduate and move onto "real life" we will take this advice to heart and make good decisions with our finances.
One of my favorite tips from the book is an egg substitute for cooking- 1 tbsp. of soy flour and 1 tbsp. of water in place of an egg. I bought a bag of soy flour at Albertsons (likely overpriced), but at $2.99 it is the equivelant of 80 or more eggs. So far, we haven't noticed a difference in taste/look of recipes. I also like to use powdered milk when I'm baking as she suggests.
It was good to see how much money we save by having gas appliances, and there were some nice cleaning tips in there as well.
Oh- and when you buy cottage cheese, store it in your fridge upside down. I'm not sure why, but it can extend the shelf life quite a bit.
It's a book full of little tidbits and info to save money.
Anyways, this book was a good reminder that we don't have to be victims in economic circumstances that are beyond our control. If we learn to save and live more frugally (in lean times and good times)- we won't experience the worst kind of deprivation- which is a lack of security.
I hope as we graduate and move onto "real life" we will take this advice to heart and make good decisions with our finances.
September 19, 2010
Amy Dacyczyn was one of the leading figures of frugality advocacy in the 90's. It all started with this newsletter, The Tightwad Gazette. It was just what people needed after the excesses of the 80's, and it caught on like wildfire. It really helps that Dacyczyn is so honest, ethical, humorous, and well-researched.
Tightwads get a bad rap. People go about it all wrong. They have an attitude of deprivation, that frugality is something poor people do. Dacyczyn changes all of that. She demonstrates that this is in fact something most poor people DON'T do, which is WHY some of them are poor. On the other hand, most people who reach their dreams quickly, stay out of debt and buy nice homes, without sacrificing their lives to their careers, are people who have a sense of frugality. Dacyczyn and many of her readers are such people.
She writes mostly from personal experience. Most of her articles have money-saving tips that she herself uses, which is good because you know they work, but it also means they're biased to her own choices and needs, which are those of a mother of a large family, living in a large house in rural Maine. Put that together with her readers' input, and it often starts to sound like a bunch of housewives swapping homemaking tips.
But that's okay, because there are 900 some-odd pages of this stuff. Just skip everything that doesn't apply to you, and you still end up with a ton of great, interesting, even FUN ideas for how to save money. But more importantly, all of the articles, even the irrelevant ones, demonstrate a certain approach, a certain attitude about spending. Of the hundreds of ideas in this book, I've only implemented a couple of them. But getting cozy with such a fun, insightful 900-page book about frugality really got me thinking, and I came up with my own ideas to save a ton of money.
Tightwads get a bad rap. People go about it all wrong. They have an attitude of deprivation, that frugality is something poor people do. Dacyczyn changes all of that. She demonstrates that this is in fact something most poor people DON'T do, which is WHY some of them are poor. On the other hand, most people who reach their dreams quickly, stay out of debt and buy nice homes, without sacrificing their lives to their careers, are people who have a sense of frugality. Dacyczyn and many of her readers are such people.
She writes mostly from personal experience. Most of her articles have money-saving tips that she herself uses, which is good because you know they work, but it also means they're biased to her own choices and needs, which are those of a mother of a large family, living in a large house in rural Maine. Put that together with her readers' input, and it often starts to sound like a bunch of housewives swapping homemaking tips.
But that's okay, because there are 900 some-odd pages of this stuff. Just skip everything that doesn't apply to you, and you still end up with a ton of great, interesting, even FUN ideas for how to save money. But more importantly, all of the articles, even the irrelevant ones, demonstrate a certain approach, a certain attitude about spending. Of the hundreds of ideas in this book, I've only implemented a couple of them. But getting cozy with such a fun, insightful 900-page book about frugality really got me thinking, and I came up with my own ideas to save a ton of money.
November 28, 2018
This was an incredibly unhelpful book and the author herself is really snarky in her writing. Within the first couple of pages, we read about how she turned down so many offers to publish her book (yeah, right...I'm sure) until she finally accepted one. The tips in this book are completely out of date for the modern world we live in. These tips were outdated for 1992. Today, they're almost nonsensical. These tips are better suited to the 1940's, not 2018. Some of the gems you'll find? Reusing tampons (disgusting) and making Christmas ornaments out of a soup can (seriously?), which I thought was interesting because you can buy Christmas ornaments at the dollar store for less than the cost of the can of soup. Most of the book is made up of tips from readers, under which the author tries to trump the tip with one of her own. Mrs. Dacyczyn comes across as really arrogant and sarcastic, not a good combination. Reusing pickle juice and milk carton rings? Saving dried out bread and dryer lint? That goes beyond being a tightwad; that sounds like hoarding to me. I can only imagine what the author's home looks like, although I can imagine it looks like a cluttered junkyard. It is clear to anyone with even a rudimentary knowledge of economics that the author is not well-versed in this topic. Her 'math' is simple and not doable for most things and when she talks about buying a home, my eyes really started to roll. The best tip I can give you? Don't buy this book unless you have somehow time traveled back to the Depression-era. That's about all this book is good for and I'm sorry I wasted my money.
September 8, 2016
In true tightwad fashion, I checked this book out from the library instead of buying it. Many of the frugal living blogs and articles I read sing Dacyczyn's praises, so I was expecting great advice that would help me to trim my monthly budget. Alas, much of the advice is outdated (the gazette was originally published between 1990-1996), and much of the advice that isn't outdated won't actually save you a lot of money. If you have a tendency towards hoarding, this isn't the book for you, unless you want to fill your house with juice can lids and scraps of salvaged lumber.
The best advice this book gives can be summarized pretty briefly:
1) Marry a Mr./Ms. Fix-It, or become one yourself. Okay, Dacyczyn doesn't actually tell you to marry someone for their carpentry or plumbing skills, but realistically this needs to happen if all of that salvaged lumber is going to save you any significant money.
2) Marry someone who shares your frugal lifestyle ideals. Great advice, but only if you're still single.
3) Cook from scratch as much as possible, and grow your own produce.
4) Learn how to do basic car maintenance, like changing your own oil and filters.
5) Buy high-quality clothing at thrift stores instead of department stores, and come up with an efficient hand-me-down storage system for kids' clothes.
Unfortunately, that's pretty much all the useful advice I got from this book, and I'd already read the same advice elsewhere. Be a true tightwad and pass up buying this book. Instead, read more up-to-date penny-pinching tips for free online.
The best advice this book gives can be summarized pretty briefly:
1) Marry a Mr./Ms. Fix-It, or become one yourself. Okay, Dacyczyn doesn't actually tell you to marry someone for their carpentry or plumbing skills, but realistically this needs to happen if all of that salvaged lumber is going to save you any significant money.
2) Marry someone who shares your frugal lifestyle ideals. Great advice, but only if you're still single.
3) Cook from scratch as much as possible, and grow your own produce.
4) Learn how to do basic car maintenance, like changing your own oil and filters.
5) Buy high-quality clothing at thrift stores instead of department stores, and come up with an efficient hand-me-down storage system for kids' clothes.
Unfortunately, that's pretty much all the useful advice I got from this book, and I'd already read the same advice elsewhere. Be a true tightwad and pass up buying this book. Instead, read more up-to-date penny-pinching tips for free online.
August 26, 2008
I stayed up way too late last night reading this book. I, apparently, am the last one to hear about it as Susan and Carol had already heard of it.
Honestly, we don't live a frivolous life and we already do a lot of things that people recommend. I didn't know people didn't use a towel more than once that has been on their fresh-from-the-shower-clean body. My single mom instituted that rule when I was about 11. We hardly ever eat out and my car goes only where is necessary. 95% of our clothes come from the thrift store and I LOVE garage sales!
That being said, there are a lot of great tips in this book. I love all of the recipes for things like soap crayons, playdough, etc. We have three birthday parties to go to in the next few months and of course, there's Christmas, so I will be making a lot of that stuff. There are recipes for homemade gifts such as bread in a coffee can, layered gifts in a jar, etc. I love that kind of stuff.
Did you know that if you dry your razor after use, it will stay sharp longer? You can sand your windshield wipers with sandpaper to make them last longer. I do recommend this book to anyone who's trying to cut their budget. It's very interesting and you'll be addicted once you start reading its nearly 1000 pages.
Honestly, we don't live a frivolous life and we already do a lot of things that people recommend. I didn't know people didn't use a towel more than once that has been on their fresh-from-the-shower-clean body. My single mom instituted that rule when I was about 11. We hardly ever eat out and my car goes only where is necessary. 95% of our clothes come from the thrift store and I LOVE garage sales!
That being said, there are a lot of great tips in this book. I love all of the recipes for things like soap crayons, playdough, etc. We have three birthday parties to go to in the next few months and of course, there's Christmas, so I will be making a lot of that stuff. There are recipes for homemade gifts such as bread in a coffee can, layered gifts in a jar, etc. I love that kind of stuff.
Did you know that if you dry your razor after use, it will stay sharp longer? You can sand your windshield wipers with sandpaper to make them last longer. I do recommend this book to anyone who's trying to cut their budget. It's very interesting and you'll be addicted once you start reading its nearly 1000 pages.
July 26, 2025
Synopsis: Amy Dacyczyn (aka the Frugal Zealot) published The Tightwad Gazette as a newsletter from June 1990 to December 1996. This book was created as a collection of all the tips and stories from the newsletters. It is split up into three parts (of which so far I have read only one) of about 300 pages each. The book covers ways to save money in hundreds of unique and imaginative ways.
My Review: This book has a long waiting list at the library so I was only able to cover Volume I during my allotted time. I think that it's probably for the better to split it up anyway. I really enjoyed the tips and tricks in the book and plan on utilizing many of them in my life. In fact, I'm going to try and post frugality/personal finance tips and tricks weekly on Lurp's Lounge (my regular blog). I took copious notes from this book and plan on sharing many of them with you, gentle reader. If you ever find a used copy, pick it up and it will quickly pay for itself as you practice increased frugality.
My Review: This book has a long waiting list at the library so I was only able to cover Volume I during my allotted time. I think that it's probably for the better to split it up anyway. I really enjoyed the tips and tricks in the book and plan on utilizing many of them in my life. In fact, I'm going to try and post frugality/personal finance tips and tricks weekly on Lurp's Lounge (my regular blog). I took copious notes from this book and plan on sharing many of them with you, gentle reader. If you ever find a used copy, pick it up and it will quickly pay for itself as you practice increased frugality.
June 7, 2011
This is a book that I finally bought after checking it out from the library at least 10 times. I LOVE this book. Some money-saving tips may seem extreme or out-dated, but it got me thinking outside the box. It has changed the way I think about spending. I always had trouble putting it down. It gets you thinking back to the way your grandma probably thought about self reliance. The author's tone is a bit condescending and guilt-provoking at times, but if you can take it with a grain of salt and simply choose a few things here and there to improve your spending habits without letting yourself feel too guilty about the rest, you will enjoy it. If anything, it was a fascinating peek into an interesting personality and the lives of a family that made little money and still lived the American dream--big house, large family, everything they needed and most of what they really wanted. Also great recipes, cleaning and organization tips, etc., many of which have become staples in my family.
May 15, 2008
I found out about this book in a recent magazine and was disappointed to find how dated it was (that's the magazine's fault, not the books). She talks about the $0.29 stamp and how soon email will be an inexpensive way to communicate instead of long distance phone bills - and how email messages only take a few hours to arrive!
Anyway, this book was more entertaining to me (like making your own cookie cutters from tuna cans and pliers) than helpful although I did get a few recipes I'm going to try and a few fun, cheap crafts.
Amy Dacyczyn (pronounced "decision") talks about how she manages her time so she has time to do all of these tight-wad kinds of things and I really feel sad for some of it: she does not read novels, she'll only read one book a night to her children, she only socializes if she can be doing something productive at the same time...
Anyway, this book was more entertaining to me (like making your own cookie cutters from tuna cans and pliers) than helpful although I did get a few recipes I'm going to try and a few fun, cheap crafts.
Amy Dacyczyn (pronounced "decision") talks about how she manages her time so she has time to do all of these tight-wad kinds of things and I really feel sad for some of it: she does not read novels, she'll only read one book a night to her children, she only socializes if she can be doing something productive at the same time...
August 2, 2008
This book has lots of super-practical tips for saving money and living simply. Some of them, like how to handle families who often give very expensive gifts over the holidays, are oh-so-useful. Others, like how to make a wreath out of barbed wire, are a little less so.
My major beef with the book, though, is the organization. I would have loved to skip the sections for parents or for car-owners, but the book wasn't organized in any thematic way, which made browsing a little challenging.
The other problem is that the book is a bit old, and some of the information is dated. It'd be so cool if another, updated, more modern version were around.
My major beef with the book, though, is the organization. I would have loved to skip the sections for parents or for car-owners, but the book wasn't organized in any thematic way, which made browsing a little challenging.
The other problem is that the book is a bit old, and some of the information is dated. It'd be so cool if another, updated, more modern version were around.
April 29, 2010
I had been reading a variety of environment-related books, which segued into sustainable living and thrift books. I only read about 1/3 of this book (it is about 900 pages). There were only a handful of ideas that I would actually use, so I decided to cut my losses and put the book down. What I realized was the environmental argument is much more compeling to me than the thrift argument--i.e. I am much more likely to hang my clothes on the clothesline to reduce my carbon footprint than I am do to do it to because it will save me 40 cents per load.
June 4, 2018
Love this book! If you can't get a tip or ten out of this then you're better than I am!
March 16, 2025
3/15/25: I think this could be useful for people so long as they keep in mind 1). A large portion of the advice in this is outdated and irrelevant (stuff from the 90s that just doesn't exist anymore a la blockbuster) and 2). you can find just as good tips on upcycling and saving money online without spending money on a book that will likely just end up clutter in your house.
May 12, 2008
I had a hard time deciding what to say about this book...and after much thought, I think what it boils down to is that this book is innovative, a first of it's kind. And because of that, it is interesting and worth reading, but has a lot of problems.
What the reader should pay attention to are the articles about tightwad theory, any applicable reader-submitted tips, and probably the success stories. But there is far more that isn't worth reading, such as the endless and boring articles about the author's many tightwad creations (such as Halloween costumes, party decorations, and so forth). Also, I skipped a lot of the excruciating calculations about how many fractions of a cent a single toilet flush costs. Basically, if you understand the theories of tightwaddery, you don't need pages of nitty-gritty (and boring) details of how the author applies the theories to individual projects. I also thought there were tremendous gaps in her explanations of tightwad theory; for example, she gives many many uses for used milk gallon jugs and bread bag tabs, but never in her theory articles does she mention how a tightwad should clean and save any and all materials that can be applied to other uses.
Overall though, this book does have some redeeming qualities, and should be a must read for anyone on a limited budget. I feel newly inspired to make the absolute most of my time, energy, and money, both for the purposes of saving money and for reducing the amount of environmental resources I consume.
What the reader should pay attention to are the articles about tightwad theory, any applicable reader-submitted tips, and probably the success stories. But there is far more that isn't worth reading, such as the endless and boring articles about the author's many tightwad creations (such as Halloween costumes, party decorations, and so forth). Also, I skipped a lot of the excruciating calculations about how many fractions of a cent a single toilet flush costs. Basically, if you understand the theories of tightwaddery, you don't need pages of nitty-gritty (and boring) details of how the author applies the theories to individual projects. I also thought there were tremendous gaps in her explanations of tightwad theory; for example, she gives many many uses for used milk gallon jugs and bread bag tabs, but never in her theory articles does she mention how a tightwad should clean and save any and all materials that can be applied to other uses.
Overall though, this book does have some redeeming qualities, and should be a must read for anyone on a limited budget. I feel newly inspired to make the absolute most of my time, energy, and money, both for the purposes of saving money and for reducing the amount of environmental resources I consume.
February 12, 2015
The Tightwad Gazette is my bible. Amy Dacyczyn saved my life.
When I was young, budgeting and money were a mystery to me. Add in the fact that my eyes glazed over trying to do percentages and you get a personal budget that was a real mess.
After applying Amy's ideas such as "The Price Book" and following the idea of "Getting Your Bang for a Buck", I began to reinvent my life.
Plus, Amy pushed me to cook. When I made my first "Cuban Bread", I was ecstatic. I can't boil water, so this was a big deal. While I did not progress much past spaghetti and PB&J sandwiches, I still sought to practice many of Amy's ideas. I succeeded on many levels but I made mistakes, too. Mistakes too gruesome to tell you.
But, I survived and continue to stumble my way through "Frugalhood."
Another lasting joy from reading or rereading Amy's book is she sparked my creativity. While I am not an artist, I like the concepts of reusing items for other purposes as well as mending and repairing items instead of tossing them.
I have also not mastered finding "Curbside Treasures", but I keep trying.
Being a Tightwad is a way of life and I continue to reap rewards from Amy's ideas.
When I was young, budgeting and money were a mystery to me. Add in the fact that my eyes glazed over trying to do percentages and you get a personal budget that was a real mess.
After applying Amy's ideas such as "The Price Book" and following the idea of "Getting Your Bang for a Buck", I began to reinvent my life.
Plus, Amy pushed me to cook. When I made my first "Cuban Bread", I was ecstatic. I can't boil water, so this was a big deal. While I did not progress much past spaghetti and PB&J sandwiches, I still sought to practice many of Amy's ideas. I succeeded on many levels but I made mistakes, too. Mistakes too gruesome to tell you.
But, I survived and continue to stumble my way through "Frugalhood."
Another lasting joy from reading or rereading Amy's book is she sparked my creativity. While I am not an artist, I like the concepts of reusing items for other purposes as well as mending and repairing items instead of tossing them.
I have also not mastered finding "Curbside Treasures", but I keep trying.
Being a Tightwad is a way of life and I continue to reap rewards from Amy's ideas.
March 28, 2014
The Complete Tightwad Gazette is based on newsletters that came out in the early 90s, and it was known for popularizing frugal ideas like washing and reusing zip-loc bags, and keeping a grocery price book. The ideas in the book range from super-miserly (re-purposing meat trays?) to common-sense (making rather than buying kids' Hallowe'en costumes). Some tips are dated (like saving on postage) while some haven't dated (like how to fix a broken zipper). The original newsletters were mailed out in a zine format and all the feedback came through the post. It must have been really fun to do that stuff pre-Internet!
August 16, 2017
This book is a huge 900+ page compilation of a frugality newsletter that the author published from 1990-1996. Some of the suggestions and information is consequently a little dated, but the principles being taught are timeless and even more relevant today than twenty plus years ago when they written.
This book focuses heavily on frugality in many of the small and simple things in life, suggesting that by using a large number of simple money-saving strategies they combine to have great power to affect your total financial picture. There were many hundreds of such strategies presented in the book, some of which I was already doing, but there are many others that I will start doing. It is not expected that everyone use all or even most of the ideas suggested, but rather that you 1) adopt and apply the ideas that apply directly to you, and 2) learn the principles that the ideas teach and apply those principles to your unique personal and family circumstances. I really liked this approach. One of the biggest takeways from this book for me was to be more proactive about searching for frugal solutions. Oftentimes the solution that requires the least thought and effort is actually an extremely expensive solution, whereas with a modest investment of thought and creative energy there are ways to better use our resources, solve problems, etc
My favorite articles in the book were the articles about the philosophy and overarching reasoning behind why living frugally is simply a better way of life. Those words had a much more significant impact on me than the numerous little ideas of how to save money.
Here are a few notes that I took of things I liked as I read:
In many cases, it is far less work to give up an unnecessary luxury than it is to work to earn the money to pay for it.
Trying to solve financial problems without spending less and saving more, but only by earning more, is a recipe for failure and misery. Earning more ultimately means more hours working and away from home, family, and other important aspects of a happy, balanced, and fulfilling life. There comes a point where more work erodes and decreases quality of life rather than increasing it. The solution is to find the right balance of earning and saving so you can maximize your quality of life.
People who work many hours outside the home frequently forgo many opportunities to save a lot of money due to lack of time. (This is one of many significant factors that require you to actually sit down and do the math on job-related expenses to determine if having a two-income family is actually going to financially benefit your family enough to make it worth what you lose in not having a parent home).
Epicurus: "Wealth consists not in having great possessions but in having few wants."
It takes foresight to save money. It takes time to identify great deals on many purchases and you need to anticipate needs in advance and do your research in order to gain those savings. If you identify a need the day of and go out and purchase it immediately you will very likely not be getting the best possible deal on that product.
Buy things when it costs you money not to own it.
When making purchases it is important to determine if a product is an investment in value or is a disposable expense. When buying something as an investment in value buy what you will be happy with. Minimize and cheapify the purchase of disposable items.
Frugality Suggestions:
1. Buy it cheaper
2. Make it last longer
3. Use it less
Comparison shop for items you buy regularly at various stores. Record the unit cost of the item at various stores. This will help you buy specific items at the best price available and also determine when a sale was actually a sale.
Ways to buy more house:
1. Trade up from a starter home to a larger home after living in the starter home for at least 5 years
2. Buy a duplex and rent half
3. Save up a large down payment
4. Buy a fixer upper IF, and only if, you have the skills, money, time, and determination to actually do the work.
5. Increase income
6. Decrease spending
7. Decrease debt
Parenthood can greatly slow or even stall your efforts to save, invest, and achieve financial independence. It helps to be firmly entrenched in a frugal lifestyle and to increase your income to offset these costs.
In the early years of marriage before you have children you should live as frugally as possible and save as much money as possible.
To reduce the stress of Christmas overspending, give yourself and your family permission to do less. Set expectations well below the mass commercialism Christmas our society tends to expect now. Keep Christmas simple. Do less and enjoy the holiday more.
When dating and courting be aware of and look for financial red flags. Your dating style (financial and otherwise) should be consistent with who you are as a person in every other area of your life. If you are a frugal person plan and carry out tasteful and frugal dates. Frugal people will appreciate frugal dates. It's more important to make an accurate impression than a good impression. Whether or not you make a good impression depends a lot on the other person.
When dividing tasks and responsibility for housework: "You should each do what you like best, and split the rest."
Actually take time to do the math and calculate what you can save by engaging in a particular frugal activity.
There was much, much more. A lot of this stuff is just good common sense, which unfortunately is becoming a scarce resource in American life these days.
This book focuses heavily on frugality in many of the small and simple things in life, suggesting that by using a large number of simple money-saving strategies they combine to have great power to affect your total financial picture. There were many hundreds of such strategies presented in the book, some of which I was already doing, but there are many others that I will start doing. It is not expected that everyone use all or even most of the ideas suggested, but rather that you 1) adopt and apply the ideas that apply directly to you, and 2) learn the principles that the ideas teach and apply those principles to your unique personal and family circumstances. I really liked this approach. One of the biggest takeways from this book for me was to be more proactive about searching for frugal solutions. Oftentimes the solution that requires the least thought and effort is actually an extremely expensive solution, whereas with a modest investment of thought and creative energy there are ways to better use our resources, solve problems, etc
My favorite articles in the book were the articles about the philosophy and overarching reasoning behind why living frugally is simply a better way of life. Those words had a much more significant impact on me than the numerous little ideas of how to save money.
Here are a few notes that I took of things I liked as I read:
In many cases, it is far less work to give up an unnecessary luxury than it is to work to earn the money to pay for it.
Trying to solve financial problems without spending less and saving more, but only by earning more, is a recipe for failure and misery. Earning more ultimately means more hours working and away from home, family, and other important aspects of a happy, balanced, and fulfilling life. There comes a point where more work erodes and decreases quality of life rather than increasing it. The solution is to find the right balance of earning and saving so you can maximize your quality of life.
People who work many hours outside the home frequently forgo many opportunities to save a lot of money due to lack of time. (This is one of many significant factors that require you to actually sit down and do the math on job-related expenses to determine if having a two-income family is actually going to financially benefit your family enough to make it worth what you lose in not having a parent home).
Epicurus: "Wealth consists not in having great possessions but in having few wants."
It takes foresight to save money. It takes time to identify great deals on many purchases and you need to anticipate needs in advance and do your research in order to gain those savings. If you identify a need the day of and go out and purchase it immediately you will very likely not be getting the best possible deal on that product.
Buy things when it costs you money not to own it.
When making purchases it is important to determine if a product is an investment in value or is a disposable expense. When buying something as an investment in value buy what you will be happy with. Minimize and cheapify the purchase of disposable items.
Frugality Suggestions:
1. Buy it cheaper
2. Make it last longer
3. Use it less
Comparison shop for items you buy regularly at various stores. Record the unit cost of the item at various stores. This will help you buy specific items at the best price available and also determine when a sale was actually a sale.
Ways to buy more house:
1. Trade up from a starter home to a larger home after living in the starter home for at least 5 years
2. Buy a duplex and rent half
3. Save up a large down payment
4. Buy a fixer upper IF, and only if, you have the skills, money, time, and determination to actually do the work.
5. Increase income
6. Decrease spending
7. Decrease debt
Parenthood can greatly slow or even stall your efforts to save, invest, and achieve financial independence. It helps to be firmly entrenched in a frugal lifestyle and to increase your income to offset these costs.
In the early years of marriage before you have children you should live as frugally as possible and save as much money as possible.
To reduce the stress of Christmas overspending, give yourself and your family permission to do less. Set expectations well below the mass commercialism Christmas our society tends to expect now. Keep Christmas simple. Do less and enjoy the holiday more.
When dating and courting be aware of and look for financial red flags. Your dating style (financial and otherwise) should be consistent with who you are as a person in every other area of your life. If you are a frugal person plan and carry out tasteful and frugal dates. Frugal people will appreciate frugal dates. It's more important to make an accurate impression than a good impression. Whether or not you make a good impression depends a lot on the other person.
When dividing tasks and responsibility for housework: "You should each do what you like best, and split the rest."
Actually take time to do the math and calculate what you can save by engaging in a particular frugal activity.
There was much, much more. A lot of this stuff is just good common sense, which unfortunately is becoming a scarce resource in American life these days.
September 28, 2007
This is a compilation of her first three books with some bonuses at the end. It is every conceivable way to save money out there. The author is ethical in her tightwad ways. I do warn that you will never spend money without feeling a little guilt if you didn't get a killer deal, or are buy entertainment rather than something to save you money. Having said that, I do recommend this book because she has some great thoughts on having your money buy you what you really want and how to SAVE to get it.
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