I was just reading another post where a couple of posters said that they re-read the TWG for more inspiration in their quest for frugality.

I bought TWG back in Jan. '02 in the hopes of finding great ideas for me to cut back and save money. I was disappointed.

I am not sure if this is because I've been frugal all my life or what, but I really got very little out of the book.

So my first question is this: is there ANYONE else out there that feels the same way? I don't think I've ever met one that shares my opinion, at least not one that will admit it.

And for the TWG lovers, what specific ideas did you learn from that book that you use today? Maybe I've missed something. :)

Michelle, great question.

What I got out of the book more than anything else was her story!! That encouraged me more than anything. I skipped through a lot of the stuff because I was already doing it, but I loved how she did some of the calculations in how much she saved. Being as I'm not good at math, it helped me to see where to save and what didn't really pay. Some things she took to extreme and when I became totally radical I did as well.

To live on what they made and to end up where they did was an inspiration to me and continues to be. I gave my 3 in 1 volume to Sherry so don't have it here anymore, and since have found better books to read on frugality/simple living.


I love books that tell you where they've come from and where they are now and I love reading stats when it comes to saving $$. Thats probably why I read the book as many times as I did.

Did I learn a lot of new tips that I didn't already know. A few but not many. If someone starting out in frugality, would I suggest that book, probably not. I learnt more with a number of other books and would recommend them before the TWG.

I am rereading mine right now. I think for me it is more inspiration rather than any big tip. I did learn that cold cereal is about the most expensive thing you can have for breakfast. For me it was more about the discovery that it is ok be frugal we had always been somewhat frugal because we had no choice but with the help of this book and this site it is now my choice and I am determined to be a die hard tightwad by the end of the year. I had never even heard of a price book before so I have learned a lot from this book. I am going to start doing more of the recipes now. Incidintly after buying (and paying full price in my before TWG days) I was searching for other frugal people on the net which led me to this site so it was without a doubt a wonderful thing that I read it! I have heard a few people on here say that they feel the same as you. And when I get burn out and feel like I am so broke this book really helps a lot. BTW do you have the complete TWG or just the TWG?

Originally posted by mylittle4
BTW do you have the complete TWG or just the TWG?

I have The Complete TWG.

Michelle, I feel exactly like you do. I bought a copy of the book a few months ago and feel like I completely wasted my money. I already do the majority of the things she talks about except the very extreme bizarre things, which I have no intention of doing, lol. So you are definitely not by yourself :)

For me it was the fact that I wasn't alone in my quest. I've always felt a little isolated in my frugality. The TG made me feel more "normal" and even though I learned a few things (and would never do some things in the TG) I read it for the little tips that I forget about....sometimes.

I think some of the tips are way beyond what I would do as far as being frugal, but I do reread parts from time to time when I "fall off the wagon" I reread for encouragement and inspiration, not so much for the tips, like will soap last longer if unwrapped, soaked in a soap dish, etc. I honestly have to say I don't have the time for that.

The crouton recipe in there is delicious. I've used it many times.

Have never read this yet. Can't find it at the library and won't pay full price. Have been searching yard sales, but no luck yet.

i was a little disappointed wiht it, but i do like having some of the recipes and such that are in it. i know her story inspires a lot of people, but i could have done with out it. just give me the tips and recipes. i did skip over a few sections when i was reading it the first time. now i just use the index to look up specific things.

Originally posted by couponchic
Have never read this yet. Can't find it at the library and won't pay full price. Have been searching yard sales, but no luck yet.

Couponchic, do you have a BJ's, Sam's, or Costco near you? They are sold there too.

Also try half.com and ebay. There may be copies there :)

I bought it a few years ago with a birthday GC from Amazon.com and although there are some things in it that I have learned, the majority of it is way too out there for me. I was disappointed to find that it was not the Frugal bible that I had perceived it to be. :(

i bought one from amazon.com (the complete TWG)....i liked it in general, but a lot was way out there. i sold mine on ebay.;)

I have all three, they were given to me as gifts and I was not impressed ! I had been doing those things for years. I was surprised that she made a fortune on the books.....

I use it for inspiration more than anything and I have gotten some good ideas for organizing the kids clothes and what to look for at garage sales etc.

I guess, I wasn't as frugal as I thought, until I read the first book, 3 years ago. I really loved it! I had borrowed from the library. I then wanted to buy the complete TWG and I never regretted it. I learned alot of stuff I didn't know. It motivates me to read it once in a while. :)

I guess it depends at what point of frugality you are when you read this book for the first time. For myself, it was alot of new things for me. I can understand that some of you, had alot of experience with frugality and the TWG wasn't something new for you. Maybe you can sell it to someone else Michelle? :)

I went to the used book store and got mine 3-4 mos ago. They didn't have the complete and instead of buying all 3 I just got the first. I have to say I'm not really impressed...don't get me wrong, there are some good ideas there but not really anything that fit our lifestyles.
I'm facinated with the whole "frugal" thing and way of life...I love to hear and learn from how those who had nothing got by. (I'm crazy I know but the depression facinates me also)
I just found that for us we already did many of what was suggested and not much was new for me, but I will also admit unless I'm really curious, I don't' figure out all the cost per servings etc.
I also have to wonder if she didn't make the money on the books and newsletters, and the few talk show's...do you think she would have the house she has now?

I borrowed mine from the library and I, too was disappointed. She is inspiring and creative but a little too radical for me. :toothy: She does have a wonderful sense of humor. I have read other books that was more practical for my situation.

Keilley

I borrowed the Complete TWG from the library. I really didn't have time to do an in-depth read of the whole thing, but I did like to read her story. I also learned a few new tips. There are some things I wouldn't do in there, but overall I liked it.

I have the complete guide. I enjoy reading her story. But i keep finding my self wonder what her house looks like with all the junk she saves... I am frugal, but in mine and dhs families, a gift meade from oj caps just would not go over well at all. None of her gift ideas would work here, so I knit or do the 90% off sales each year.
Her way of frugality will only work if it is supported by your dh, and mine would never go along with about 1/2 of her ideas!
Of course he refuses to shop goodwill too, for slothes, I can go for collectibles or stuff for me but thats it!

Overall, I like the TWG books. She is a little too radical when it comes to things like making her kids eat everything on their plates. I do buy things from garage sales and thrift shops, but it is nice to get something new (on sale) once in a while. From what I read, her kids never get ANY new clothes or shoes, everything has been worn first by someone else.

Deb

I believe I remember her writing about how she manages her time, and it was interesting, but things like only reading one book to her children a day, was not a way I would conserve my time. The recipes are kind of fun to look at, though, and it does inspire me when I feel I've fallen off the frugal bandwagon!

Thank you for all of your replies. I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one that didn't care for all of her ideas. The reading only one story to her children per day just made me sad. I'll read as many stories as they want to hear. If I run late on anything, I'll pick up the slack another time.

Again, thanks for your replies :)

Well, I like her a lot. I grew up with nothing (materially) and can and have make do on very little. When I read her books, it was like meeting a kindred soul. In my case, the cost of the books was offset by doing only one thing I found in her books: the diaper wipe recipe!

I was in complete agreement with her as to feeding my kids. My kids eat what is put in front of them or they don't eat. I do NOT make special meals and if they don't finish their dinner because they are pouting about it (or are honestly too full), they wrap it up and eat it for breakfast. I have kids who willeat almost anything without complaint.Yep, they love broccoli, chicken hearts, salad, corn, etc. !

Originally posted by Lori Biever-Launder

I was in complete agreement with her as to feeding my kids. My kids eat what is put in front of them or they don't eat.

Lori, I agree completely. I always tell the kids I'm not running a restaurant!

I have the Complete TWG and I love it, I reread it for inspiration occasionally. This book was my textbook in learning about frugality. I didn't know very much at all about how to start saving money, so it really opened my eyes to all kinds of ways to begin. For someone who wants to learn from the most basic to the way out there, I would recommend it, but if you've been practicing frugality for years, you probably are already doing
most of what she talks about in the book.

Btw, setting up and using the price book, was a really big help for me, and my favorite tip from the book.

I'm glad I found this thread because I bought the Complete TWG a few months ago and was very disappointed in it. All those letters and answers are terrible to read. Had I known it would be like that I wouldn't have wasted my money. I think there are a lot of excellent books on frugal and simple living out there but for me, this isn't one of them.

I found her story to be motivating. But I am new to frugal living and am fighting a battle to live a simpler lifestyle. So if anyone has other books to recommend, please post them! And I will try to do the frugal thing and read them from the library instead of rushing to Barnes and Nobel! LOL

I also like her muffin recipe. And it helps me to not feel so strange when I freeze all the little bits of dinner left overs to make a soup for dinner one night.

I like a lot of her ideas and have gleaned a lot of information from TWG. I re-read it again and again for inspiration, however I don't agree with her style of child rearing. I mean, come on, she's rich now, why not buy new clothes for her dkids? I don't mean expensive clothes, just something new. No need to go overboard in the other direction, but I think she needs to lighten up a bit, now that she can afford to.

I haven't bought or read any of these books. I read a couple of reviews that said it might not be worth it if you weren't in the US. I have seen Amy on the tv though.

I like hearing discussions on the philosophy and the way people have implemented things from the books but as far as tips go I think it's possible to find a lot of help elsewhere for things relevant to my situation.

I remember feeling great relief that I could be frugal and not feel cheap for doing so. I've enjoyed reading Amy's books but there are some things I just will not do. Dumpster diving being one of them. :carrot:

I think that most of her ideas are interesting, mostly because of her lifestyle. I find that she succeeds in her goal "To promote thift as a viable alternative lifestyle" and that I see as something important - I think people today are far too materialistic.

That said, I do think that there are many case where she goes to extremes - being frugal for the sake of being frugal. Mind you, there are some frugal habits I'd do even if I was rich, but there are some I'd gladly give up if I had the money. I also disagree with her phrasing things as "washing baggies saves $80 per hour" because I value my time at a certain dollar value, and that never gets factored in. I can wash baggies 40 hours a week but I still won't be able to pay my rent at the end of the month, KWIM? I think that the time vs. money issue is something she largely ignores - that some people have more money than time, and some people have more time than money. This put the value of doing certain frugal things in a different perspective.

Another thing about the series that annoys me (at least now!) is that I don't have any kids, and sometimes the entire book seems to be about saving money on kids (and if I have twins someday, I WILL spend more than $100 on them in the first year!)

I guess I'm like most of you.
I have the combined books and I read for inspiration. I don't think some of her things can be implmented in todays society.
She does seem to take some things every much to the extreme.
I haven't done alot of her stuff nor will I.
I am going to try some of the recipes and see what goes from there.
This is a great thread

Originally posted by Telephus44
(and if I have twins someday, I WILL spend more than $100 on them in the first year!)

As a mother of 12 year old twins -- I tried to be pretty frugal and I say yes, you will no doubt spend more than $100 on them in the first year! We bought formula and disposable diapers which hiked our expenses hugely. (Amazingly she breast fed them both (!!!) ) We bought used cribs, clothes at rummage sales, lots of used toys and books, but even without the formula and diapers, I can say with certainty that we spent way more than $100 --- well baby checks alone in the first year cost more than that!

I am so glad that this thread is active again! I do love discussing the TWG books. Amy is quite upfront in introducing the book, she states the the ideas included, both hers and her newsletter reader's will not all be for every reader. Some will use just a few, the really hard-core frugalite (or maybe the unemployed) could benefit from some of the more extreme suggestions. She attempts to cover the entire spectrum.

Some things I would never do, like save juice can lids, or dryer lint. She and her kids even made GIFTS out of dryer lint! She called it "Fire Starter" LOL! Actually, they took a cardboard egg carton, filled each little cup with dryer lint, then poured melted paraffin wax over the lint until the cup was full. After these cool, just cut them apart. Package several together, tie with a ribbon, add instructions to use a couple of these to start your fire. I wonder if the gift recipients were thrilled? Or puzzled? Appalled, maybe?

Back in the late 80's, early 90's? when Amy first appeared, there were not a whole lot of websites, forums, etc.. dedicated to frugality and being a SAHM, no one I knew had a home computer yet-she was a pioneer in providing frugal info. When I first heard of her, we had just had our third child, bought a house and my husband was laid off from his job. I absorbed as much of her information as was possible in order to pay the bills and stay home with the kids. Things got better but her philosophies have stayed with me. The best thing she taught me was to look at things in every imaginable way possible- I found her level of creativity amazing and inspirational. In my humble opinion, most of the environmental groups today could take a lesson from her books on reusing items. She was very much into recycling before it was the "politically correct" thing to do.
Maybe now there is such a "glut" of frugal information, that she may seem outdated. There isn't much in her writings that I find extreme, even now-maybe it is a "Maine" thing. All I know is that her ideas helped my family through a very difficult time and I am very grateful for her books. Still reread them regularly.

How funny about the fire starter!! When I got married, my old camp leader gave me a 72 hour kit and in it was a homemade fire starter!! Dryer lint and all. I knew exactly what it was since we'd used them every year at camp!! lol :D

I just finished reading this for the first time, and, while I enjoyed it, I must say I wasn't as impressed as I thought I'd be. However, I do plan on buying my own copy. A lot of the ideas are too extreme for me and many of them I already do. I really liked how she broke down calculations though. The universal recipes are great. My favorite thing about the book is how she wants people to think creatively (cheaply) in coming up with solutions to problems. That's the biggest reason I want a copy. Just to reread for inspiration.

I bought the Complete TWG not too long ago, but it was about $5 + shipping. The first book isn't too bad, but the rest really didn't do anything for me. T

There is one tip a reader wrote in about that my son and I laugh about. He built some contraption to drain the last bit of oil out of the bottle when you change your car oil. I can't remember how many bottles it took to get another quart, but it was just crazy. By the time you get that extra quart, that oil is contaminated with dust and junk. Everytime we got to the end of anything, by son would tip the bottle upside down and say he was getting the last drop.

The only thing I did for awhile, was having refridgerator dough ready all the time. I haven't done it for quite awhile. It's too hot to start now.

Im still reading my complete TWG so I cant comment on all of it. I have skipped through some of it, as I wont need to use it all, but have actually learned some things. I found some of it disappointing, but over all Im fairly happy with the book. Its very inspirational.

I'm glad I found this thread, because I was watching a few copies on Ebay. I decided to take them out of the library instead, and I'm glad I saved my money. I like the book so far, but I don't think I'd have been able to say I got 10 or 20 dollars worth of information out of them.

I'm all for recycling and using things rather than throwing them away, but I'd never try to pass off a lump of candle wax and dryer lint as a gift. If I was that broke, I'd simply be honest about it and tell the person I couldn't afford a nice gift. I haven't read that part yet, so maybe I'm missing something here, but... :eek:

Pretty late getting in on this thread, but I just joined up. I actually subscribed to the newsletter and have all my copies in a three ring binder still. I was raised by people who make Amy look like a wild spendthrift so I'm not sure I really learned anything new, it was more knowing I was not some kind of freak. I was reassured to know there was a whole "frugal underground" out there.

Originally posted by Michelle
So my first question is this: is there ANYONE else out there that feels the same way? I don't think I've ever met one that shares my opinion, at least not one that will admit it.

And for the TWG lovers, what specific ideas did you learn from that book that you use today? Maybe I've missed something. :)

 

I'm with you... I just don't get the big deal about this book.  I think she had some great ideas, but some of her stuff is too weird for me.  Also, most of the things she suggests I'm already doing.  So, no, you're not alone.  ;)

I think each of us finds our frugal inspiration in different places.  I have a book about being organized, frugal, & keeping house as it relates to Proverbs 36 that I just love  (I've reviewed it here before).  Most people probably wouldn't like that book much at all, though.

Hi Michelle. I'm one of those who loved the "Complete Tightwad Gazette" when it came out. I think it depends where you're starting from. I was raised with a spendthrift mother and really had no idea how to run a home efficiently, organizationally or fianancially. CTG was my introduction to dealing with those issues.

I not only used her tips, but her philosophy to squeeze the most out of our low income. I made it a game to find 10 things to do each year that would save us $1000 per year. I re-read her book every January and came up with things to do to accomplish this goal for five years in a row.

This year is the first year I haven't bothered to re-read it. We no longer have children at home whom we're responsible for. Our one dd who lives with us is 18 and responsible for her own expenses now and helps with chores. So a lot of Amy D's ideas don't 'fit' anymore.

FWIW, there are some things I said I'd never do, that I have because of Amy D. I said I'd never dumpster dive, but I sure take a second look whenever I walk down an alley now. Which I do on a daily basis. Mostly I don't take a thing, but sometimes things are set up beside the dumpster, and those I look over carefully. I've just netted two drawer/end table units that way, and a couple of old metal refridgerator bins to use for dying cloth. I won't dig through the garbage, but in our neighborhood it goes without saying 'if it's good, you don't want it and can't sell it, set it beside the dumpster for someone else'. Things often disappear in 24 hours.

Most of my frugal ways now are departed from CTG. The last time I read the book I didn't get anything new from it. I've switched to using mostly the internet as a source for frugal ideas. However I'll be forever indebted to Amy D. because I've saved the price of the book over thousands of times! Her philosophy has helped me determine what is cheaper - to buy or to make, and which frugal activities are worth doing and which aren't. And I too use and love her universal recipes.

I did give hm firestarters to people for Christmas one year. They were newspaper wrapped up tight, held together with string and dipped in red or green candle wax. They were included in a themed box for a movie night that included microwave popcorn (on the clearance table), licorice (a family favourite), a hm hot chocolate mix and a Blockbuster gift certificate. Noone complained. In fact, they all claimed to have appreciated the gift. I think what's acceptable in a family for gifts is a family culture thing. Some families like hm stuff and some don't.

I agree with all you ladies! LOL

I grew up with my parents being frugal, but that wasn't even a word back then I don't think. ROFL I read Amy's books and while some things were "out there" for me too, many of them I grew up with and was wondering how the heck she made money on telling people about them? Didn't everyone do these things? :D

I did enjoy her story but feel like another person posted that most was geared towards a family with children, that those of us that don't or can't have children don't exist or don't need to be frugal. While I think making your own baby wipes is a great idea, what does it do for me? :confused:

I'm still reading CTG. I grew up in a spendthrift home. Although I have no complaints as I had a happy childhood, we did live check to check. My parents still live this way and have no savings at all for retirement. I do not want to be like that. Guess I've always been frugal on the inside, but am realizing that now it is acceptible. So most of the ideas are new to me, I've never been taught them. What's the saying "knowledge is power". I'm trying to stuff all the knowledge in I can! ;)

I had all three of her books at one time, and gleaned alot of information from them. But I agree about her ideas on child rearing are a little severe. One book per night? That's extreme. And never any new clothes? Humph. I do shop Goodwill alot for everday clothes, and play clothes because that just makes good sense to me. You can find some amazing deals there on slightly used clothing, especially fancy name brand labels. But I always buy new clothes for birthdays, Christmas and special occasions for me and my children.

I don't have the books anymore - lost them in a move. I'm looking for a recipe in one of the books for homemade "maple-like" syrup. I'm not sure what name she calls it, but it's really good. I've made it before, but lost the recipe. Does anyone have it and could post it for me? I'd sure appreciate it! It's really excellent. My son was asking me about it the other day, and I just thought about it when reading this post.

HI there. I just finished reading the CTG (from the library of course :D )!!!

I found it wonderful. I think that you take it as a reference guide and apply what will work for you. She is writing on experiences about her family and what worked for her. Every person has different values, different goals. So pick and choose and create your own frugal ideas.

I really enjoyed the universal recipes. I had started doing that prior to reading the CTG. I have a universal muffin recipe that I love to use.

Some stuff in the books didn't interest me because they are not goals or paths I am taking right now.

So I use it as a reference guide and will reread it for inspiration.

Karen Anne-

She called it Pancake Syrup

3 cups Granulated Sugar
11/2 Cups Water
3 Tbsp Molasses
1 tsp Vanilla
2 tsp butter flavoring
1 tsp maple extract

Bring all to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves (a good rolling boil). Turn off burner, but leave pot on burner until bubbling stops.

I truly enjoy reading and rereading this book.. I do know that since the mid eighties to the mid nineties, things have changed, so some of the information is wrong.. Mainly on the stats and like median incomes vs house price.. Stuff like that.. Other wise I really enjoy it.. Although, my dad was making homemade syrup and using powdered milk since I can remember.. I have learned a lot from her though....

I have one of the books.Never read all of it though...A lot of the things either I already do or wouldnt do.

*Note to self...list on ebay* :lol:

Thank you waterlover....I really appreciate the recipe.

I wonder if inspiration is directly proportional to how frugal one is prior to reading the book. I think I was already pretty frugal when I started reading CTWG, so I wasn't really inspired when reading the book. I bet I would have been in awe though had I been a spendthrift.

Or perhaps it's that the book was built up so much...lots of hype. By the time I got to read it, I was disappointed. Again, partly due to being frugal all my life. I would say that I already knew about or did 80% of the things in the book, 15% are things I'd never do, and 5% were new ideas for me (mostly recipes).

Oh, and as I said before, I really didn't care for the way she does things with her children. Once I read that she will only read to her children once a day, I was really put off.

I have the Complete Tightwad Gazette, and I've read it and re-read it. I haven't seen where she says she will only read to her children once a day. I think that comes off bad if it's stated as a policy, but it's probably about what many parents do. Both of my older children stopped wanting to be read to at about 6, and wanted to read themselves. My baby just tries to grab the books from me and eat them!

If someone knows the page that she says this, I'd appreciate it.

Shaunta, she does say something to that effect in her "Things I don't do" while she says she reads only 1 book to her children per day, she also talks in great length of reading chapter books with several of her children as they professed interest. She also talks in a couple of places of having one of the older children read to the twins as one of the paid things they can do to earn some money. Which I found amusing my mom paid me to keep my sister entertained when I was about 13.

I loved her books, the way she dealt with her children's eating habits are pretty much the way my folks did it with us. We had to try stuff and as a result we will eat or try just about anything and so will the all the children in the family and none of us are overweight because of it. Which would come in handy if offered food that wasn't what you really wanted in a situation such as the hurricanes. I wonder how many children and adults had a hard time eating food they didn't like in the shelters and got hungry enough to eat it as time went on.

She and her husband also DO things with their kids, that's how we were raised. My favorite thing to do on Saturdays was go to the dump and the lumber yard with my dad. She and Jim also seemed to have found a way to deal in harmonious way with one another as far as household duties are concerned.

I have been so poor that none of her measures seem that extreme to me, I guess depends on your situation.

I'm so with you on the food thing. I have two preteens, and an infant. Adrienne and (especially) Nick are SO picky. It drives me insane. Nick, literally, just won't eat if he doesn't like what he's served, and there are like five foods that he likes.

Part of the problem is that I was very young when I had them, and just barely away from my parents. I have eight brothers and sisters, and we were expected to eat whatever we were served. Even if we hated it. I H.A.T.E. mayonaise. Even the smell of it makes me gag. And my step-mother used to make these horrible grilled cheese sandwiches in the broiler with mayonaise on the inside.

Anyway, when they were small I didn't make my older kids eat what they didn't like. Now, with Ruby, I'm actively making sure that she has a wide variety of food everyday. I'm going to really try not to let her have the picky-eater syndrom!

Maybe growing up in a large family makes me less upset by things like reading one book a day to your kids or whatever. And, since I'm the oldest, I was responsible for reading to my younger siblings, too. And I wasn't even paid for it! HA!

I didn't have a problem with the eating article - as I remember, we had some real donnybrooks at the table as I grew up, because I wouldn't eat corn or peas, and I was made to eat them. I still don't like corn or peas, but at least I know I don't like them, and I'm (believe it or not) grateful to my parents for making me eat them.

As for reading one book a day, I think it has more to do with having a large family and minimal time - I do remember that she recruited an older child to read to the little ones. Again, we only had three, but older brother read to me, and I loved to read to my little brother, and we all turned out to be avid readers.

I love the CTWG...Yes, some of her ideas are too extreme, but for me it was knowing I was not alone. My mother was frugal by neccessity not by choice, but when it came to cooking if it didn't come in a box she couldn't cook it. So finding frugal from scratch recipes and learning that I can feed my family good meals w/o breaking the bank was worth the 15 bucks I spent on A.D.'s book!

I've reread it several times and each time I learn something new. I recently tried the pancake syrup and my family loves it! Costs way less than even Aldi's .89 syrup!

Mollassus is a versitile commodity! It just gives me a deep inner satisfaction to be able to provide for my family w/o having to run to the store when I've run out of something!

Graci

what is better reading 10 books to your child..or reading it to her once and having her read it to herself....that's what my 4 yr old does..and has started deciphering words...

i looved the books and they have put me on the path i am now....yes some stuff is out there, but alot of it is cultural....those fire starters...i spent at least 50.00 on fire starters every summer camping..guess how much money i will save for next yr camping....enough to camp a full week free!! i would love them as a gift...if you do not have a stove or do not camp...you wouldnt appreciate them..im guessing they knew their family would receive them..

she also states her kids get new clothes for bdays and xmas from all the relatives...plenty....so she fills in the gaps...she doesnt spend the money as others are so why bother.....

why not convert to a spendthrift now that she has money...she wants to teach her kids.....teach by example


would she have the house they have now w/o these books, she did before the books, i imagine he might still be in the navy and not set for retirement yet...but they'd be fine...


is it for everyone...no....but if you are new to this..or for me,....showed me that is exactly how my mother raised me on 250/m from my dad....w/o any income on her own.....(house was paid) it showed me my mom wasnt unique, that yes i could also have the tools to provide for my family w/o having to work 50/hrs a week and being miserable...

that making at home is CHEAPER than buying..believe it or not, i was convinced most things were bought for cheaper..i had trusted the companies and never did the math.....

i rearead them almost every month, cause im new and im afraid to lose inspiration....i'll likely read yearly...but my dream is to live int he country with acreage...and be debt free where my kids arent spoilt and rotten and are happy to help each other and the family...

not every book is for everyone.....and again back when she wrote it, it wasnt "trendy" yet

I think its great that you weren't able to see anything in the book. That means you are very frugal indeed! Darn it that Amy beat you to writing the book on it. I agree that some things are way to out there. But there are extremes to all measures. Take what you want and leave the rest. Perhaps anyone who has the book and no longer wants it can offer it up for sale?