This book really helped me change from spender to saver. Here some things I've learned:

~Make things last longer. How long can that bottle of shampoo last? Can you get more toothpaste out of the tube?
~Bring your lunch. I'm always working on that.
~Try to re-use everything. Bags, old containers you name it.
~Can you do it cheaper? Do the math.
~Try second hand.
~Left-over wizardry.
~Cheap entertainment.
~Be proud to be frugal.

What did you learn?

The thing that struck me most was the realization that all the creativity and problem solving I put into other areas of my life could be applied to running the household and finances too. Believe it or not, I hadn't made that connection when I first read the books!

As for specific ideas that struck a chord with me:

~ creative leftover use
~ her universal recipes have saved me a bundle. I just throw in whatever I have that is in the food group called for!
~ her theories on tightwaddery were very reassuring. I knew them at a gut level, but it was something else to have someone speak so eloquently to them and reiterate them so well.
~ I loved the list a reader sent in on the questions to ask before buying something. I still use that list. It's posted on my fridge to remind me before I buy anything.
~ mostly Amy D. moved me from viewing frugality as a hardship caused by my 'mean' dh, to a game that was actually rather fun.

Jean

I agree that creativity is one of the biggest assets the books work off of. Flexibility is another. I love the "make your own ....." from scratch and she gives many different ways to make muffins or whatever.

Definitely the 'make your own' recipes and mixes. This helps one to think through the 'prepackaged' item and figure out how to make it on your own. The cheapest way.

I did find it reassuring to know that it's okay to reuse, reduce and recycle. Or, to continue to reuse something until it's usefulness is gone. A rag- can only be a rag for so long.

I love the fact that she did all the leg work for me... testing, timing, tithing.

I did not find it helpful that she gardens and reduces a bulk of her grocery budget by gardening- some people can't garden so, it eliminates a big portion of the savings (according the AD) for those city dwellers. Not everyone lives on 9 acre farm. Although we would love to!

yes i agree with Cheryl, we don't have a garden anymore, we rent now. so i haven't saved that much. I did freeze alot of strawberries and made home made feeezer jam. I also put alot of string beans, from country vendor(family member who sells and half filled the freezer for cheaply i amy say.
Also we made lots of bottled beets , my hubby loves them.
TWg , i have the 3 part(books) in one. Is that what everyone else has. i had to pay the Canadian price 27.95 plus taxes. ughhhhhhhhhh but i got lots of ifo from it, love it

Miss Thrifty:

I'm in Canada and got the 3 books in one for $19.95. Not a bad price to pay for what it is! Course I bought it over 5 years ago. I figure I've saved over $11,000 because of this book.

Jean

I haven't really worked with the universal mixes, but the homemade rice-a-roni, now .... dang, why didn't I think of that one years ago?

A lot of the books are family directed, which does not apply to me, but I learned a lot anyway, and found most of her essays entertaining, even when they did have no relevance. It's a mind set more than details.

I don't know if this thread is still active, but I had to comment that I think these books were the beginning of my enligtenment. I learned so much from them. I think it's true that you take away a mind set more than anything else.
While some of the ideas were extreme you gotta admire a woman who has the determination to take control and make her dreams come true. She knew what she wanted and she made it happen.
I loved the fact that she was able to stay home and live on his salary which was very modest, raise 6 kids and save for the great farm that they eventually bought.
Learning to look at the cost per meal was the most important lesson I took away from the bookl

I agree laurapike. It was also the beginning of my enligtenment. I wouldn't go as far as her but it inspired me to pay off my credit card and save a ton!

Amy is very bold and honest about her way of life. I think she's fantastic. I wouldn't go as far as she does (dumpster diving is a little beyond my scope of practice) but she really does have some fantastic ideas. The universal mixes are amongst my favorites. But I also loved her articles on skin care, the minimalist wardrobe, frugal dieting, vegetarianism and her comparisons of how much homemade items cost when compared to store-bought items. I wished she'd been around when I needed her six years ago (when I was supporting my ex-husband and I on $6/hr. before taxes and deductions). I take my copy of the TWG everywhere and read it often. I am always learning something new.

I just picked up TWGll at the library and really like it. I need to get to our bargain book store soon to see if they have any of her TWG's . Learning alot from the book and this great site.

I find that each time I reread the book I come away with a new nugget. "How did I miss that the last time." Make it yourself has always been a part of my life thanks to dear old mom. But the going about getting the best price for things you have to buy aka the right vechile. I saw her years ago on Good Morning America when she explained how she wrote to the different car vendors in her area with her wants and then narrowed down what was avaiable from the responses.

Laurie in Bradenton

peanut,
I bought mine at coles 5 years ago!! You got a good deal. I ordered mine ,maybe thats why it was full price. Oh well, its still worth the value!!!

...I figure I've saved over $11,000 because of this book.


That's quite a savings! I'm curious--how did you arrive at that figure?

Cele,

It's actually more than that. I set myself a goal of saving over $1000cdn/year using tips from her books. Each year I'd go through the books again and add another $1000 worth of savings by using her tips. This went on for 5 years at least. It's only been the last couple of years I finally discovered I really can't save much more. It's fine tuning now.

So...

1999 $1000
2000 $1000 +1000 = $2000
2001 $2000 + 1000 = 3000
2002 $3000 + 1000 = 4000
2003 $4000 + 1000 = 5000
2004 $5000 + 1000 = 6000

So it's actually $21,000 overall. And it shows. Not all of that $6000 goes into savings, but $3600 annually does. And we have another $3600 extra annually going towards paying out the mortgage early (over and above our regular mortgage payment). So we're really saving $7200 more than we were to start with.

We had no savings originally and were struggling to pay what I thought were non-discretionary expenses. What she taught me was that even non-discretionary expenses can be candidates for frugal measures. I may have to pay a heating bill, but I didn't have to use as much as I was! And I could weatherproof my home better to save further.

Jean

Actually, just in our new-to-us car purchase two years ago she saved us $20,000cdn. Dh never would have considered buying a secondhand car if it hadn't been for Amy D. and her books.

Jean

I wish I'd find another book that inspired me to save like the TWG. Amy if you're out there we are ready for another book or a magazine!

~I would say that I have learned to use things all the way up, to get the most out of the mustard bottle, toothpaste, etc.
~How to make muffins!! LOL I didn't know how to make them until I got the book and made them. We all love them!!
~to pack a lunch, we homeschool, but it is good to pack one for when we are out and about so I don't find us all starving and pulling into the fast food circus!
I have found her books to be wonderful, but I am not as frugal as we need to be! :( It will happen eventually right!!!??!!

I have found her books to be wonderful, but I am not as frugal as we need to be! :( It will happen eventually right!!!??!!

Yes, if you're diligent and work on the attitude changes as well as the basic tips, it works. I felt overwhelmed the first few times through the book. Made lots of notes and just picked one thing a week to work on. Once I had one thing mastered, I moved onto another. I picked the tips that would result in the biggest savings for us as things to work on first. Meant a lot of number crunching, but it was well worth it!

Jean

I wonder where she is now (lifewise, I mean. I am sure she's still on her 9000 sq. ft. ranch with attached barn). Anyone hear anything about her or what is going on? They didn't have any more kids, right?!

I just got my book in the mail! I am very excited to start reading it!

I ordered all three books from amazon, I had a $10.00 gift card, I got all three books plus another one, I have read and reread all three books I love them. I do use coupons but i find my self comparing prices to the store brand and also if I can make it cheaper, if I can get the store brand cheaper or make it cheaper Idon't use the coupon, I am starting to reread them again, just to see if anything new jumps out at me, also another great book that I am looking for is not just beans, great frugal recipes and neat tips, I also wonder what Amy is up to these days. I also have found a small spot in my yard and planted things that my family likes or use alot, watermelon, corn, rasberry bush, sunflowers, pumpkins have friends that have gardens that i can get cucmbers and tomotoes from, other veggies I buy cheap and freeze, I am going to learn to can this summer.....any one know of a good book that would help with learning to can.

The Ball Blue Book is a good basic book. Libraries also have lots of books on canning. I'd suggest checking copyright dates and only reading newer books, though, as the safe canning guidelines have changed over the years and some older canning methods aren't considered safe.

You can contact your local cooperative extension for help with canning and freezing.

I have been also wondering what Amy and her family have been up to lately.
We only live two towns apart. I used to see either Amy or Jim from time to time while out doing errands or garage saling. The last time I bumped into them was last summer. It would be great to have an update. Maybe through the media.

I picked up the Tightwad Gazettes in the library, borrowed them so much, then decided to buy the Complete Tightwad Gazette when it came out. Like a lot of you, this is the book that started me on the path of frugal awareness.

A lot of things I would not do, but I never get tired of re-reading the tips for inspiration. I often wonder what Amy is up to these days, too.

Its been a few years since I've read the TWG books. I like her recipe mixes. I think I will try to pick them up at the library next time I go, to refreah myself. She deffinately went above and beyond to stay at home with her childern. What an inspiration.

Does anyone know if there's a picture of Amy and her family? I've always wanted to put a face to all the wonderful articles she wrote.

Has anyone tried the homemade sprinkler yet on page 285? I was thinking of making it for this Canada Day weekend comin up!!!