What's the best tip you have used from TWG over the years? Maybe one you use on a regular basis?

~Aquiring things secondhand. I can't even imagine how in debt I would be if I bought stuff new at department stores.~

I ditto that one, 2nd hand is the best as far as I'm concerned. I'm not saying I don't buy new but I really prefer 2nd hand most of the time. ;)

Also I do that cutting the empty tube of toothpaste open to get every last bit out all the time. Works for about 3-5 more days of brushing after you've squished and squeezed as hard as you can:lol:

Hmmm. . .figuring the amount of hours I have to work in order to pay for something (is it worth giving up that much of my life for something?)

Close 2nd-- think outside the box. . .look for unusual or different ways to use soemthing, etc.

I use so many on a daily basis.
Using a pricebook, though, is my favorite that I never buy anything without checking my pricebook first.

1) that i was right about it not being profitable for us for me to work..
2) that second hand xmas gifts are fine....i bought everything ELSE second hand but hadnt even thought of it.....last yr santa brought a 60$ helicopter by tonka...for 1.99 even came with the batteries that i have yet to change...he still plays with it daily..but if the gift ends up being a flop i'm not out lots of dough
3) that it is actually cheaper to cook from scratch...i think my generation we really believe store bought is cheaper....

scratch cooking and condiment making and figuring out what a meal costs per serving. THe cost per serving was a real eye opener!!!

This is a good thread!! Price comparing definitely and from scratch cooking. I can't believe how much I have saved and also how much food I used to throw away every week because it hadn't got used up. Now I menu plan around good deals. I do plan for left overs though which I don't think Amy does...or is it that she doesn't menu plan??? Anyway, I do both and it saves me a lot.
W

Buying things secondhand, especially kids clothes! They grow so fast! If I can find things for .50 cents at a yard sale or up to maybe $2 or $3 at a thrift store, why would I pay Dept. store prices?! I often find like new items, name brands too. I do occasionally buy new items off the clearance racks when they are equal to thrift store prices.

I did do a pricebook years ago and in doing so, now I have a "pricebook" in my head so to speak! It got so I didn't need it anymore since I'm really good at knowing lowest prices on things I buy. I still need to check unit pricing with my calculator once in awhile.

Amy's books taught me so much I could go on and on! Just love her! It's been a few years since I read them, so thought I'd go back and brush up.
She has made me laugh many times too - she's so industrious and clever!

Does anyone know if she still does her annual newsletter? I used to get it a few years back, and was thinking of sending for one this year if she is still doing it.

Amy's not doing her newsletters anymore :(. I used to get them too and loved reading the updates. I think she opted for a bit more privacy for her and her family while she raises her kids. I'd love to know about their lives now though.

Lisa - thanks for letting me know that! I'm sad to hear it, but I kind of figured she would stop at some point. Do you happen to know when was the last one? I think she might still send out back issues.

Stop using the dryer!

Cooking from scratch, even condiments was a biggie.

Writing out goals and staying focused was big for me too.

Just got my "Complete TWG" today! I am so excited to check out all of the stuff! I already am amazed at the things I could change very easily and save money (juice boxes in lunches...from now on it will be refillable drink containers). Look forward to finding other easy things I could do that don't take much time but will save money!

Thanks for all the great ideas!!
For me, I think these are my top three:
~Always Buy Second Hand Clothes (I used to just do this for the kids, but now I'm hooked too!)
~Not use the dryer
~Loop errands (actually, I've cut out pretty much all unnecessary (sp?) driving.
~Oh yeah, number 4, I NEVER buy books. I keep a running list of books I want and then I ask my library to reserve them for me. My library is part of a network, so practically any book I want I can get within a month! FREE READING! Because of this, I've been reading 3-4 (or more) books a month!

I just found TWG on ebay really cheap! I can't wait to recieve it! I never really thought about not getting juice boxes and using refillable containers. Something to think about...

April

bumping it up..love these books..

~Making things like taco seasoning or cheese sauce at home
~Buying second hand everything
~Don't throw it out unless its so broken that it cannot possibly be used for anything else

Um... everything?! lol It's so hard to pick even just a few -- I know I've used a little million of her tips. I can't even list the many uses I have found in her book!

Lisa - thanks for letting me know that! I'm sad to hear it, but I kind of figured she would stop at some point. Do you happen to know when was the last one? I think she might still send out back issues.


You're welcome;)

No I don't know, sorry. It's been several years though.

:grball: bumping for the newbies :grball:

ummmmmmmmmmmmm
i'd say buying in bulk when sales are on and preparing meals in advance to freeze

1. Figuring the cost of a second income. Now that I don't work, we come out WAY better at tax time, I don't have to buy clothes for work, rely less on take-out and convenience foods, etc. It makes getting by with one car easier (saving on tags, insurance, and gas).

2. Buying second hand! This has saved us so much money! We also buy less in general. I used to buy so many books, now we go to the library much more.

3. Figuring the cost per serving. I do this all the time.

Shopping loss leaders and cooking from scratch from the pantry.

I love the food processor pizza dough recipe in the book...and there are so many tips it is hard to choose just one..

~C~

I use so many tips from the book. I make her version of tuna casserole almost every week. My fiance loves it. I buy the cream soup for only 43cents a can at Aldi's. I figured out this meal only costs us $1 or less per serving. I like to figure out the price per serving of my home made meals. Last week I figured out that we ate all our meals at home- breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and desserts for the same price as eating out one night for the two of us (at a place like Olive Garden). I also love my price books, I have saved a lot this month by keeping track of where the best prices are between the two grocery stores I shop in. I could go on and on....

I love the food processor pizza dough recipe in the book...and there are so many tips it is hard to choose just one..

~C~

We had this for supper last night! It took me 20 minutes to make a really nice pizza! Everybody loved it!

For me, the stuff I do regularly is:


Buy in bulk
Use a price book
cook from scratch
make extra and freeze for meals later
find other uses for household things
use less and make it last longer


For those of you in the UK, Fixture ferrets (http://www.fixtureferrets.co.uk) is like an online price book. It has the unit size, regular price, sale price, what the special offer might be (BOGOF, 3 for 2) and the savings. You can work out the cost per unit and compare all the major supermarkets for the best deals.

I have to say I just started reading the tightwad gazette 1 and am loving it! There are a few things I find myself saying...no way lol but for the most part she is really giving me some neat ideas

I have to say I just started reading the tightwad gazette 1 and am loving it! There are a few things I find myself saying...no way lol but for the most part she is really giving me some neat ideas

I think most of us were that way at first too. . . but as you grow more comfortable with other ideas, those "way out" ideas don't seem so "way out" anymore.

Or, if (like me) you were really in a severe crisis -- nothing is too wacky to try.

I just received my TWG last weekend... I've been a bookworm ever since!

I've already cut a roll of paper towels in half. I put them on the (upright) roller that I have, with the rough edges to the outsides so they stack nicely. It works great!

I was planning on getting a couple of rain barrels this year to help water my plants & garden.. they are a bit pricey though, so I'm going to use an idea from the book and get big plastic trashcans. I showed my husband the downspouts we'll need... excellent idea... why didn't I think of that :idea:

I'm still reading!!!

Good tips. I wondered if the TWG was still alive.

The universal casserole recipes. Every scrap of leftovers can go into this.

Bartering, getting items for next to nothing for remodeling and building, I got lots of great tips on those. There is so much great information in the TWG that is hard to narrow it down to one tip :D.

I pulled out my book a few days ago, to get recharged. We've slipped.

My favorite recipe is the pizza dough. Dh workmates don't believe it's from scratch..lol. I don't have a prcessor, it died 3 years ago and I haven't found a suitable used one, so I do without. I figured out it's actually faster made with my hands, as there aren't as many pieces to wash afterwards, which results in further savings, in water and dish soap!

I think figuring out what things are worth. Really in savings most days, I "make" about $150(factoring that by me being home, I'm not paying out $70 for the 3 younger for childcare).

Finding home made gifts, or second hand gifts that work. I do embroidery by machine, yes an indulgence, however I craft sale and it has paid ofr itself and the designs many times over. This week, dd10 went to a party, and I decided to make the gift. I was tired and didn't have time to shop, and didn't have the cash..lol(no cc allowed). So I pulled out the scrap bin...yes scraps, and found a 8x9 square, embroidered her name on it, then using other scraps did a logcabin type design, added a backing, and stuffed it into a personalized pillow. (I have several requests for these now, which I may take on for a price..lol). Took an hour, about the time it would take me to drive 2 and from walmart, but no shopping time. So I saved time, "recycled" and saved. Actual cost? About $2 in batting and threads(if that much).

Her best thing, is getting you to think outside the box!

i try to save every chance i can.i cook from scratch. everyday our meals come from my kitchen. i make 90%of our snacks. yes i even make potato crisps!!!i stopped using sugae in my coffee so i could bake more.make own gifts...soaps,jewlery or blinkets.depends on person or age. i use the internet to my advantage. free samples are a must.just today i got two huge boxes of baby stuff..diapers too.i use everything at least 3 times then look at it from a new point of view before it is thrown out.keep lights off.save all scraps of everything because you never know when it will be needed.walk everywhere i can.keep lists stay on budget.basically 99% of the time if you do it urself it is best but there is the 1%that will be cheeper if bought. the biggest trick is to know the diffrence.too bad the kids wont learn that one for awhile!
today i did help out my friends daughters dance group bought a chocolate!$
i say it is better to give with an open hand,especially if you got it for free because it does come back 3 fold.
i needed diapers got them in the mail. i was running out of wippies got those too. was running low on meats my friend gave me my meat club early!!my spirit is happy.i have been blessed! i did give her a bag of samples. she was so happy.hey if it doesnt cost why not share that much more.to bad the electric company doesnt feel the same 134.00!!!!!!!!and i keep things off.
sorry this is long kinda started rambeling.i tend to go on and on...

It is ok to spend on items that are going to save in the long run. I purchased tupperware and other containers to try and cut down on my usage of plasic bags. I am not washing baggies, Most thinks I put in them have some meat so I would not recommend just washing . I also bought more hand towels and dinner napkins, to cut down on paper usage.I of course picked most of these up at garage sales, thrift stores, linen discounters, clearance racks.I am green so I like the fact you are not adding to any landfill and saving trees and saving money.

I....I am green so I like the fact you are not adding to any landfill and saving trees and saving money.

What thrills me is that green is "IN" now! I've been at this all my life. In the early, early 70s it began for me. I was out of high school and ready to save the world. Earth Day had begun being celebrated once a year and the planet was ours to make better.

It took time, but green is getting a lot of good press now. I'm way happy about that. :winter:

At this time of the year - her christmas decorations.

I have to agree with the previous post. I love her pizza dough recipe. I must make that at least once a week and my kids love it.
I re-read her books when I want to recharge my frugal side! Of course much of her advice is similar to my mom's who grew up during the depression. The whole "waste not, want not" "if you watch your pennies, your dollars will take care of themselves" philosophy.