10 PAINLESS Ways to Save $100....from 1990??
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ก.พ. 2024
- The Complete Tightwad Gazette is (in my opinion) the greatest treasury of frugal living tips, and I still recommend it for anyone just learning about the basics of savings. But are Amy Dacyzyn's tips from 30+ years ago still relevant in 2024? Today, I decided to find out.
The Complete Tightwad Gazette: amzn.to/3SIiYLW
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The information contained on this channel and my associated website are for educational and informational purposes only. I am not a tax professional nor a financial advisor. The information I provide is not a substitute for financial advice from a professional who is aware of the facts and circumstances of your individual situation. In fact, I expressly recommend that you seek advice from a professional. Homegrown Hillary shall not be held liable or responsible for any errors or omissions on this channel or its associated website, or for any damage you may suffer as a result of failing to seek competent financial advice from a professional who is familiar with your situation.
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And if you'd like to read The Tightwad Gazette yourself, you can A) Check your local library, or B) Get a copy from Amazon so you've got a handy reference: amzn.to/3SIiYLW
I remember that book.
I read that book so many times about 20 years ago, borrowed from the library
I had the Tightwad Gazette 30 yrs ago 😂 my kids HATED the powdered milk, it was a no-go for us back then lol.
I used to have the 3 separate books and when I found it in a used bookstore in the combined edition, I gave the others to someone who needed it. I love having all 3 in one book.
Obviously some of her ideas are outdated because of the advancement of technology, but most of her ideas have withstood the test of time.
By applying Amy's tips and Dave Ramsey and LOTS OF PRAYER ...I was able to pay back $76,000 in debt and save to pay 💯% cash for a house. Yes! I did receive her newsletters back in the day and everyone thought I was a cheap azz.😂😂😂
Good for you!
Bravo!👏
That is awesome!! You are awesome!! Thanks for sharing.
Me, too! I was a subscriber for years until she discontinued the newsletter.
Congratulations 🎉
The Tightwad Gazette saved my life. Everyone serious about frugality should read that book.
Long distance phone calls used to cost PER MINUTE. On our landline phones. Wild I know… then we paid PER TEXT… 😂
My then boyfriend and I each had $300 phone bills per month when he lived in Colorado and I lived in NY.
I remember, in high school, driving to the next town over, to use the payphone at the gas station, to call a guy across the river where it was long distance!
I was coming here to say how it was an extra charge to call anywhere outside your area code. 😅 We were thrilled when domestic long distance was included.
I remember waiting til after 8pm to make a long distance cell call lol
I remember those "per minutes" myself.
I raised 5 kids in the 90’s and Amy saved me a ton of money. Her books are amazing. Even though things may not translate 100 percent, it’s more about a mind set. I made my own baby wipes, household cleaners and play dough,that alone saved me a fortune.
We made playdough too! I forgot about that. How about smashing the toilet paper roll before placing it on the dispenser so it wouldn't just freely roll out way more paper than needed. Hee hee
Did anyone subscribe to Cheapskate Monthly. Mary Hunt was the other woman who wrote about budgeting . Mary and Amy were a Godsend for our family. Could not wait to get the newsletters in the mail. Saved them for years in a 3 ring binder.
Yes I also have all of Mary Hunts newsletters too!
ME TOO! I saved everything in a binder. Good memories.
I loved Amy and Mary. Yes I had Mary’s news letters for year and kept them all--needs to call and fix my subscription and Mary answered. She was the customer service too in her home grown newsletter
I had Mary hunt’s book love your life on half of the price. That gave me the inspiration to buy cars for cash!
She still does have a blog but it is called something else now... I get her email's every week.
❤ I had totally forgotten the Tightwad Gazette! I loved getting money saving tips. I moved out at 17 in 1992 and reading these helped me afford living expenses! I also enjoyed Mother Earth News for frugal ideas.
Tightwad Gazette was my frugal Bible raising 4 kids on one income. I would scour bookstores and library’s for any info on savings and budgeting. There was not much out there in the 80’ and 90’s. There really is no excuse for people to be in debt with so much info at your fingertips now . How I wish we had TH-cam back in the day.
TH-cam University is such a phenomenal resource! My version of TH-cam then was PBS. I still love it, but I learned to be a better cook from so many wonderful chefs/cooks on there, construction/diy/savvy keeping of a home that would qualify for This Old House, and plenty of mending/home keeping tips from Martha Stewart's show! I didn't have enough spare credits to take Home Ec or Shop in school, so these were my fill ins!
If Amy had what we have today(internet) she'd probably have 5 milliom subscribers and be called an "influencer".
I called it my Frugal Bible also. I was 25 in 1990 with two under two. What I learned from Amy was not so much the specific things suggested, although there were many, but the mindset of 'can I do this cheaper? or not at all?' which I still apply today. It gave me the financial ability to stay home with my kiddos for over 10 years and I will be forever grateful.
I was 20 in 1990. So yeah, I'm old. But my copy of The Complete Tightwad Gazette is still worth reading because, although some advice hasn't aged well (I remember the days of expensive long-distance phone calls!), the basic philosophy still applies in today's world: examine everything you do to find ways money flows out of your life without giving you good value. Find the fun in saving money so it doesn't feel like drudgery. Do things yourself instead of paying a premium for "convenience." Don't be afraid to do things differently from your neighbors. And above all, do the math.
You said exactly what I was thinking, except clearly and concisely!
I do all my yard work--cut grass, pull weeds, plant and grow a big garden. My troglodyte neighbor across the street came over and said "it's a shame you can't afford to pay someone to cut your grass". I thought about (but did not) reply "it's a shame you were apparently raised by wolves." My yard looks great and it's excellent exercise. His yard is pumped full of smelly and harmful chemicals. I suppose growing grass is more important to him than growing healthy kids. My home is paid for and his has a giant mortgage. I LOVE doing things differently from my neighbors! PS - Most of my neighbors are wonderful. He's the outlier--from the planet Zot!
My grandfather used to say: the more you can do for yourself, the less you gotta pay someone to do for you!
I was 20 in 1977, same year I was married. 🤣 Still married to the same man, living frugally means we are debt and mortgage free! I still have my big Tightwad Gazette. Time to re-read ❤
Amy's books and newsletters, that's right I managed to subscribe to the tail-end of her run, saved my life and sanity in the 90s! With her ideas and encouragement through her writing I managed to scrimp and save and keep afloat through dire circumstances. I also managed to get out of a toxic marriage by saving $3, $4, & $5/week out of the only money I was allowed to touch: the grocery money. I'm sure some of her advice is no longer relevant, it happens! But the principles of tightwaddery hold true. Be creative, use what you have, don't spend until you have exhausted other avenues. ^_^
This is so inspiring!!
@@Homegrown_Hillary Thank you. That's very kind of you to say. ^_^
Every little bit counts, it adds up. Glad you were able to get out.
@@michellejarvis7878 thanks! Me too!
I grew up in the '60s and '70s and I believe that school lunch was 35 cents a day or maybe A week? I don't know. I always brought my lunch. I was a picky eater anyway. I always had a lunch box but I always broke the thermos because there was glass inside of it and I was klutz. I never got to use the thermos it was always broken before I had the chance. So I bought milk at school and it was like a half pint or something and I'm pretty sure it was four cents a week. I mean really it was the '60s and also '70s I don't remember buying milk in junior high or high school so let's stick to the '60s. Actually there was one day where I didn't bring my lunch and I had to buy the school lunch It was when I was in high school. And for 12 years I had, as far as I can recall, a tuna fish sandwich and a Twinkie. I'm sure there was something more yummy but they said I was allergic to chocolate. I don't think that's true. I'd much rather have chocolate than a Twinkie. Years later when I was a grown up I had yodels until they sold them they went out of business then somebody bought them and eventually they ended up tasting like plastic so no more yodels darn it. And now I am eating some incredibly expensive brownies from Walmart because I'm too lazy to buy the brownie mix and make them myself. That would definitely be cheaper. The only kind I like is Duncan Hines. I just don't like cooking. I didn't hear Amy's last name I had forgotten all about her. But I think I know what it is. I'm going to assume she had a husband I don't remember his name. It seems to me that used to go to the grocery store with walkie talkies and divide and conquer.
By the way back in the '90s, the early '90s and the late '80s when I was feeding two people on $40 a week, I used to coupon I went to five different supermarkets when I went grocery shopping. Gas was cheaper. One year it was 88 cents which is unbelievably cheap because I think it cost more before that. And one time we went to the five grocery stores with all our coupons and everything checking the flyers before I went It took two or three hours and it was raining like crazy! It turns out about 30 minutes north of us The perfect storm was taking place. Up in Gloucester right? We were in Salem. But we didn't know anything about that we just knew it was raining a lot. And one time I was going to a movie I had free tickets for. Somebody said to get there early because they had oversold the free tickets, three tickets for each seat. I don't know if that was true but the weather was so horrific that the place was not packed. The movie was American beauty. It was an Oscar but I wasn't thrilled with it. I had to take two buses to get there and one of them was early and one of them only ran once an hour and of course I missed the first one and then the next one was late so it took forever and it was pouring like crazy. Thankfully it was September and not November in Massachusetts. I knew I was going to be soaked all the way through so I put a set of dry clothes into a waterproof bag and I carried it with me - even though I was wearing a raincoat or a jacket and I had an umbrella and everything I still was going to be soaked. I must have taken another pair of shoes also. And when I got to the mall thankfully it was in a mall and I changed my clothes so that I was dry. When I got married which was in 86 we were so poor that I never left the house without a bottle of something, usually ginger ale. So we never had to go to a convenience store or even a grocery store to get something to drink. Really if I want to be frugal I really am capable of doing it. And even now the thought of people who get lattes and things like that... I'd rather have cable. And boy the price of cable just keeps on going up. If we lived not in Florida where for some reason the TV towers are so far away and the ground is very very flat then Id just have an antenna and maybe a streaming service. One with commercials. Commercials are convenient. You can go to the bathroom or get something to drink or answer that question your roommate was trying to ask you while you were trying to do something else or you can do a little chore clean up a little mess but only a little bit and it's not as overwhelming as saying hey today I'm going to clean the house. And the commercial breaks are not as long as they are on television. Honestly I watch Network evening news. Half an hour. And I know when the commercials are going to be and which one will be longer. And I'm like look! It's a drug commercial! It's going to take a long time to read all the small print so I can accomplish this! Whatever this happens to be. Yes I like television. Thought it would be nice to be able to get it with an antenna because usually the things I'm watching are major networks broadcast networks. And someday I would like a cell phone that is newer than the one which I've had since 2019 that cost me $90 on eBay. Because boy is it slow. But my brother tells me you can't replace your own battery anymore... I'm not good with batteries
I'm a HUGE Amy Dacyczyn fan! But the clothes drying thing works out for me because (a) I don't have to deal with kid's clothes any more, and (b) I live in a desert with very low humidity. So, I can swap the clothes from the washer to the dryer, come back in an hour and hang everything up. OR I can just hang everything up straight out of the washer, come back in an hour to perfectly dry already hung up clothes. I save myself a step that way. The only time I use my dryer is with towels and bedding. I notice that my clothes PARTICULARLY lingerie, knits, and jeans all last considerably longer because they're not getting beat up in the dryer any more.
Electricity is very high here in Maine. I know my electric bill is at least $100 extra a month when using the dryer. I try to hang every load unless I'm sick then I brace myself for a high electric bill.
@@agodlyhome My heart goes out to you. In Arizona we have solar offset programs and a few solar panels run a lot of my electronics - which saves me a ton of money. I looked at retiring in New England (I like the culture) and Maine in particular as being the most affordable, but when I factored in snow removal, the utility costs, etc.; Arizona won out with energy company incentives, and lower taxes for retirees. I'm hiding from the desert heat in Prescott, a high mountain valley.
@@agodlyhome I'm in Maine, too. I line dry everything.
@@SirenaSpades Hi i love meeting new people from Maine. Glad to hear it. It saves so much money.
Desert dweller here also and it is true that things dry very fast even in the winter months. Always dry the lingerie on top of the dryer or hanging up in the laundry room.
When Amy suggested, sending a letter, most people didn’t have a computer or I’m sure she would have suggested email. Long distance phone call could easily be $10 if you really needed to catch up. It was often cheaper than a therapy session, but phone bills could sometimes be outrageous if family members did not live within your calling area. When we first got cell phones, we not only had to pay per text, but also would often have to pay per minute. If the person we called did not have the same cell phone carrier. Things have changed a lot in 30 years.
My heart sinks every time I think of the money I've given to Ma Bell over the years compared to what it would have cost now! My late former husband lived in NYC while we were first dating in the mid 90s and I was in NOLA. It wasn't uncommon for our long distance bills to average $800/month collectively in addition to our dial-up pay by the hour emails and postal mail costs. For perspective, my rent at the time was $400 for a giant one bedroom (it was nearly the entire house) in a nice neighborhood, which also included water.
We all got some big phone bills back then. I dreaded calling my mother she talked for hours 🤣
Phone charges were awful, not only did you pay for long distance, you paid if someone was out of your area. We lived in a rural environment, we were in a different dialing area than the house just west of us so it was a surcharge to call them but someone five miles away was free.
Remember calling after 5 or 7pm for cheaper rates?
Oh my goodness! I was pretty excited for this video! You definitely did Amy proud with all the math skills! I remember when she would calculate the energy savings as well as how much she made hourly at home doing all the frugal things! It’s amazing how much one can save per year by just saying no to a purchased pizza or giving up a vice. People today need to remember this and bravo to you for showing them how. You were right that Amy takes the cake on this one….but you better believe the cake was homemade from scratch made with powdered milk! 😂
That had me actually laughing out loud 😂
Making a quilt with old kids shirts for the kids would actually meet the gift amount drastically.
The Tightwad books were life changing for me! I subscribed to the newsletter; wish I had saved them.
I remember a tip she had for growing families: for infants and toddlers clothing: She used gender neutral colors and styles that could be easily handed down to the next child.
I'm so glad I circled back to this video again since it reminded me that I had an idea for drying the baby/toddler socks (or any small goodies) more easily for anyone who needs to know: use a sweater drying rack. The kind that are sort of like a mini trampoline with the mesh "table" center. If you don't have one or they're expensive/ difficult to find used where you are, grab some elastic from the sewing department and a cheap roll of replacement window screening from the hardware section. Cut the screening with quite a few extra inches in either direction to fit over an existing hamper (because it has holes for airflow). Make sure to give yourself plenty of spare material on either side of the top and make a giant rubber band out of the elastic tied into a loop loose enough to go over/tight enough to hold some weight, and belt the screening to the top of the basket. Tah-dah! You have a makeshift mesh/flat drying rack. Bonus if you can put it near a fan in use to help with circulation.
What a cool idea!
@Homegrown_Hillary Thank you kindly! It just occurred to me that this may be a good option for bulk herb drying as well! You may also be able to do something similar with a fold out/expanding laundry drying rack using binder clips to hold the screen spanning across horizontally opposing rungs for a multi-tiered option, too, depending on the rack design.
Oh man!
Hillary!
I just came across this video of you!
I am just under an hour up the pike from you!
I am an OG Tightwad Gazette wife! I was just married and taking care of my Nana in her home after a stroke left her aphasic and hemiplegic. I learned so much from both Amy and Nana. It made my Nana proud of how tight I was. Nana was my best friend. She taught me so much and she agreed with a lot of what Amy taught.
Nana may be gone now and the ‘90’s may be gone now and tightwadary may have changed over the decades but the concept is the same and the art lives on!
I just found your channel recently and am enjoying your videos! I've learned some good tips from you so it's true that you can teach an old dog new tricks. This particular one brought back some memories. Back in 1990, I read an article about Amy Dacyczyn and her family in the Parade section of the Sunday paper. She offered a free premiere issue of the Gazette to anyone who was interested. Of course I sent for one and then subscribed to the Tightwad Gazette at a cost of $1.00 per month. At the time, I was a stay at home mom and looked forward to receiving the Gazette every month. After I read each issue, I used a hole punch to make holes in it and kept it in a 3 ring binder. I received every one until the end of 1996 when she stopped publishing them. She did send yearly updates which I also have in the binders. Back then, we didn't have a computer to seek out advice in blogs, TH-cam, etc., so the Gazettes were a huge help to me. After watching your video, I went and dug out the binders and am pleased that they are still in excellent condition. Thank you for reminding me of the treasure that I have packed away!
Oh my, you and me both. I also subscribed and have all of the yearly updates she sent for seven years after the newsletter was discontinued. I am only missing one issue of the newsletter and have no idea what happened to it. Like you I also punched holes and have them in a big binder. I enjoy pulling out the binder in the winter time to flip through. I also have a couple of copies of each of the three books. Really miss that newsletter. It was so fun to get every month.
For the average family the party savings is very possible… if I buy a GF cake it’s easily $100. If I make it, maybe $10. If I do reuseable dishes instead of throw away- that’s another $7.50+ (at dollar tree costs). If I use real items to decorate instead of buying trash… if we have a home party instead of at a location that can save HUNDREDS… skip the favor bag… sadly many people are dumping hundreds into just a party (let alone the gifts).
Oh this is super illuminating. Thanks! Never even considered things like a specialty diet cake.
I really appreciate that you mentioned using reusable dishes. I love to entertain large groups, but keeping a ton of actual heavy ceramic plates/bowls, etc. around isn't practical for me and using them outside or with kids in such a situation can be a bit risky. So, I picked up a bunch of the Room Essentials line's dishwasher safe, sturdy matte plastic cups/plates/bowls from Target a few years back for between $.25-.50 each piece while they were on sale (usually offered each year at back to school time, but price may be twice as much now even discounted). I believe I got the service for 12 for around $15-18, including a large oval platter (which I really wish I had gotten more of!), in a neutral enough color to have some pizazz and still be flexible for any occasion's color scape. They take up almost no room and I keep them stored in a 2.5 gallon zip top bag in storage to keep them dust free after washing!
I was 22 when I heard about Amy both on the Donahue show, and Parade magazine. I bought her book, subscribed to the newsletter, and was published in her newsletters TWICE. I got two free years of newsletters for that, plus an autographed copy of her 2nd book!
I remember her being on the Donahue show too.
So cool!!!
Canadian here. Powdered milk is still more expensive than liquid milk here, even with price controls that protect dairy farmers. The only use now for powdered milk is for emergency prepping.
I always make my own pizza, hang my clothes, (Except for underwear and towels), and I find it cheaper to buy clothes on clearance because the Goodwill store near me, is not cheap. Plus I find find cheaper, brand new clothes at a regular store. We don't drink soda, or smoke thank goodness. I love the library, and since I'm an avid reader, going to the library saves a lot of money!😃
I believe the bday party savings section was not suggesting a homemade present... I believe she was suggesting that parents only give one present instead of inundating their kids with a barrage of presents.
We got one present and a homemade cake with candles and we were very happy. The present would be a coloring book, later a barbie doll outfit sewn by mom, at 11 it was a pair of knee high socks. Miss those days. As teens we got to have a root beer float.
Some good homemade presents, would be a box of old bridesmaid dresses and jewelry to play dress up, an appliance box to make a play house, several colours of slime, home made play dough. Instead of a party, let the birthday kid choose their favorite meal, skip their chores, etc. Have a party every other year, rather than every year for every kid.
If I am remembering right, the early 1990s was a time when many parents were taking their kids to restaurants along with many of their friends to do a restaurant birthday party. I think Amy’s comments about birthday parties or more to try and reset those ideas of what was minimally acceptable for a party.
The Tightwad Gazette is AMAZING! There are so many great ideas in it. One of my favorites is the notebook with her childrens clothes, and going yardsaling, for school clothes and shoes, for 6 kids. She avoids buying any new clothes entirely by keeping a record of what everyone in the house has and needs, during yard sale season, and buys forward additional sizes. It's an amazing idea! I mean it's brilliant!
In the 90s I was in highschool and my mother would give me $20 to spend at the elementary school bazaar. I would get my whole wardrobe for the next 6 months on that $20. My tastes and body were changing super fast at that time. Of course my mother bought my socks and underwear new. But pants, shirts, dresses, and silky nightgowns were all from the bazaar.
I frequently bought a couple sizes when I found great kids ' clothes, but sometimes it was out of season when they hit that size! In general though, it works great.
I so got the newsletters and the index she created for them. Three hole punched and put in binder beside her three books. Today with God’s grace and living frugally we’re living without a mortgage. Never dreamed that would be possible. So grateful for that!!
I lived by this book when my 3 kids were little, I was in school, and it was then Great Recession. I made my own laundry soap from the book recipe. I still use the granola recipe (a little altered now) on page 27 at least 2x a month. This book warms my heart. My copy is tattered and yellow and I’ll never get rid of it.
OG here😂 love your channel, Hillary. I’m still learning unique tips. Thanks for the inspiration.🥰
Had a conversation w our 30 yo son the other night about his most memorable BD party. Not the basketball or gaming center but the home party featuring all things Lego when he was 6! He especially recalls the Lego cake (sheet cake w cupcakes, tops cut off and secured to cake w frosting) all decorations were Lego inspired, building games w specific items, such as a house, car, tower. All legos were from yard sales and his BD gift was as well. Favors were treat bags w a good assortment of legos as well.
Same year was our 11yo daughter’s most memorable. I did an adult supervised scavenger hunt in neighborhood w favors being what they found, wrapped in a craft store bandanna on a small tree branch, decorated w costume jewelry - found at yard sales and flea markets. As her bd is in May, we did a simple BBQ of hotdogs and standard fare (first BBQ of the season ☺️) Party was a huge hit with all and we saved a ton of money. Kids love the novelty. It’s def possible to do a bd party w gift on a budget and have it be fun for all, including you.💖
Oh my goodness, I love ALL of this! I’m saving those Lego party ideas for next year.
Thirty years later after purchasing my first copy, I still pull my (Second!) copy out several times per year.
You're so funny! Thanks for that comparison. I'd love for her to come out of retirement and write an updated Tightwad Gazette.
Stop using convenience foods in kids' lunches. Make extra dinner food and refrigerator it. Next morning microwave it and flop it into wide neck thermos jar. Can be casseroles, stews, fried rice, etc. Toss in a homemade muffin from the freezer (Amy Dazcyin's recipe of course) and a portion of homemade flavored popcorn. Runs about $1/day. Train kids to wash out their own thermos.
One of my favourites books ever... for saving money and wonderful nostalgia.🥰
The party thing was pre dollar tree 😂
We had Dollar Tree then. It just didn’t have all the party stuff that it does now. I still loved shopping at the Dollar Tree back then. It’s definitely changed over the years. I’m still waiting for them to add Welcome Home/back party themed items.
I loved Tightwad Gazette. I have all three separate books. Book one has so many notes written. Frugal living changed so much all thru the years…I still live looking thru the books and get a chuckle in my retirement years 😂
Mine are still on my shelf and referred to when I need frugal encouragement or something specific!❤
I’ve had this book on my shelf for 15 years. I’ve reread it at least 10 times. The very best of the best!
I still have 2 of Amy's books, using her ideas helped me pay off my house early. I'm debt free!
When your kids get older the birthday savings one can work. Using the free local or FBMP sites I have gotten my boys a ping pong table, foosball table, weight bench and weights, a Versa swim training machine, a 40 gallon fish tank with stand all in recent years plus more that I am probably forgetting.
Love my ancient copy of the Complete Tightwad Gazette! Amy got me through some tough times.
I loved the getting Tightwad Gazette newsletters! I still bought all of her books too, but they were ruined during the Northridge earthquake. I was a SAHM and our budget was tight. I made a lot of food from scratch, we repaired what we could ourselves and drove only 1 car in Los Angeles which is tough! She helped me keep my sanity. ❤
I had this book in the early 2000’s. Got my and my then husband out of debt with a good amount of savings. I was a teen when the newsletter was being rolled out.
Yep! We received an issue of The Tightwad Gazette every month for several years. It was full of great ideas for that time, helped us grow those self-discipline muscles, and kept us motivated! It was also encouraging to know we weren't the only tightwads! Being frugal enabled us to homeschool our kids, run a family-owned business and have more family time as the kids were growing up. Nice to see young adults finding great ways to stretch their dollars or just resisting the current materialistic culture. Kudos!
My mom did, and then she bought 2 of 3 books and passed them onto me. I bought the 3rd book and bought the revised book that contained all 3.
$155/year for the dryer is good chunk of money. That money could go towards investments, add to the emergency fund. I do not know how old your children are. However teach them the art of laundry.
4, 3, and 11 months. 😂 But they are learning!
The laundry tip would work for people like me who have to pay to use either their building's machines or go to a laundro-mat. I always hang my clothes because I'm too cheap to spend the 1.75 per dryer load.
Recently i was watching a tv court reality show. The woman was upset the child's father would not pay for a $2000 US dollar birthday party. She tried to sue him to pay. He and the judge were horrified.
Even with the bad exchange rate, I could buy a halfway decent used car for that money.
You gotta go off season to purchase clothes example, its summer, you shop for fall/winter. Its way cheaper!! i got a brand new pair of jeans for $0.17 and a pair for $1.15!! Bought in the clearance section and had a coupon.. so just keep that in mind too when shopping at a thrift stores.
A couple decades ago I bought the 3 book compilation of her news letter. Much of it is still applicable. But food availability/selections are very different in some areas like the addition of herbal or flavored teas, microwaves, recipe collections on the internet, spices and freeze dried mixes, so there may be less saving or more depending each household's needs. I'm old enough to remember tips being offered in magazines ranging from Teen, Mademoiselle and Better Homes and Garden to Popular Mechanics and Mother Earth News. Some things were to far Out There and other recommendations are still useable today. Minimal wardrobes using accessories to change a look to batch cooking/freezing. Refinishing furniture using fabric and pillows to making things from scrap/pallet wood. Dig into the old magazines at the library, in fact borrow books from the library to see if they are worth buying for your home library.
My subscription to Family Circle more than paid for itself! I'm still making some of those recipes now 25 years later!
Amy for sodas was using convenience or soda machine cans for the comparison. 4 x 50¢ = $2 a week. So just over $100 a year. I'm old enough to remember it that price. Now if you can find single cans they are over $1.25 at convenience stores. $1.25 x 4 x 52 = $260... So Amy won another ;). And don't get me started on individually bottled water! That wasn't a thing 30 years ago!
Her recipe for homemade Cracker Jacks and her “formula” for making casseroles are the best.
You should check the book Cheap Chic. I have the 1st edition. The author mentions a lady whose wardrobe is like a uniform, several white shirts and several of the same black pants. When I look back, whoever that lady was, she invented the capsule wardrobe.
Great job. Love your enthusiasm with everything you do! I am weird lol but I love hanging out the laundry & on windy day the smell of fresh outdoor laundry is heaven 😅 as far as birthday parties my daughters had a Toy Story theme birthday party for my 2 grandchildren & that party with food & decorations & birthday cakes cost 400.0! It was a very nice party in their home, but i don't think i would have invested that in a childs 4th birthday. Parties can be expensive!
Dollar Tree has the best deals that I've found on party supplies in case they (or anyone else who sees this) still need such things. Also, they even have supplies for making the balloon arches that are so popular now!
We have a happy birthday banner and some vintage clown cardboard pin ups. Those are our bday decorations every year. It has saved so much money.
I loved Amy, the Frugal Zealot.
I loved those books- I had them!
I buy all my clothes 2nd hand minus my leggings LOL- because- I need leggings with pockets! Or I get them from Buy Nothing :)
I normally hang dry everything - mainly because it makes my clothes last longer and they don't shrink
I have always packed my kids lunches
quit smoking 12 years ago ;)
I use powdered milk for all baking and cooking and have for my whole life! just made homemade Mac and Cheese yesterday using powdered milk! I get it in bulk and it isn't that $$ here in Pa- I keep it in the freezer and it never goes bad.
We only frequent local food trucks at our favorite Cidery :) We are almost empty nesters and that is our date night every other weekend thru the winter and one night a weekend thru the spring and summer ( like our only social outing LOL)
*and yes I feel old- I graduated HS in 1990 LOL
I like to randomly send cards to people for the heck of it- I don't think it saves me $$ but I like doing it :)
We almost always made homemade decor for birthdays! My son would have sleepovers and I would get local $5 pizza and I would make a huge breakfast for the grp of kids :)
We keep some pop in the house- but not regularly I only get it on sale when we want some. We drink mostly iced tea- brewed from tea bags
I think the biggest way to save is to meal plan! And to get to the point where you only shop clearance food and loss leaders!
good video!
I need to find a way to like this comment about five more times.
Buy Nothing?
Hey, even for an annual savings of $100 I will hang laundry. I wash 6 loads a week so it is worth it. For pizza hold back a bit of cooked ground beef or sausage in your freezer, save a smear of spaghetti sauce and DIY crust from the $1 packet. It pats out into the pan by hand and quickly. Or look up crazy pizza crust recipe for even less. Pizza cost $2/pizza.
I started following Amy in 1990 and subscribed to every one of her newsletters. She taught me so much! I even saved all of the newsletters in a big binder and re- read them multiple times. Even tho times have changed, I still have the tightwad mindset that helps me live frugally. 😊
I love the tightwad gazette - I borrowed it from our local library here in Brisbane, Australia and bought it straight after that - priceless
Have you not considered getting a carousel dryer? You can peg all the socks and small items onto it and then hang that on the line. It takes up less space on the line and you can do all the fiddly hanging before you even go outside.
Most kids in todays world get Free Lunches at school.
I do hang out my laundry and only use my dryer in a pinch like something needs drying right away.
Birthday parties can get crazy expensive I've always done my children's parties 1950's style. I would make their favorite meal and set the table in our best china and have a beautiful cake for dessert. We gave a few gifts had the hats and blowers and balloons
We've never done a huge party. Its too much work before and afterwards.
My kids always liked that and looked forward to them.
It was special without breaking the bank.
I was a new mom in 1996. I came across miserly moms by Jonni McCoy, before I found the tightwad gazette. I still have both books on my bookshelf. I found value in both, but I have to admit that my favorite was Miserly moms. It was more organized, concise and easier to implement in my life, but I did get ideas from both books.
I don't smoke, but where i live a 20 pack of cigarettes is $20-25 - so a $1 or more per smoke!!! So 3 less per day is a savings of $3 per day or $21 per week or $1092 per year!!!! 🇨🇦
I have all of her books. Followed her advice for a long time. Because of my savings, I don't have to be so frugal anymore. LOL
I bought the entire Tightwad Gazette series of books as a gift for my daughter. I even got them used. The best tip is to keep track of food sales. Laundry is also the bane of my existence too, I totally understand. I combine laundry day with bread making which makes it less onerous.
$300/yr savings by making one's own bread! I'm going to implement this!
I don't have time to leave a long comment but I want to say that I love your energy. Really enjoyed the video 😊 I got the 1st edition of The Tightwad Gazette, shortly after it came out.... from a charity shop and I loved it, it still look through it to find more inspiration and motivation ❤
I love the Tightwad Gazette! Powdered milk works for me because I hardly use milk. Instead of milk going bad in my refrigerator, I use powdered milk as needed. That translates now to a more plant-based lifestyle too. Rather than buy cartons of milk, I buy the nuts and make the milk as I need it.
How to not hate laundry too much:
One load per day. Hang it. Next day, put on the same clothes which have dried overnight.
Saving money by reducing wardrobe: Check
Saving money by hanging clothes: Check
Saving time cos loads are smaller: Check
If you have kids, have them hang their own clothes once they're old enough.
If you don't have kids it's just you (or you & significant other) so the loads are small.
I still have all of my Tightwad Gazette books! I wish I had kept her newsletters! (Yes, I am that old that I subscribed to her newsletter). In 1990 life was much different than it is today. Postage was quite inexpensive. Soda bottles were much smaller (all serving sizes and packaging was smaller) and there wasn't the variety we have today. I don't recall, but it would be interesting to research how much electricity cost in Maine back then, things like that, so we had a better idea of where she was coming from at the time.
Never considered how serving sizes have changed! Interesting!
Love your energy, enthusiasm and math skills in comparing Amy's book to today. Great idea and great job! Thx!
Not only did I get the newsletters, I shared the subscription with my neighbor!
Hang that laundry! No one ENJOYS it. 😂 I had No Dryer when i was a single mom of three (still don't), and everything was hung year round. I have saved thousands over the years.
We still hang our washing out in New Zealand, cheaper than using power, if raining I use the garage, but I’m really old
I started being frugal in the late 90s, when I had 3 boys under 3, all in diapers and 2 on formula (thankfully we had an "in" at Ross Labs in Columbus, Ohio, and got it at cost - which back then was a case of 12 large powered cans for $40). I had that book and had forgotten all about it until this video! One of the best things I learned then was that electricity cost more in the summer (nearly double the winter rate), so I would line dry clothes in the summer. I don't do that much anymore (and everyone is now grown), but I will line dry dishtowels and dog blankets in the summertime. :)
$0.55 / load?? My apartment building has shared a laundry facility. $2.00/load.
I waited every month for her newsletter in 1992!. Have my well worn copy, highlighted and color coded stickies bent on top.
Ooooh I need to do some organizational sticky-ing with mine. Great idea!
I still look through these books on occasion for tips that I know were written about.
We used to pay by the minute for phone when it was written, there were no cell phones, and they did have a portable phone, but it came in a big suitcase thing that went into the car.
Im going to piggyback off the pizza thing if you own a air fryer get flour tortillas rolls cheese pizza sauce & whatever kind of toppings you like boom mini pizzas no tipping required.
"I wasn't born when this article was written." I was 19 years old in 1990, the same age my youngest daughter is now. ☺
Would love to see your bread recipe. I am starting to. Think about making bread again due to rising cost of living. Simple bread sounds perfect because I like to be efficient ( code for I am actually lazy). Love your videos thanks for making them
I like the frugal fit mom’s no knead bread recipe. I add a table spoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of sugar. It’s so easy. Sometimes I add Italian seasoning and cheese right before I bake the bread. So yummy!
Amy D. was my hero decades ago & my kids still laugh about my 'tightwad ways', but they both were able to go to parochial schools with me paying their tuitions through unused vacation time & volunteer hours!
Laundry doesn't bother me :) I live in an apartment building without washer/dryer hookups in the units. We have a laundromat downstairs instead. I wash my clothes there ($1.50 per load) then bring them back up here to dry. That saves me $54 a year. I'm only one person so I don't actually DO that much laundry lol
About the powdered milk...I don't use a lot of milk anyway. I don't buy those packets in the store (too expensive!), I buy the bulk can of whole powdered milk and in my circumstances it does save some money. Part of the savings is in not wasting milk when I only need a small amount. Part of the savings is also not driving to a store for a single item .
In my area it’s cheaper to buy clothes at Walmart or Costco, than it is at our thrift stores. Idk about for jeans in particular though. I don’t wear jeans and neither does anyone in my family.
On many items, clearance and sales can be cheaper than thrift prices. But jeans have gotten crazy expensive.
Wasn't an original subscriber, but got the books early on. To me, the best long lasting impact of the Tightwad Gazette wasn't in the specific tips and tricks, it was the mind set. A way of thinking about needs vs. wants, time vs money, and long term goals vs immediate gratification. I brown bagged my lunch for 30+ years because it was so much cheaper. Cooking basic meals from scratch. Buying quality items when it saved in the long run. (good boots vs cheapies from Wally World) my job required steel toed And I was standing on concrete. The good boots were worth their weight in gold. They cost 4x more than the cheapies and lasted for years!!!. The cheapies would barely last 6 mth. Don't know how long my good boots would have lasted but they were 9 yrs old when I left that job. I tried sharing ideas with others, my sister (a natural tightwad) learned nothing. Other people only saw the negatives, the sort of cheapness that takes advantage of others generosity, or the inability to deal with delayed gratification. When I bought my house (as a single factory worker), one guy asked me how I could save so much. Told him I don't smoke, don't drink soda, rarely drink alcohol, and make coffee and iced tea at home. Had a short commute and a compact car or I rode my bike. He smoked, drank Pepsi, bought a case of beer every weekend, did a 40 mile round trip in a full size pickup, and bought coffee or bottled iced tea. I figured at that time he was easily spending $100 more a week on those instant gratifications while I saved for my long term goal of home ownership. I do recommend the books, they are very interesting.
I love this video! Could you make a video with your favorite money saving tips from The Tightwad Gazette?
I love the idea! Does anyone really want a 12 hour video from me though? 😂
YES!!@@Homegrown_Hillary
Yes, yes yes and yes
It could be a series!
Dryer cost depends on how much water is left, NOT the dryer, unless you have a heat pump dryer.
I got all the newsletters back in the day and still use many of her tips. I still have that great big blue book. I was your age when I discovered her and was able to retire young and live a great life. Young people, listen to people like Hillary, Amy Dacyzyn and Dave Ramsey. Their advice is life changing.
This is the sweetest. (And what company to keep in a list of names!) Thank you, Kathleen :)
That was fun, thanks! I read Amy’s every word and practiced a fraction of what I learned. It was a fun sort of experiment to watch.
Once upon a time, I followed this book pretty closely. Dry milk was not a good investment in the 90s either. The long-distance call was 9 cents a minute if you called after 9 pm (11 cents otherwise).
I received all the newsletters in the mail every year they were published. Then I purchased all her books. Some of the things you figured could still be cut down even more if you did them like she did. For example, a homemade pizza crust is a lot cheaper than a purchasedd one. Back when she wrote the newsletters you couldn't purchase ready made pizza crusts. At best it was a box of Jiffy pizza dough and you had to make it yourself. Good comparisons though. As far as the smoking one, I didn't realize smoking was that expensive either. Great video.
When I went to the store and couldn’t find bread for under $4 that’s when I started exclusively making it at home I refuse to get store bought now and geeze it’s been so much cheaper and honestly it’s just healthier with a lot less salt and different preservatives
Newsletter. In my area a cold 20 oz soft drink w/ tax is $2.44. so that would be a savings of $507.52 yr. And all of your lunch items in my area go on sale frequently in my area. You would save way more than the $3's needed for that challenge. I got jeans @ Costco for $4.97 a pair recently for me & my man. Were set for a minute.😊 And the long distance phone bill could still be a win for the fact you can get Mint mobile etc for $15 month & not be paying per min on some other expensive carriers. Not her exact suggestion but not $25 a month plus long distance per minute fees (1970's-1980's). I remember some of my parents bills got really pricey around the holidays. And now you don't have to pay that at all. Yea technology.
I had that book, lost it in a move. Amy would have never spent $7-$10 on jeans. LOL
Thrift stores have gotten expensive where I am. I recentdid a clearance rack run through our local mall. We stocked up on brand new clearances shirts & pants for $3 each. Clearance runs are the way to go.
I actually did subscribe to the Tightwad Gazette paper newsletter back in the day! Loved it. I've never forgotten the gentleman who wrote in to Amy to say that he only uses one square of toilet paper when he goes to the bathroom 😮. That even grossed Amy out! 😅. BTW, long distance phone charges were outrageously expensive. The only free phone calls were calls made in your own town/county.
Your research is fantastic. I don’t miss your videos.
Ahh! This is the sweetest! Thank you!
Decades ago, I bought Amy’s books, The Tightwad Gazette, book’s 1, 2, and 3, based on her newsletters. In the years that followed, her muffin “recipe” has been my “go to” when making healthy and delicious muffins. Thank you, Homegrown Hillary, for inspiring me to re-read other parts of her books. I find much of her information to be relevant still…mostly, in teaching and inspiring us to think creatively and confidently that there may be a better way to get what we want/need before opening our wallets. I still love her crazy-fun sense of humor…which is a bonus! BTW: I just now found your YT channel and subscribed.
Yes!! Her muffin recipe is my most flipped-to page in the whole 1000 page book!
I used to get the newsletters and then was so excited when she made them into books so I didn't have to save the newsletters and could read tips prior to signing up for the newsletters. I do admit I have powdered milk in the house. :) I'm single and while I'd never drink it, it is handy to have on hand for recipes like scalloped potatoes (or maybe a hurricane?)
I loved those newsletters! Powdered milk used to be affordable. Sometimes we would mix half rgular milk with half prepared powdered milk. It made for a better taste! As for line drying clothes,there are benefits apart from saving $'s. It adds humidity to our dry homes in the winter months. Sheets dried on a clothesline smell wonderful and make for a good night's sleep.
Oh totally! I definitely do sheets on my clothesline. I love the smell too. ❤️
I found the hardcover copy of the Tightwad Gazette years ago in a thrift store ❤.
Love some of the info in there!
Find her granola recipe- that recipe has saved me hundreds of over the years
I have and love this book for inspo!