A Tightwad Tells All

A Tightwad Tells All

Some penny-pinching advice we’ve included at no extra charge

Tightwads believe you can reach financial goals by saving more, not earning more. Amy Dacyczyn has made a personal crusade of finding ways to recycle milk jugs, bread tabs, brown paper bags, egg cartons, you name it. Dacyczyn, editor of The Tightwad Gazette II (Villard Books, 1995), says recycling aluminium foil won’t cut it, but attention to the thousands of ways we spend money can make a huge difference. Here, Dacyzczyn offers her philosophy of thightwaddery and some dollar-saving tips.

What is a tightwad?

A tightwad uses unconventional methods to save money. We push the normal limits to make things last longer. We reuse things in unusual wasys. We experiment to find new, cheaper ways to do almost anything.

What’s the first step toward becoming a thightwad?

Record your spending habits for three months. Write down everything from the morgage payment in the candy bar at the checkout counter. The expenses will be either essential or optional, like coffee, candy and soda. The point of the list is to give a clear picture of where your money is going and where you can best cut back.

What’s next?

Keep what I call a price book. It helps me save more time and money than anything else I do. My price book is a small looseleaf binder. Each page contains prices for one items, in alphabetical order – apple juice, bananas, etc. Include the store name, the brand, the item size, the price, and the unit price. You can get prices from sale flyers, from grocery slips, and from comparison shopping trips. The time investment will pay off because you will get a feeling of control over your budget.

A Tightwad Tells All. Photo by Elena

Does it pay to clip coupons?

There’s been a lot of misleading information in the media that leads people to believe coupons are more useful than they truly are. But you can save some money by using coupons correctly. Compare the price you pay after the coupons with alternative products, and with other options such as making the same item from scratch or not buying it at all, if it’s not essential. To slash your grocery bill further eliminate convenience foods, especially those packaged in single-serving containers. Eat fewer expensive-meat meals; casseroles, stews, and stir-fry meaks are more economical. Start a garden and preseerve garden surplus by home canning and freezing.

Does bulk-buying really save money?

The average family can save at least $50 a month bu buying in bulk. But bulk buying isn’t just for big families. Simply put, buy enough to get you to the next sale or enough until it’s convenient for you to shop there again. Know your prices. Generally the leader sale items on the cover and the back of sale flyers beat wholesale prices.

What are some frugal gifts you can give the kids and still keep them happy?

Kids generally don’t appreciate only home-made presents, but I like to give at least one to each of my children at Christmas. You can easily make bean bags with pieces of durable fabric and dried beans. Then doctorate them with bric-a-brac. For the young child who likes to empty Mom’s purse, fill a thrift-shop purse with a ring of old keyes, wallet with play paper money, old credit cards, an empty compact, etc.

Are there ways to save on pet care?

A good dry pet food is generally nutritionally the same as a good canned food. Dry food is the thghtwad choice, because it is cheaper. Don’t attept to economize by buying low-quality food, though. Treating a common ailment like pancreatitis, caused by feeding your dog too many fatty table scraps, can cost much, not to mention the discomfort to your dog.

How can a tightwad save on utility bills?

Use small appliances, if possible. In recipes, a slow cooker use about one-fourth the energy of the oven. The microwave uses less than one-tenth the energy of a conventional oven. Low-flow showeer heads are great energy savers. They use less water and they have an on/off switch so that you can turn off the water when lathering.

How do thrift shops compare to garage sales?

You’ll pay more for clothes at thrift shops than garage sales, but the selection is better. Consignement shops have the best selection, although you’ll pay double the thrift shop prices. When you look at used clothing, just think of it as a new item that’s been washed 10 times.

What are your thoughts on trash picking?

You can call it treasure hunting. In fact, many usable items are discarded for want of a screw.

What must be a few of my favorite tips for saving money?

• To reuse wrapping paper, put a bow on the spot where the old tape left a hole. Alternative wrapping can be made from Sunday paper comics, wallpaper, old maps, department store bags and so on.
• Hold a smorgasbord night. Thaw a variety of leftovers, line up the family and have them choose. Kids love this chance to escape the you-get-what-you-get philosophy.
• For urban families, a rooftop, fire escape, balcony, or a patio are all good places to garden. Almost any vegetable can be grown in a container. Apple boxes, bushed baskets – even laundry baskets with trash-bag liners make good containers. You can often get a good five-gallon plastic bucket for free from a health food store or Dunkin’ Donuts, for example.

Ten Painless Ways to Save $100 This Year

Here are Amy Dacyczyn’s penny-pinching suggestions, good all year round:

• Purchase ten articles of clothing at thrift shops and yard sales instead of paying department store prices.
• Hang four loads of laundry per week instead of using your dryers.
• Once a month make a pizza from scratch instead of having one delivered.
• Go for a walk instead of chatting, you’ll save some money.
• Reduce your soda consumption by four cans per week.
• Bake one batch of bread (two loaves) per week.
• Save money on children’s birthday parties by making homemade decorations, cake, wrapping paper, and one present.
• Reduce your smoking drastically or at least by three cigarettes per day (well, it would be better if you give up smoking altogether. Thus you’ll save even more).
• Reduce your whole milk consumption by four gallons per week, substituting dry milk in cooking, homemade cocoa mix, and in half-and-half for drinking.
• Pack four inexpensive school lunches a week.

Life and death. Illustration by Elena.