Introducing a New Series - Tightwad Tuesdays!

For Christmas, Hubz and I try to watch what we spend on each other.  We usually buy something for the household each year and then buy stocking stuffers for one other.  I LOVE stocking stuffers!  Not everything we buy to stuff the stocking will actually fit in the stocking (like mens size 13 house slippers), but it’s the idea of getting each other several inexpensive gifts.  You don’t have to go big to get something a loved one will enjoy and use. 

One of my stocking stuffers this past year was The Complete Tightwad Gazette

by Amy Dacycyzn (pronounced like decision).  Here is some descriptive text straight from Amazon.com: 

Packed with humor, creativity, and insight, The Complete Tightwad Gazette includes hundreds of tips and topics, such as:  Ten painless ways to save $100 this year¸ Picture-framing for pennies¸ Halloween costumes from scrounged materials¸ Thrifty window treatments¸ Inexpensive gifts¸ Creative fundraisers for kids¸ Slashing your electric bill¸ Frugal fix-its¸ Moving for less¸ Saving on groceries¸ Gift-wrapping for tightwads and much much more...

To put it mildly, I am loving this book!  Does he know me or what!? 

Even though the content is better than 15 years old, a lot of what she writes about is classic penny-pinching that is still relevant today and will be for years to come.  Many of the prices she lists are outdated (when was the last time you spent $75 on gas for a whole month or 29 cents on a stamp?), but the general principles still apply. 

Amy’s tips and tricks have given me renewed energy and passion for saving money.  We want to curb our outflow to help us pay down debt and limit how much we borrow for our adoption.  I have tons of ideas on how we can keep more of our money by making better purchase decisions, implementing more DIY tactics, repurposing and reusing what we have on hand, etc.  I can’t wait to try out my ideas and calculate my savings and I’m super excited to share them with you!

Starting next week, every Tuesday @ Little Patch of Heaven Homestead will now be…

I’ll list a new savings tactic we're implementing and let you know what amount of savings I’m able to see with each one.  Some of the savings will be small, some will be more substantial, not all ideas will apply to all households, but along the way I hope to inspire you to try a few things yourself or come up with unique ways for your household to save. 

Please join me next Tuesday for the first tip which is about getting more for your money at the grocery store (and it is not about coupons).

Until then!