This is the book to start with if you're only going to read one. I won't tell you what that is, but it's something I'd like to try even though more recent technology has made this slightly more of a hardship. I agree with her test method to tell if people are seriously ready to make cuts, save money and be thrifty.

Her thoughts on American expectations are right on target. Dacyczyn tells how to figure out if that extra income can be overcome so people looking to be home with their children might have that option after all. I still believe that given the choice, being a stay at home mom would be the choice of most women in America, and probably many of the dads too. In this third and final of Amy Dacyczyn's Tightwad Gazette series we find that Amy is able to retire and become a SAHM to her six children who at the time ranged in age from 5-13.

By not doing all these things, the author purportedly has more time to make homemade EVERYTHING, which is cool, but sacrificing a fulfilling lifestyle for a thrifty one isn't exactly my idea of a great way to live. In my opinion, these are things that I would go out of my way to make time for, whether they save money or time or not. Some of her 'Don'ts' were mildly disturbing, including things like saving time by not reading to her children, not volunteering, not giving her children baths every night, not reading the news, not reading novels, not socializing with friends, not working out, not entertaining her children, and not spending time with relatives. One of the things that did catch my eye was one piece where the author was describing 'how she does it,' more or less, by listing the things that she DOESN'T do in order to lead a more thrifty lifestyle.

I don't think there was anything that was really life-changing, but it was interesting. This book had some good tips, but mostly it was just common sense stuff.

The tightwad gazette iii