Journaling through the Tightwad Gazette

I recently finished the Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn. As I turned to the last page, I was seriously bummed; I knew it was coming, but I didn't want to believe it was all over. I savored this book little by little (having started reading it in November). Not only is it useful, but I find it extremely entertaining. Perhaps most importantly, I came to regard the author as someone who was cheering me on toward my financial goals. One of the most valuable lessons learned from Amy is that tightwads fall along a spectrum of lifestyles. Some are "blackbelt" tightwads who go to almost any length to save their cents. Some are "borderline" tightwads who pick and choose what to cut and what to keep from their spendthrift past. Many, including myself, fall somewhere in the middle of those two. Wherever you fall, learning how to be a good steward of your resources and finding alternative (free) ways to acheive a fulfilling life WILL make a significant difference in your budget.

Instead of returning this book to my shelf, I decided to read it over again. This time I am keeping a journal where I record facts and recipes to remember and ideas to inspire. The centerpiece of my journal will be my experiences in trying out Amy's (and her newsletter subscribers') cost-cutting and life-enriching tips. Watch for excerpts from my journal on this blog!

Excerpt from the book:
"When I learned that walking a mile burned up the same amount of calories as in an apple I wondered how many miles I would have to run to burn the calories in a candy bar. It made more sense to give up the candy bar. Most Americans are running to burn up candy bars. They are running out of the house, rnning to the daycare center, running on the job...so they can afford candy bars and Nintendo games, meals at McDonald's, and designer sneakers."