Re-reading Tightwad Gazette

[Tightwad Kitty]

Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette

A good article to read this time is ‘The Spendthrift Christmas Debt Chart ‘Vol 1 137 (CTG)

This chart is very interesting and it’s only for a interest @10% so I wouldn’t like to see if what it would be if it was around today’s interest 17.25% or store cards rate of 26% + that some are paying now! Around 10.99% are the average on low rate credit cards if you are carrying a balance over each month with fee of $49.00.

12 months interest @ 17.25% on $1000 = $1172.50 and that not adding in extra compound interest on interest nor fees. So if you were paying $49.00 in fees per year as well! What would it cost if was only thing you bought for that year? More than extra $221.50 (17.25%) on that $1000 on if you paid CASH for it.

If I can’t pay cash for a gift then I can’t afford to give a gift at that price. What I put on Credits Card is paid off before interest is paid on the card. If not then by next payday the sooner the better if I owe money on credits cards.

Note: Interest rates are what we are paying here in Australia.

[lrjohnson]

Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette

The ones that I would like to have ago at this year are Biscotti, Toffee & South of Border Salsa.

I'd been thinking of the toffee myself; it looks really easy. The biscotti would make nice gifts as well, and I can put them with jars of homemade cocoa.

[Tightwad Kitty]

Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette

A good article to read this time is ‘Food for the Festivities’ Vol 2 p498 (CTG)

In this article Amy’s making food items for gifts. I found some interesting recipes but some are finicky to say at least. Finicky is Amy’s word not mine!

The ones that I would like to have ago at this year are Biscotti, Toffee & South of Border Salsa. I for one will not go out and buy ingredients that are a luxury in my part of world or I would only I buy it to use in once only recipe that I may like to try. If can’t substitute an ingredient then it’s not frugal to make it with the number of other recipes around today.

Another two recipes that I may make that are cost effective now, would be Christmas Cheese Ball & Whole Wheat Crackers.

At times I make a Gingerbread Christmas Tree (12 inch high), made out of star cutouts (4 sizes) and pure icing sugar with sliver cashew on the points of stars. One year I made 3 of them. It’s a bit of job to take them anywhere ready for the table. Best put together the day before. You can dust with icing sugar on the day.

[lrjohnson]

Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette

My favorite holiday tradition used to be me and My Guy having the four day flannel jammie weekend for Thanksgiving. No shopping, hanging out eating all sorts of treat foods and watching movies and reading and drinking cocoa and tea. Now his family lives close so we lose a day. It's a tradition that doesn't require investment or space, which is nice.

A couple I know gives each other pajamas/nightgowns every Christmas eve, that they sleep in and have on Christmas day for opening presents. That wouldn't have to be too costly if that was your only jammie buying and/or you looked for clearance/thrift store/garage sale steals. I think it's sweet; they think of their partner every time they put on jammies.

Growing up we opened one present Christmas eve and the rest Christmas day...I liked the teaser.

[Frugal Father (tm)]

Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette

My individual books where lost in a move. However we gleened alot from them, underwear shopping at yard sales was not one of them. However these ideas can be adapted and its a good resource like having the fanny farmer or betty crocker cookbooks. Always something to refer to to. Considering getting the complete version with the extra chapters.

[Tightwad Kitty]

Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette

A good article to read this time is ‘Holiday Traditions’ Vol 2 p509 (CTG)
Amy’s has a number of ideas for holiday traditions. I like the one about balloons ‘the work chores.’

In my family Christmas traditions are that all decorations go out on the weekend nearest to the 1st December. As I have a collection of small Christmas, I can choose which set of trees will go out that year and which decorations that I will put up. I have only three large boxes the whole all of this. I don’t put out everything each year and limit my self to buy only new item each January too! All cards are ready to be mailed by then too!


Does your family have any traditions that you do each year, or can you start a family tradition this year?

[Tightwad Kitty]

Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette

A good article to read this time is ‘Tips for Better Gift Giving’ Vol 1 p109 (CTG)

TG…At one time or another most of us have had that sickening feeling of receiving things we don’t want …Amy’s thought are based on the feeling expressed readers and friends.

There are about 15 ideas in the article. Can we add to it or what’s is not a good idea now!

One idea that I had was, if you knew someone who owns or is getting an IPOD for Christmas, then buy them a gift card so that they can download some new tunes.

[PetMom]

Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette

great thread, glad to know others have read Amy's books and still use her advice.

I actually got her few yearly newsletters she did a few years after she stopped her TG newsletter.

Her son had just turned 18 and had a job and she was busy with sketching a lot and her running the Church thrift shop had had it's run, she had stopped that.

Does anyone know what she is doing these days as this was a few years ago?

[Gruntina]

Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette

I think home made cookies, brownies, fudge, etc., to be the nicest kind of present to receive!

I had gotten a few requests from friends telling me not to bake goodies for them this year. They are trying to watch their weight and health.

Oh well!!! At least my grease monkey requested a large quantity of the baked goodies so he can take it to work to share amount the other guys at the shop.

[Ima saver]

Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette

I think home made cookies, brownies, fudge, etc., to be the nicest kind of present to receive!

[tkelley369]

Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette

My extended family and I now have rules for adult gift giving. It has to be second hand or homemade. This has worked out well for those who are hard to buy for. Everyone likes some sort of homemade cookie, pie, candy, beef jerky, ect...

[PrincessPerky]

Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette

christmas fullfillment, I hae slowly started 'downsizing' I started a couple years ago, I am loving how much the kids love christmas and how much we get to play with the stuff, not stack it...

[katwoman]

Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette

See my blog entry for info on Organic Valley powdered milk:

http://katwoman.savingadvice.com/2006/08/15/organic-valley-powdered-milk_12872/

[mountainmist]

powdered milk that tastes good?

I love love love raw milk. I want my own cow so I can have fresh milk. *whistful*

I really like Organic Valley powdered milk, but it's not an affordable alternative, really.

I've never seen that product. Tastes really good, huh? Do you remember how much it costs? I'd like to buy some for our emergency stash, I can't stand MOST brands of dried milk. I don't they'd be palatable even in an emergency.

[Tightwad Kitty]

Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette

As we are coming into the seasonal gift giving time period so planning is key.
So now is the time that we can have a look at some of Amy's articles on this subject.

‘The Christmas Fulfillment Drama’ Vol 1 p79 (CTG)
This is an article you need to read as picking a quote from this is not easy.
TG Quote…. The Fulfillment Curve. It is not that spending money stops being fun altogether, but that the ratio of dollars spend to fulfillment received drops off………….If we do continue to spend we trade more hours of works to earn money to buy less & less fulfillment.

My own fulfillment curve in my family now is so narrow that I give just Gift cards and small token gift around $5.00 that it. Many a time I have help out some people clearing their garage or under they bed storage areas. Only to find gifts still in wrapping paper and boxes from 5 years ago, yes open but still group together in the shopping bags that they took home as was given that Christmas. After doing this twice we all decide to just use gift cards and as the Christmas sales start next day and they love shopping so a day late and they can buy they own gift with older children and adults you can do this.