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Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette
Such a great energy/cost saver, Imasaver!
Such a great energy/cost saver, Imasaver!
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Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette
This tip is one that I have being using for years now, I will often put out the next three days worth of meals so that I don’t have to open the chest freezer at all. If I don’t have anything put out then it’s an egg night or leftover night not that I have much as I portion control my cooking into single serves and freeze each cooking session.Originally posted by stngymamaAS I moved something from the freezer into the fridge last night, I thought of a letter published in TCTWG. pg.294
Quote:
...Because the process of thawing or melting requires heat, which is removed from the surroundings, frozen foods can be placed in the refrigerator while thawing to reduce refrigerator running time.
Since we're really trying every trick to lower our energy usage, this strategy helps us in a few ways:
first, of course, I have to learn to plan ahead
Then, if I do, savings become obviously two fold, help out the fridge, don't have to use the microwave to defrost.
I very rarely use my oven now that I could do with a new stove altogether. So as much is not working on it that I am now more of a microwave cook. It has been this way for years too! Only two small top stove plates are working and bottom half of the oven.
One more thing to go then it's a new stove. Well it over 25 years old and came with the house. 
I did have a look at comparison website and I have put it into my favorites. I would have to redo the math’s but that's the easy part. They are working on 8c kWh and we are at 14.9c kWh.Comment
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Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette
A good article to read this time is ‘The Pantry Principle’ Vol 2 p474 (CTG)
TwG Quote ‘ Stockpile your pantry…….. (storage areas) ….with food purchased at the lowest possible price. T he sole purpose of grocery shopping becomes replenishing your pantry, not buying ingredients to prepare specific meals. This is subtle but important distinction.’ Amy goes on to tell about how you can buy sale items to stock your pantry.
If you do Bulk Cooking like OAMC then you would be buying to replenish the ingredients in your recipes but over a longer time frame. Do plan buying next OAMC month’s when you have just finish the last cooking session and for items in bulk if it’s item that you use all the time! It’s all in the planning.
In my family, we have been using this method for decades, as I can’t remember not having a lot of stuff in the pantry and we had a walk in pantry too, as a child growing up. I will write up about this in my Blog one day! Now I just shop my pantry stockpile as I have enough goods stockpiled but for perishables.
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Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette
I would love to have a walk in pantry... but I don't
WHat I have is stuffed in and falling out as is, I certainly can't do more
.
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Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette
I shop almost exclusively to restock my staples in fridge and pantry (cupboards), with some variation for season or particular fanices (now seems to be a beany timn for us). I very rarely shop for ingredients for a particular recipe. When I made this switch, life seemed so much easier. The basics can be combined in so may ways, that I don't feel limited.Comment
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Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette
We, too, shop for the pantry. An interesting idea that comes up on some groups (e.g., yahoo group "Friendly-Freezer") is the idea of a Pantry Challenge: when you need to thin out the pantry or are really needing to pinch pennies, to challenge yourself to use only your pantry/freezer to feed your family for x number of days. I like this idea since sometimes I end up with a really oddball collection of things from various "experiments" and this forces me to be creative with these and the multiple cans(etc.) of stuff that were such a bargainComment
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Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette
I am having so much fun with my book!!! It has little stickies all over it!! I keep taking to work and having people read this article or that article. I don't think I can live the rest of my life without this book!! Now I look at everything and think....hum...how and I do it or get if for less....how much is that really going to cost me....If I did it this way how much would I save....
Looking back I want to cry at all the money I have wasted!
Thankyou for turning me on to this book!! .... So worth the over night shipping fee!!!Comment
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Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette
I am happy that you have found it interesting to read, that is the way I feel too! It’s first book that I would replace at full price if I lost all my books at anytime. I do have many books. Amy’s is showing a new method/strategy or new way of thinking in her articles. It goes past the scope of topic in which the article written. You have to update any prices quoted and review if any new ideas have come along since but it does make up think, ‘WHAT IF I DID THIS WITH THAT’ kind of thing.Originally posted by boefixepa
I had three exercise books beside me when I read, jotting down quotes that I liked, noting article & page. On any ideas that came to my mind from reading an article, or my thoughts and feelings at the time of reading. Notes on my own strategies that I used from the book. At the back one of these book I kept formulas and Math’s notes used in the book for future reference. At all times noting article name & page.
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Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette
A good article to read this time is “I was a disposable Diaper Mom” Vol 1 p177 (CTG)
This article set out the Pro’s & Con’s of disposable diaper/nappy and use for cloth diapers/nappies. Nappy is the common word for a diaper in Australia. The disposable diapers came on the market after my son baby days so I never used them, here is what I did. I was give as gift 1 dozen Toweling nappies and I made flannelette nappies to use in summer. I bought many yards of flannelette material or some flat flannelette sheets to make them. You need to have at hand a straight sewing machine or a lot of times if you hand sew them. Anyway you cut 12 small nappies 26x26inch, 24/36 larger size 36x36 inch. Just straight sew around edge of each nappy. Smaller one’s are for newborn’s which were great as they didn’t swim on him and when he got bigger and needed extra protection at night, I put one smaller ones inside the larger one. And after 2 year they have worn very well. You can make pretty coloured flannelette buggy rugs of out it too! I did use a special cloth nappy liner that went between the baby and the nappies I had about six of these and Pilchers (plastic pants.) So if you are very short of money, you could go back to using cloth diapers at home and use disposable when out.Comment
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Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette
Tightwad Kitty: I would be interested in re-visiting the Tightwad Gazette. I subscribed to her newsletter back in the 80's which came once/month. In the early 90's she started writing the books, I, II and III and discontinued the newsletter. I bought all three books and have read each one many times.
One of the Tightwad's best saving techniques is her Price Book to keep track of items bought at the cheapeast prices per unit (food, toilet paper, health/beauty items, laundry soap, etc), which I still use today. Amy "shopped" the prices at certain stores that were convenient to her or stores that she might go by during errands every couple of months, and would pick up the best deals there in large quantities. Most things I can remember without even looking at the book, but if you take the book with you (a small spiral notebook) with the calculations for each item that you found at the cheapest prices per quantities, it will always bail you out. These calcs have helped me so many times to keep from buying something that appears to be cheap, but isn't. Helps to take a small lightweight solar calculator with you also to make sure what the item costs per ounce, etc.
Since I have the original editions I, II and II (not the large book that covers all volumes), my reference is to Volume I, pages 31 - 35, covering the Price Book, How to Buy Food in Bulk, etc. If you have the large edition which covers all volumes, just look in the Index for Price Book.
I don't think the TG used coupons, but I do believe in using them, especially since my area doubles all coupons and then at least once per month one of the stores will triple them.
Looking forward to everyone's input! Thanks!Comment
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Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette
Kay70301 welcome to our discussion.
‘The Pricebook Vol 1 p33 (CTG)’.
My views on this article is in a past post on this thread refer to (Page 2 Post 25). I don’t remember reading that Amy used coupons. Her views on Coupons is covered in the article ‘ The Scoop on Coupons’ Vol 1 p57 (CTG.). I live in a country that doesn’t have coupons for food. Some rebates at times which are too costly to post unless you are getting $$$$ off the price as postage here is 50c a letter for a small envelope or business size envelope and $1.00 for a large one or odd sizes envelopes or by weight for parcels. We do have vouchers for other things. These are on the back of our shopping dockets and they are called Hot/shopper dockets. So anyone would like to comment on this article on coupons please do.
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Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette
Tightwad Kitty: I'm sorry that you live in a country that doesn't have coupons. It must be very hard to cut costs.
Actually, my post was referring to the section in the Tightwad Gazette on the Price Book and How to Buy Food in Bulk, Vol. I, pages 31-35. I did say at the end of my post that I didn't think that the Tightwad Gazette used coupons, but that I did believe in using them, as they help me cut costs further.
If anyone would like to comment on the Tightwad Gazette Price Book and How to Buy Food in Bulk, please do. Thanks. Have a good day!Comment
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Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette
I am in the process of making my price book....the sad thing is is how much fun I am having doing it.....lol
I have found that the warehouse store (Sam's) is much cheeper on many things...Spices, cleaning supplies, laundry detergant, canned items, tolietries, paper products. I was amazed and so glad that since I buy in bulk I generally buy there. I did notice that their sugar was more expensive though. Their flour was on par with Wal-mart and I still need to do some other items, but I am trying to do it in spurts. You also have to deal with keeping the items fresh for a long time if you do not use it quickly....a draw back to being single....
The general chains here...Macy's..Allen's...Alberstons....Smiths... do not even compare with Walmart and Sam's. It's like highway robbery. I want to walk into the store and yell at people to get out....fast...but I don't of course. I always assumed Wal-mart was cheeper, but until I saw it in writting I couldn't believe the difference.
I am going to continue building my price book and tonight I'm going to the church warehouse and see where their prices fall. They just have the basic staples, but I am really hoping their prices are much lower. The main reason being I can package it there in smaller sized bags and not have to borrow the machine and do it at home. We shall see....until next time.
By the way I am almost 2/3 of the way through the complete book...you should see all the tags!!!Comment
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Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette
How many items are you tracking in your price books?
As Amy did say that you don't need to track the whole store!
I am only tracking around 30 items. Other items I do a quick check before I buy as I may only buy them twice a year.
Here is my list. (When on Special only) * (At Good Markdown) #
Cat Food 400g *
Dried Cat Food 1kg *
Frozen Vegetables 500g & 1kg*
Chicken Breasts * #
Whole Raw Chickens *#
Meats * #
Fresh Fish *
Canned Fish (Tuna & Pink Salmon) 185g & 425g*
Sardines 108 g & 125g
Chicken To-Night Sauces*
Packet Sauces *
Canned Tomatoes 400g & 800g *
Canned Mushrooms 400g
Canned Soups*
Baked Beans*
Dried Beans & Lentils
BBQ Sauce *
Dried Skim Milk Powder 1kg & 1.25kg
Coffee
Green Tea
Oatmeal
Cereals (That I use for making my Special Muesli.)
Sultanas 1kg
Dried Apricots 800g*
Raw Almonds 750g*
Sunflower Seed
Laundry Powder Duo 1kg & 2 kg *
Trix Dishwashing Detergent 1 L*
Toilet Paper *
Facial Tissues*
Paper Towels*
I also keep a list cheapest prices of seasonal fruit & vegetables as guide for next year’s prices, so that when a price comes within 20% of that price, I will start buy more of it.
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Re: Re-reading Tightwad Gazette
To Boefixepa: Yes on some items Sams/Walmart are cheaper. Sams is very cheap on over the counter medications. For example, generic Tylenol extra-strength 500 mg, 500 caplets is about $3.25/bottle (comes in a 2-pack) in our PA area. We all know how expensive regular Tylenol is and that's just for 100 ct. bottles. They also have generic Zantac for about $4.00 bottle 150 tablets. Their 2.5# and 3# flavored coffees are very reasonable per pound price.
As for baking items, when the grocery stores run sales, their prices usually beat Sam's/Walmart, especially if you are in an area that accepts coupons (and doubles/triples them). Sometimes you can get these items for free or almost free. That also applies to paper products. As for walnuts and pecans, Sam's prices per pound usually beat the grocery stores even when they are on sale.
Just be sure when you make your price book that calculations are done to the ounce/pound/tablets/sheets (toilet paper)/etc. Otherwise, you may be paying a lot more than you realize.
Great Job! Keep up the good work!Comment
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