Being frugal, a penny-pincher, a tightwad—like anything—can be a form of idolatry, leading to pride and judgmentalism. But it can also be an expression of stewardship, a means of generosity, and a way to swim upstream against consumerism and materialism. And for many in this economy, this is less about a “lifestyle choice” and more about a necessity.
The best practical guide is probably The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn (pronounced like “decision”). If you do everything in this book, you’re likely imbalanced. (Like the “Extreme Couponers” who are able somehow to buy 300 cans of tomato sauce for a dime.) But if you do even a fraction of the suggestions, you’ll more than justify the price of the book and save a good chunk of change.
For those who want to read but can’t afford to buy new books, here are some good suggestions from Trevin Wax.
If you can afford books (and other items) but want to pay the least amount possible, the benefits of Amazon Prime are hard to beat. The only problem is that it’s $79/year. If you order a lot of books, this may be worth it. You don’t pay any extra for two-day shipping (no minimum size order, no limits to the number of times you can use this, can be used for sending gifts), you can get one-day shipping for $3.99, and you get access to instant movies at no additional charge.
But, there are a few ways to get around the annual fee, at least for a season.
- You can get a trial membership and cancel it at the end of the trial.
- If you are responsible for caring for a baby or young child, you can get Prime for free for three months by signing up for “Amazon Mom” (even if you’re a dad, grandparent, etc.). Then for ever $25 you spend in the Baby Store, you earn an extra month of free Prime shipping benefits, up to a year.
- If you are a student, you can get Prime free for six months.
Hopefully at least some of these tips can save you a little bit of money in the months ahead.
