Tightwad Gazette

I've finished another book, but of a different flavor this time.

The Tightwad Gazette is a compilation of newsletters compiled by the Frugal Zealot (Amy Dacyczyn). It deals with all sorts of money saving strategies.

The thing I liked most was reading all these things that are just their family's lifestyle that are frugal. It really is a way of life without being deprived (it just takes more creativity, that's all).

A few of my favorite suggestions/ideas:

Mailbox Revenge: if teenagers are apt to use baseball bats to destroy your mailbox, take a large mailbox, place your smaller mailbox inside (with the door removed) and fill the area between the two with cement. Bolt securely to a strong post, and the bat will break before the mailbox will.

Homemade Syrup: I've always not preferred homemade syrup because it isn't as thick. This recipe is a little thicker, but still not the same as store bought. I think I'll add less water next time. The molasses also came through pretty strong, but it was good.

3 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups water
3 TBS molasses
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp butter flavoring
1 tsp maple extract
Bring all to a rolling boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Turn off burner, but leave pot on until bubbling stops.

Quick & Easy Cheap Dinner: Use a smaller pressure cooker to cook both rice and dry beans simultaneously, yet still separately in 3o minutes. I have been really wanting to incorporate dry beans more, and if I had a pressure cooker and could do it in 30 minutes, using them more frequently would be easier. I have a birthday coming up, and such a pressure cooker would be a great present...(even used, living true to these frugal principles)

Now I just have the second edition to read :)