Back on my BS

In my previous post, I shared how I dove into a sea of articles and
videos, all in the quest to stretch my budget, save more money, pay down my debt, and make every dollar work overtime for me. Here’s the fun twist: back in February, I wrote a blog post called “Tightwad Gazette – 10 Painless Ways to Save
$100 This Year*.” Fast forward to today, and I stumbled upon an article by Madison titled “12 Simple Home Swaps That Will Save You Hundreds.” Not only is it fascinating to see how many creative ways there are to keep more cash in your pocket, but also how nothing is new!

Everything old is new again

If you’ve never stumbled across The Tightwad Gazette, you’re in for a treat. This newsletter, published from 1990 to 1996, served as the ultimate guide for anyone seeking vital cost-cutting and money-saving strategies. Packed with clever tips, real-life stories, and a dash of quirky humor, it quickly became the go-to resource for frugal living and simple joys. The Gazette didn’t just preach thrift, it made it its goal to “prompt thrift as a viable alternative lifestyle,” demonstrating how even the smallest savings could snowball into genuine financial freedom.

Back in the day, a subscription set you back a whole dollar a month (which felt like a splurge!). While I didn’t follow every single suggestion (okay, yes, I probably tried them all at least once), some were a bit too hardcore, even for me. I will happily admit that the advice helped my family of four thrive on a shoestring budget.

Fast forward to today, and The Tightwad Gazette’s wisdom is more relevant than ever. Its core values of frugality, creativity, and spending with intention are alive and well. YouTubers, bloggers, and anyone looking to make their money go further in a challenging economy echo many of the principles outlined in The Tightwad Gazette. It may be vintage, but its lessons are timeless.

Let’s Compare

Curious about how today’s money-saving tips stack up against the classics? I dusted off my beloved, dog-eared copy of The Tightwad Gazette, Amy Dacyczyn’s legendary guide to frugality from 30 years ago. To see what timeless wisdom (or surprising differences) she shares about these 12 simple swaps. Let’s see how old-school advice holds up in the modern world!

Switch to reusable cotton dish rags instead of paper towels

The Tightwad Gazette doesn’t mention paper towels at all, likely because the author saw them as an unnecessary extravagance! I feel the same way. If you look in one of the bins in my kitchen today, you’ll find a stack of well-worn cotton dish rags and a lonely roll of paper towels. The switch wasn’t new to me; I’ve been using rags for years. Let’s be honest: paper towels are neither thrifty nor eco-friendly. Swapping them for reusable cloth rags feels like a natural extension of using cloth napkins instead of paper ones (also something the author should have mentioned in the article).

Let’s do the math

At my local big-box store, a 15-roll pack of the store’s cheapest brand of paper towels costs $19.98. Do the math, and the average American family burns through about 80 rolls a year. That is roughly six of those jumbo packs, or nearly $120 annually, not counting the hidden cost of hauling all that waste to the curb. Meanwhile, I’m still working through a pack I bought ten months ago, thanks to a little hands-on “rag training” with my caregivers. Until I introduced them to “reduce, recycle, reuse, they tended to use everything single-use. When they saw how much I’m saving, they have come to the frugal dark side.

Of course, I keep a few paper towels on standby for those truly grim emergencies, think pet accidents, not spilled juice. But for everyday messes, my trusty cotton rags handle the job, saving money, reducing waste, and making my kitchen feel just a bit more intentional.

Use a safety razor instead of disposable plastic razors

While The Tightwad Gazette doesn’t specifically dive into the world of shaving razors, some of the reader letters featured in the book offer clever tips for saving money on them. If you poke around online, you’ll find plenty of lively debate about whether switching from disposable plastic razors to a classic safety razor actually saves you cash.

Now, full disclosure: I don’t use either type myself, so I can’t speak from personal experience. But here’s what I found. At my local big-box store, a pack of 52 disposable razors costs $32.98. Most people go through 40 to 50 of these each year. Compare that to safety razors: the average person uses approximately 52 blades per year. On Amazon, a convenient, if not always the cheapest option, a 100-pack of safety razor blades costs just $16.95. That’s nearly double the quantity for about half the price!

Switching to a safety razor seems like a smart money-saving move. As a bonus, it’s a win for the environment, because those pesky disposable razors aren’t going into the landfill. Sounds like a great swap to me!

Buy loose-leaf tea instead of tea bags

The article’s author recommends ditching tea bags in favor of loose-leaf tea, a tip also championed by Amy Dacyczyn, the savvy mind behind The Tightwad Gazette. While Amy focuses on creating charming tea blends as thoughtful gifts, I must admit that I’m not much of a tea drinker myself. From a purely financial standpoint, the savings aren’t a lot. After all, I can snag a whopping 312 tea bags for just $12.22 at my local big box store. Honestly, drink your tea however you like, but try to help save the planet by composting those tea bags (without the tags). The Earth will thank you.

Replace paper towels with fabric towels

The author suggests swapping paper towels for fabric towels to save money, but didn’t they already cover that earlier when discussing using fabric rags for cleaning? I’m honestly a bit confused here. What’s the real difference? Let’s move along, shall we?

Use reusable coffee filters

The author of the article recommends, “Use reusable coffee filters.” The Tightwad Gazette takes it even further, suggesting you save money by reusing your coffee grounds (a hard pass from me) or even cutting your coffee intake in half (a double nope). Here’s my reality: I brew two pots of coffee a week. That’s two filters x 52 weeks = 104 filters a year. A 400-count box of filters costs just $8.48—that’s about two cents per filter. For a grand total of $2.08 a year, I enjoy the convenience of tossing both the grounds and the filter straight into the compost bin, with no rinsing, scrubbing, or hassle. Honestly, I’ll happily pay that tiny price for the time and effort I save!

Make one grocery trip a week to save fuel and time

Why make one grocery trip a week to save fuel and time when you could level up and go only once every other week? That’s my kind of math! Or maybe not to at all?

Here’s the thing: I only have a precious Saturday morning window, 9 am to 1 pm, to shop solo, and the idea of wrangling both my grocery list and my mobility-challenged mom through crowded aisles is enough to make me want to hide in the frozen foods section. Granted, with the summer heat, the frozen foods section isn’t sounding so bad. Saturdays are for joyful self-care, not supermarket stress! So yes, I happily pay for delivery. Sure, there’s a tip, but I earn that back in reclaimed time, sanity, and a little cash back on my credit card. In the end, my groceries come to me, my Saturday stays sacred, and everyone wins. The grocery store crowds and cashiers will just have to miss me.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Amy Dacyczyn isn’t flexing her technology muscles to find the best prices and updating her price book online. 

Cut old t-shirts into cleaning cloths

The article author suggests cutting old t-shirts into cleaning cloths. I agree, but say, why settle for the humble cleaning cloth when your old t-shirts are practically begging for a whole new life? Turn them into sturdy, eco-friendly, and reusable bags perfect for groceries, beach trips, or lugging things in from the car (we all toss stuff into our cars like we live in them, and then one day something back there pokes you to get out, right, uh, only me?).

Got a flair for home décor? Wrap your pillows in vibrant t-shirt slipcovers for that effortlessly boho vibe, something I did with a few of my husband’s old button-up shirts. If you do it right, you can just unbutton the shirt and throw the cover into the laundry. Brilliant! If I do say so myself. If you’re feeling crafty, braid strips together to create colorful rugs that add personality to any room. Don’t stop there; old towels, sheets, and forgotten jeans are all fair game for upcycling magic. If you are having trouble with inspiration? Explore the numerous YouTube videos on upcycling clothing. It’s like a weird little cult. With a little imagination, your laundry pile could become your next masterpiece!

As Amy Dacyczyn says, in the preface of her book, “We push the normal limits to make things last longer. We reuse things in unusual ways. We experiment constantly to find new, cheaper ways to do almost everything.”

Walk or cycle for short trips instead of driving:

“For trips under three miles, walking or cycling can save you money on gas and parking.” To the author of the article: Oh, you sweet, innocent child.

Walking or cycling instead of driving for trips under three miles can save money on gas and parking, and it’s excellent for your health. But let’s be real: this only works if you live in a walkable area, have safe routes, and aren’t hauling home a week’s worth of groceries or bulk buys.

The author of The Tightwad Gazette would probably give this hack a thumbs-up for saving your wallet some serious cash, but might raise an eyebrow at the practicality. I know I do! After all, if you’re only hitting the store once or twice a month, trying to cart your entire grocery haul home on a bike? Let’s say it’s a workout and a half! Not to mention your ice cream melting. Horror!!!

Set your thermostat a bit higher in summer to save energy

This is a superb suggestion. Why? Because AC units are finicky. If you set them too low when the outside heat is high, they will freeze up. Strange but true (please don’t ask how I know).

In the spirit of saving energy and thus money, I’ve embarked on a daring experiment: Operation Save-My-Wallet-From-the-Electric-Bill. The plan? Set the thermostat a smidge higher and see if my bank account breathes a sigh of relief.

During the day, I’ve bravely set the AC to a toasty 77 degrees. Now, my mom, who was raised in St. Louis but acts like she was raised in the tropics, would happily crank it up to 85 and wrap herself in a blanket. On the other hand, I have to consider the caregivers, who might actually melt if it gets any warmer. So, 77 degrees it is: the Switzerland of thermostat settings.

At night, though, all bets are off. I drop that puppy down to 74 degrees because I sleep upstairs, and as everyone knows, hot air loves to party on the second floor. If it’s too warm, I toss and turn like a rotisserie chicken.

Next month, I’ll review my energy bill to see if this grand experiment has been worthwhile. Will I be rolling in extra cash, or just slightly less sweaty? Only time will tell.

As for The Tightwad Gazette, she never mentions air conditioning, most likely because she lives in Maine, where “summer” is just a rumor. I’m pretty sure her advice would be: “Open a window, shut the drapes, or invent a new way to stay cool, bonus points if it involves homemade popsicles made from unset jam or juice from a runny berry pie and a fan!”

Use makeup remover cloths instead of disposable wipes

There’s a whole world of makeup remover cloths out there, and I have been living under a rock all this time. Who knew? I had to Google them, and honestly, they look suspiciously like washcloths with loops added, a marketing boost, and a fancy new job title. Where have I seen these before? Oh, I know, I added loops to all my towels so they could hang on hooks more easily. Who knew I was such a trendsetter?

Sure, makeup remover cloths would be more eco-friendly than disposable wipes, and I’m sure they would be less costly, but let’s talk about real savings. Why buy “makeup remover cloths” when you can just cut up your old t-shirts, towels, or sheets? Got a stash of black t-shirts from your goth phase (or in my case, old rock concert)? Congratulations, you’re essentially running a five-star hotel, because those places often use black towels for makeup removal (one of my favorite perks). Next time you wipe off your mascara, pretend you’re at the Ritz, minus the room service.

Feeling nostalgic? Let’s go back to the 1970s, when we used tissues and Vaseline to remove our makeup. Who needs tissues, though? Go full retro: grab those old t-shirts, a dab of Vaseline, baby oil, soap and water, or cold cream. Not only will you remove your makeup, you’ll also leave your skin smoother than your best disco moves. Win! Win!

And if you’re really committed to saving time, money, and effort, take a page from The Tightwad Gazette: wear less makeup, or my personal favorite, declare “no makeup days.” Honestly, most of my days are makeup-free, but that’s less about saving the environment and more about saving myself from effort. Lazy? Maybe. Genius? Absolutely.

Invest in a reusable water bottle

Let’s be honest: telling you to buy reusable water bottles is like reminding you to breathe. Apparently, though, some folks still need to be convinced, so here we go!

The “Duh” reasons

• Disposable water bottles are basically the environmental equivalent of leaving your dirty underwear everywhere. They are bad. We all know it. Don’t pretend you don’t. The planet knows it. Your dog knows it, well, maybe not my dog. He loves nothing more than to destroy an empty water bottle. I guess the crunching sound is satisfying. Hmm! Perhaps he does know it.
• They are expensive. We don’t need to do the math here (still not my strong suit), but why pay good money for something you can get out of your tap for free?

Microplastics: The uninvited snack

Rumor has it (and, okay, some science backs it up) that we are all chowing down on microplastics every day. Where do they come from? I certainly don’t have all the answers, but disposable water bottles are definitely suspect to me.

Reusable water bottles: the superheroes of the hydration world

• Know your water’s origin story. By using a reusable bottle, you know whether your water was filtered (please say it was), boiled (please say it didn’t have to be), or blessed by a monk living high in the Himalayan mountains (which I would find suspect).
• Save some money. Reusable bottles save more cash for more important things, like snacks, replacing your t-shirt collection that you just decimated for makeup cloths, or more reusable water bottles.
• Healthy choice. My mom, age 87, drinks more water, takes her medicines more easily, is healthier, and more alert, thanks to her trusty tumbler and reusable straw. If it works for her, it must be a fountain of youth for the rest of us, right?

Switch to refillable cleaning products

The article’s author has some sage advice: switch to refillable cleaning products. Genius, right? But, we all knew (or should have known) that not only will your wallet thank you, but you’ll also be able to put on that smug eco-friendly glow. Personally, I’m an expert in this area. I buy those industrial-sized bottles, you know, the ones that look like they belong in a hotel cleaning closet, that always come with a “bonus” single-use spray bottle. I’ve been known to use that spray bottle until it gives up on life. Then, like the budget mad scientist I am, I MacGyver a new pump from another abandoned bottle, because apparently, all pumps are part of some secret universal club (they probably have a secret pump-shake).

Honestly, I treat my spray bottles the same way I treat my cars: I drive them into the ground before even contemplating replacing them. If The Tightwad Gazette’s author were here, she’d most likely tell you to take it up a notch and make your own cleaning products. She has a stair remover recipe that’s so powerful, it can remove baby spit-up, coffee stains, and probably the commercial printing on your favorite sports shirt. Use wisely! I’ve used it for years, and trust me, commercial stain removers don’t stand a chance.

Conclusion

I find it intriguing that everything old is new again. It just has different jargon and technologies. The Tightwad Gazette’s money-saving wisdom is more fashionable than ever (at least in some circles, such as mine or those of middle-class or lower-income individuals, but I’ll skip the politics for today), proving that frugality, creativity, and intentional spending and saving never go out of style. Sure, these money-saving ideas are over 30 years old, but still, I feel like the content creators are just remixing Grandma’s Depression-era hacks. Except now we have apps, spreadsheets, delivery, and energy-efficient appliances. Now, growing your food has become fashionable, where it was once a necessity. Now, upcycling is trendy, whereas it was once a way to make do or do without.

At my age, perhaps I have become the grandmother who teaches a new generation what I was taught by my Depression-era mother-in-law and reinforced by the author of The Tightwad Gazette. It’s something to think about.