Don’t forget to comment on the book give-away!
It was really hot here in the Northeast this past weekend — and by “hot,” I mean stinkin’ hot and humid. Which explains why we washed the dogs and also why we borrowed the neighbor’s power washer to clean the gunk off our siding.
Have I mentioned before how much we love our neighbors — they’re the greatest!
I mentioned yesterday that my plans had been changed by my 10-years-past-its-prime roof. Which, on the best of days, is in constant danger of falling down around our ears.
But with three major snowstorms-worth of heavy, wet snow on it? Well, the poor thing is crying under the weight.
And, by “crying,” I mean “leaking.”
My mom and dad were frugal people — we lived in a very modest house for their incomes, we ate most of our meals at home, we wore clothes from Sears (until the kids could afford to pay for our own), and they saved, saved, saved, or invested well.
It trickled down to the three kids in different ways. My brother was a total “spender” until he met his wonderful wife, who keeps a much tighter rein on expeditures. My sister is often too busy to practice the kind of thrift that my parents did, but she’s still careful.
I am much like my dad in terms of spending money — and will drive a car until it’s on its very last legs. (You’ll get to meet Sunny soon — as she’s almost at 150,000 miles and her “legs” are getting mighty tired.) I am rather thrifty with anything I can control, and is why I’m sitting in a house who’s computerized thermostat is set for 62 degrees during the day, which explains the full-length fleece robe I’m wearing (with the hood up!) and the double layer of socks on my feet.
So, I felt an immediate kinship with Amy Dacyczyn, the author of The Tightwad Gazette.
These books are much-loved and well-worn, and have saved me tons of money over the years.
You wouldn’t know it to have looked at me, but I was in a full-on panic over Christmas.
I’d lost my coupon box. Eeeep!
Now, that may not seem like earth-shattering news to you, but it was quite devasting to me… See, I’d had this box for a very, very long time and it had saved me lots and lots of money over the years. I’d looked for it everywhere, assuming that it had gotten buried in the chaos of Christmas. But it didn’t show up after all the decorations had been stored away.
Finally, I decided to check one more place — the deep, dark recesses beneath the seats of my car.
Phew! There it was, shoved so far back I only found it when I did a blind reach under the seat.
