Has anyone read this book? (on saving money)

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I saw this book on the net the other day, and wondered if any of you have read it or know anything about the author. It says the she is married to a fighter pilot, which sounds cool. I thought they all made big bucks, though. :-) Apparently, Ellie Kay is one heck of a money saver, so lots of us might find this book useful. More info

Just my .01 (got a discount)

-- Chuck (woah@mission4me.com), April 25, 2002

Answers

I haven't read the book, but if her husband is still on active duty, or retired, the biggest worry (and often expense, as well), health care, is all taken care of, so as good as it may be, it, like the Tightwad Gazette books, leave out one big reality for most people--the difficulty of getting fairly priced, adequate health care.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), April 25, 2002.

Thanks for sharing, Chuck. A tightwad book I haven't read yet!

The best I've read to date is The Complete Tightwad Gazette (this is all 3 volumes in one) by Amy Dacyczyn. She has a multitude of great tips on saving money. The biggest value of her book IMHO is her many discussions on the tightwad mindset, which get you thinking about saving money in all areas of your life. Such as her snowball principle...you use a little money to save money, and rather than "blow" the money you've saved, you put it to use saving even more money. It does add up. I bought her first book (secondhand for $2) at least 10 yrs. ago and have been using it ever since. We've saved a lot of $ by putting a variety of her ideas into use, even though dh and I are already rather frugal by nature.

GT, I agree affordable healthcare can be a big problem, and I don't know that any of the tightwad experts really have the answer. However, the more $ you save in other areas, the more you'll have available for healthcare.

Chuck, I dunno about a fighter pilot's income. You'd think if they have to pay fighter pilots all that much, they'd want to save money by hiring my dh. He keeps standing out in front of the F-16s holding his sign, "WILL FLY FOR FOOD" but hasn't had any offers yet. ;)

-- Lenette (kigervixen@nospam.com), April 25, 2002.


I will have to check this one out at the library. I have read almost every book ever written on the topic. But the Tightwad Gazette is one of the best still. the rest seem to just recycle the same ideas over and over. I mostly read the new ones just to keep it fresh in my mind and sometimes I pick up a tip or two...

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), April 25, 2002.

Chuck, I just checked out her site. Neat!! I do have the "Shop, Save and Share" book, just did not recognize the name. Her other book looks good too, "Money Doesn't Grow on Trees." I also noticed she will have 2 new books out in November 2003, one with Becky Freeman, who is one of my FAVORITE authors. I may just re-join Crossings Book club, to take advantage of these new books!!! Thanks!

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), April 25, 2002.

well i have read almost every book out there on saving money. the tightwad is the best. the best place to buy them is garage sales or libary sales or last ebay. i also ask my libary to find the books i want to read. they will look all over the state for them and if it sounds like a great book they will buy it. i always like to read it before i buy it. this works great at books a million. if they have a book i feel i would like to have but all other ways to read it have failed. i go and sit down and look over it read the titiles of chapter. i just make sure i don't hurt the book. most of the time i'm glad i did not buy it. you can not fail on the tightwad books. i would always start with them.. ma

-- ma. perry (kernnlove@pop.netzero.net), April 25, 2002.


I really appreciate GT's response to this thread. I have yet to see any of these money saving books adequately address the issue of health care costs. This is THE biggest issue for most people (IMHO) and the costs are only going up! I admit that I ahven't read this one, but I would be suprised if there is any new info on this subject at all. Jack

-- jack (atl.jack@excite.com), April 25, 2002.

Jack, I have read a lot of the money-saving books, and I guarantee that the reason most authors don't deal with healthcare is that THEY already have it taken care of (military, tenured teachers, government workers etc.--either they are themselves or they married it (Dacyczyn and Kay both married it, and there's some guy with a book about unjobbing or some such whose wife is tenured), or they are successful enough to incorporate (Robert Kiyosaki of the Rich Dad books, for example) and can write off healthcare expenses. Easy enough to find out usually, under the author bios.

I've only seen one book that dealt with the issue at all and their solution was to buy catastrophic, with a $5000 deductible. That is fine when you're young and healthy, and never go to the doctor, but when you get older....

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), April 26, 2002.


I haven't read this book either, but I have a health insurance question. Is MN the only state that offers health insurance to people with low income, or that do not have insurance offered through an employer? Do any of you have something similar where you live? Merry

-- Merry (biggdogg@wcta.net), April 26, 2002.

We have it here in Washington - it's called Basic Health & Community Health. It can get a bit confusing between the state & county offices, but somehow we muddle through. I don't know what the income limit is, but we qualify. Kids are 100 per cent free,including dental and vision. For adults there is a sliding fee scale, medical only. I pay $17/month, plus co-payments, which are affordable. It's sort of like welfare, but we do pay taxes like everybody else. I'm so grateful for it. I don't think I could afford the medical care I've needed if it weren't for Basic Health.

-- Bonnie (stichart@plix.com), April 26, 2002.

what does this book have to do with ANIMAL RIGHTS, HOME CASTRATION, HOMOSEXUALITY, RELIGION or BBQ? I think we should expect a little more focus from the forum moderator.

-haven't read this one but just picked up Tightwad for the first time and am in the right frame of mind. glad to see the bleach treatment has grown out.

-- B. Lackie - Zone3 (cwrench@hotmail.com), April 26, 2002.



Hair grows out quick when you keep it short!

Ranger Motto: Hair complicates hygeine.

-- chuck in md (woah@mission4me.com), April 26, 2002.


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