A few weeks ago as I was wandering through the library, I came upon a book that caught my eye: “The Tightwad Gazette.” I’d heard someone mention it before, but I didn’t know much about it. The book is a compilation of newsletters of the same name, written by Amy Dacyczyn, a.k.a. the “Frugal Zealot.”

I checked it out and saw many tips that I knew I could use to save money. But more importantly, she emphasized that having a frugal lifestyle isn’t a bad thing. I guess some people who employ frugal tactics can be viewed as poor by some uninitiated types. Far from it. It’s hard to be rich if you’re throwing your money away by spending more than you have to.

Another thing I took from the tips: You don’t necessarily have to earn more dollars to be comfortable, or even wealthy. Rather, you need to be better at saving what you earn.

I’d like to encourage you to run over to your library and check out a copy. Or, you could get it used on Amazon, if you must have your own book.