Bargain Seeker on the Prowl

The Tightwad Gazette written by Amy Dacyczyn is a wonderful book full of penny-pinching advice and ideas. This book is suited for rich or poor alike! Amy teaches you how to “think outside the box” to save money from making your own pizzas and cleaning supplies to researching and receiving the best bang for your buck. There are 3 books in this volume.

There are some ideas in this book that would probably not be suited for your family, however there are so MANY ideas for saving money that I know that you would find this book a useful tool. At a time when tightening our belts makes sense, this book is here to help guide you along the way.

Amy is considered to be an extremist by many with her ideas of cutting costs and making do with what she has available to her, but I believe we could all use a dose of her hard-nosed approach to saving money. You may not implement ALL of her ways of saving money but perhaps it will start your creative juices flowing and you will find similar ways to save money.

In keeping with my theme on creating a beautiful, peaceful, stress-free environment to relax, unwind, meditate in, I wanted to tell you about the book The Inward Garden: Creating a Place of Beauty and Meaning, by Julie Messervy. This book is available from Amazon for $22.75. I know this is not from the bargain bin like I usually review, but this book would be a wonderful addition to your collection.

The Inward Garden: Creating a Place of Beauty and Meaning is a book about creating your peaceful retreat using your FEELINGS and HEART instead of deciding on plants and flowers on the recommendation of your local nursery. There is nothing wrong with choosing plants and flowers you enjoy, however sometimes we are disappointed in the results of our gardening planning because we did not follow our own instincts about what we want or need in order to feel peaceful and calm. We can all be guilty of “keeping up with the neighbors” in terms of going along with the flow of the neighborhood, however we are all different and should express ourself in a way that is peaceful to us.

I choose small items of beauty to surround myself with and this helps to bring me peace while I meditate or am just sitting and enjoying the sounds of nature.

If you cannot afford to purchase this book, I do urge you to look for it at your local library and read through it. I believe it will change your outlook on how you view garden planning. It is a remarkable book in that it is written so beautifully and the photos are so inspiring!

Are you new to Amazon’s Deals of the Day section? They offer amazing products for greatly discounted prices. Here is Amazon’s Gold Box Deals of the Day.

From Amazon’s Bargain Book Section I have chosen to highlight The Book of NO, by Susan Newman. I know there are many times that I have difficulty saying “no” to friends or organizations who request volunteers, even though I push myself to the limit while trying to please everyone.

This book offers different scenarios and situations that show you how to say “no” and set boundaries on what you are willing or capable of doing for others. It is wonderful to be kind and generous, but not at the expense of your own health or family time. If you are like me and sometimes have difficulty saying “no,” I believe this book will be a useful tool for your life and health. For $4.99 plus shipping, this is definitely a bargain for your bookshelf.

I love receiving samples in the mail! It is always a pleasant experience to receive something other than bills or credit card applications! I have searched and found these samples being offered and wanted to share them with you.

Kroger’s is offering a sample of Kotex as well as a sample of (non-medicated) Nicoderm CQ with a $7.00 coupon included.

Walmart is offering samples of Maybelline New Mineral Power Liquid Foundation, Fiber One Caramel Delight Cereal, Huggies Supreme sample, Vaseline Intensive Rescue, Gold Bond Ultimate Body Lotion, Ultra Xcid antacid as well as Tena Serenity overnight pads. You may need to temporarily allow popups for these samples.

Get a sample of Greenies for your cat or dog friend.

Sample New-Formula Dial Antibacterial Soap.

Free Book offer from Billy Graham.org (while supplies last) Captured By Grace: No One is Beyond the Reach of a Loving God by Dr. David Jeremiah. You must use a valid email address as you have to confirm this free offer.

Free Coty Samples of your favorite fragances.

That is all for today!

 The Angels of Morgan Hill by Donna VanLiere is a book I chose from Amazon’s Bargain Book selection to read together with my 13-year-old daughter. This story teaches a life lesson about making decisions and having to live with the consequences of the decisions you have made.

This story is set in rural Tennessee in 1947, and involves a poverty-level family struggling to make ends meet and just putting food on the table is a major feat. A series of unexpected events and cruel acts cause this newly widowed, mother of two to take into their home a young African-American boy because of a promise she made to his dying mother.

Having lived in the South nearly all of my life, I can understand the struggle and backlash from the predominately white community this family had to endure. My daughter could not understand how people could be so intolerant and filled with hate just because of the color of a person’s skin.

If you choose to read this with your child as I did, be prepared to stop and answer a lot of difficult questions that will arise in the mind(s) of your young one(s). If you read this book alone, be prepared to read it from start to finish in one sitting as you are drawn into the story and captivated by the characters. Either way, it is difficult to read this book without shedding tears.

For $4.99 (hardcover) plus shipping at Amazon, The Angels of Morgan Hill is definitely a bargain for your bookshelf.