Tightwad???

I pride myself on being thrifty, without being cheap. I also enjoy reading books on this subject . The best set of book I have found are The Tightwad Gazette Vol. I-III. I got mine of ebay at a very good price. I'll just throw out some of my ideas from time to time of what I have found to be the "best quality for the money".

Laundry Detergent:

I wash all my clothes except for towels in cold water , therefore I buy liquid detergent(sometimes the powder won't dissolve). I spend no more then 2$ per 100 oz. Of liquid always buy a "NAME BRAND"usually Arm & Hammer , I have found with some things such as cleaners that the generic is watered down.

Dish Soap:

I like Dawn best, here you can get it at Family Dollar for 1$ a bottle and you can also use a coupon to get .25-.35 cents off. It really stands up well for greasy pots and pans.

Carpet Cleaner:

For spots and small areas I like "Spot Shot ", best it can be found at you're local Wal Mart. It seems to really make the spots dissolve before your eyes.

Shampoo, hair products etc.

I get almost all my shampoo and hairspray , deordent and toothpaste free. Our Sunday paper here often has coupons for the Suave, White Rain, or Colgate brand of these. The coupon is usually for .50 which a local grocery store doubles to 1$ off and they are .88-1$ in price to begin with.

Clothing:

I am a larger size so often it is harder for me to find good quality used clothes that aren't "used" out. My husband on the other hand is a popular size. There is a thrift store near us that a local Dry Cleaner donates all their unclaimed clothing to once a month. I can get name brand men's dress shirts for 1$, and they still have the cleaning tags on them are are spotless.

I shop a local women's store that sends out a coupon to everyone on their mailing list once every other month for 10$ off a purchase of 25$ or more. The great thing about this coupon is that it can be used on clearance items also. Ebay is not cheaper when buying clothing , the only item I would reccomend buying on there is an evening dress. These usually haven't been worn much and can set you back in a "regular" store.

Hair Care:

My husband is a minister and a church member cuts his hair for 5$ a pop. I only get my ends cut once every few months but another church member who is a stylist. I have been a "natural blond" for years and color it myself. I do my roots every 6 weeks, putting the color on my roots ONLY, then every 6 months I highlight it myself using a cap. I use the same brand color, for some reason another brand with the same color name doesn't come out the same. I use hot rollers when I don't blow dry it staright.