Penny Pinching: How to Lower Your Everyday Expenses Without Lowering Your Standard of Living

by Barbara Simmons, Lee Simmons

This fourth revised edition of Penny Pinching is expanded and updated to include even more penny pinching tips--whether you are at the supermarket, buying a new car or major appliance, planning a vacation, purchasing eyeglasses, shopping for designer labels, remodeling or maintaining your home, dining out, getting a prescription filled, or setting up a general family budget, this book covers it all. This new edition not only offer more information in all the areas covered in the original book, but it also adds some hot new tips for warehouse clubs, fax machines and cellular phones, software programs for your home computer, advice on 401 (k) plans, planning ahead financially for your child's college education, and more. All financial statistics, addresses, phone numbers, and other specifics have all been checked and updated in this new 1997 edition.

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book at the thrift shop last week and thought it would be a fun read. It really was. This is the 5th edition of Lee and Barbara Simmons guide on how to save money on your every day expenses and it was written in 1999. It was neat to see how things have changed in the past 17 years. Most of the sections were still relevant, but the one about phones and internet is really outdated.

Most of the things in the shopping section I already knew. I'm a coupon user, I always check out after holiday/season clearance sales and shop at thrift stores. I have a book habit and I'm on a budget. It has good suggestions for people that are looking for a few quick ways to save.

The section about automotive expenses wasn't relevant to me, but there was a lot of good information on how to choose insurance, car part, etc. The insurance section also has great information in it. I learned all about different kinds of health and life insurance and what they do, or don't, cover.

My favorite section was the one about phones and internet. I learned how to really get the most out of a payphone (Remember those?) It brought back memories of using calling cards to call people with when I moved, 1-800-Collect commercials and that annoying AOL dial up noise. The book predicts that people will be able to get their internet through their phone or cable provider and they were spot on. Most companies have a phone/internet/cable bundle now.

If you'd like a few tips on saving and a trip down memory lane, I suggest checking this out if you can find a copy.

[Galaxyflyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read part of it, it is pretty good. I need to find time to read the whole thing so I can be Thrifty and not a Big Gusling Gas Hog like normal people.