`Frugal Living' Journals Offer More Ways To Budget

With the proliferation of "frugal living" publications, which are worth the money? Last week we reviewed the Tightwad Gazette, Cheapskate Monthly, and Banker's Secret Bulletin. Today we look at another selection of newsletters and books.

Skinflint News (motto: It Makes Smart Cents!): This Florida-based newsletter is big on recipes (not real healthful) and Heloise-like tips (homemade spray starch and ant bait; wallpaper from the discontinued bins makes cheap, strong wrapping paper). For a free sample, send a self-addressed stamped envelope. Subscriptions: $9.95, Skinflint News Inc., 1460 Noell Blvd., Palm Harbor, FL 34683-5639.

A much better value for the money, though, with an easier format to follow, is Skinflint publishers Melodie and Ron Moore's book, "Smart Cents" (Price Stern Sloan, $6.93). Though some of the info is common sense or too general, there are also lots of good skinflint tips, organized by topic - from garage sales to cleaning hints (always ask for a 5 percent discount for paying cash; pour water from cooking vegetables into houseplants to give them extra nutrients).

The Penny Pincher (motto: For People Who Want to Save Dollars). Long Island, N.Y.-based publisher Jackie Iglehart started her newsletter after her husband took a drastic salary cut. She aims for a broad audience, but there's a bit of a slant to serious gardeners and do-it-yourselfers.

Some good money-saving tips but nestled among a real hodgepodge of articles that aren't always quite on point. Sample articles: saving with solar-box cookers; choosing a guardian for your children; interviews with experts, such as a cobbler who tells how to make your shoes last. Some helpful special reports, $2 each, on such topics as saving money on weddings. For free sample, send SASE. Subscription: $12 for 12 eight-page newsletters. P.O. Box 809, Kings Park, NY 11754.

The Frugal Bugle. Based in Bonney Lake, this fledgling effort has a grab bag of frugal tips that are commonly circulated (homemade cleaners, making your own Popsicles, using fluorescent bulbs), recipes, and reviews of frugal-minded books, plus occasional freebies enclosed such as greeting cards and (coming soon) a do-it-yourself-coupon holder kit. For a free issue (you don't even need to send a stamp): P.O. Box 7563, Bonney Lake, WA 98390-0952. Subscriptions: $12 for 12 issues. (Money-back guarantee promised if the Bugle doesn't help you spend less or save more.)

Living Cheap News: Political editorial plus some tips. Much of the newsletter dedicated to reviews of books of interest to cheap-livers (sample: "Defense Professional's Survival Guide for the 1990s"). At a subscription price of $12 for 10 issues, it doesn't compare well with the competition. Send $1 and a SASE for sample. P.O. Box 700058, San Jose, CA 95170.

BOOKS ONLY

"Cheap Tricks, 100s of Ways You Can Save 1,000s of Dollars," by Andy Dappen (Brier Books, $14). Crammed with money-saving tips, delivered with a sense of humor. Only problem is your brain gets kind of inundated with the sheer number of suggestions. Chapters on all the basics, from "appliances" to "water (hot)." One of the priciest of the books. Order from: P.O. Box 180, Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043. (Focus on: Real Life regularly carries a "cheap trick" from Dappen).

"The Penny Pincher's Almanac: Handbook for Modern Frugality," by Dean King and others (Simon & Schuster, $9). Organized by topic, from shopping to food, but still has a somewhat haphazard feel with a lot of too general or obvious information (shop after Christmas, July 4 and Easter); and some information that is debatable (example: it says The Right Start catalog for kids has "prices that will make you smile," when most items are available cheaper at local discount houses like Toys R Us and Target).

"Penny Pinching: How to Lower Your Everyday Expenses Without Lowering Your Standard of Living," by Lee and Barbara Simmons (Bantam Books, $5). A bargain for the money. Well researched, clearly written, well organized. Some standard advice, but covers all the important bases well, mostly taking a middle-of-the-road approach. Especially good for food shopping, bargaining, mail order discounters (from furniture to sunglasses), car buying and maintenance. Not a lot of small savings tips.

"Your Money or Your Life; Transforming your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence," by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin (Viking Penguin, $20). The title says it (these two Seattleites each live on $6,000 a year in investments, and work for what they believe in, not to make money). Not a tip book, though there's a small section some basics (pay off mortgage, bargain, etc.). Rather, a step-by-step guide to analyzing where your money and "life energy" are going, whether you're happy with that mix and how by lowering your needs you can eventually quit working simply to earn money.

Focus on: Real Life, compiled by Carey Quan Gelernter, appears every Friday in the Scene section. Other Focus subjects during the week are: Consumers, Sunday; Parenting, Tuesday; Managing Money, Wednesday; and Health & Fitness, Thursday. To suggest a story or calendar item, write to any of these subjects, c/o Scene, The Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111.