Ten Easy Ways to Save Money Every Day

My kids call me a cheapskate for trying to save money every way I possibly can. They make fun of me because I am one of the few people left who will actually stoop to pick up a penny on the ground! I've always been like this, even when gasoline cost 87 cents a gallon. But now, with the price of food and fuel skyrocketing, I feel obligated to pass along my penny pinching tips to you, dear readers, so that you can cut your expenses just like I have just by using the following tips:

Save money on groceries by buying the house brand instead of a name brand. The cost of advertising drives up the cost of a name brand, and they pass that cost along to you, the consumer. I've used house brands of almost every product and found them to be as good as or better than the name brand. The only exception I found is laundry detergent. I stubbornly stick to my favorite brand because it just works better.

Grow your own food. You don't have to have a big yard-- I have a tomato plant in a pot on my screened porch, and we've eaten tomatoes from it all summer. Another advantage of growing your own is that you don't have to worry when food safety issues like the recent salmonella scare make the headlines. You know your home grown food is safe.

Make a bar of soap last a lot longer by keeping it dry between uses. Use a soap dish that keeps as much of the bottom of the bar as dry as possible and you will eliminate the "soap dish jelly" that forms when the soap sits in water.

On the back of almost every shampoo bottle are the instructions "Lather, rinse, repeat." Since I shampoo my hair nearly every day, I skip the "Repeat" part, and that works just fine for me. Try this yourself for a few days. If it works for you, you can make that bottle of shampoo last twice as long.

Every commercial on TV shows an actor covering a toothbrush from one end to another, and then some, with toothpaste. That's just way to much for me, and results in a blob of toothpaste left in the sink. I use 1/3 to 1/2 a toothbrush length, and that works fine. And, my toothpaste lasts 2 to 3 times longer.

I use leftover grocery bags to line my garbage cans. The large paper bags work fine for tall kitchen cans. You can even double bag to guard against leakage. The smaller plastic bags work great for bedroom and bathroom cans.

Instead of reordering checks from the bank when you run out, use one of the mail order check services that advertise in your weekly newspaper supplement or in the mail. This generally costs much less than getting replacement checks from your bank. Better yet, pay your bills online to save the ever increasing cost of stamps. This is actually safer than leaving your bills in the mailbox for the mailman to pick up. Drop your bills off at the post office to keep crooks from stealing your mail, and maybe even your identity.

When you decide to see a movie, go to a matinee instead of an evening performance. The theatres are usually much less crowded and the admission is cheaper. Ladies, if you carry a large purse, like I do, you can tuck in a plastic bag of your favorite candy and not have to pay the sky high prices at the snack bar. I've even brought my own popcorn and a bottle of water. Just don't be too obvious about it. Wait till the lights dim before breaking out your own stuff.

If you live in the South, like I do, air conditioning is a big part of your electric bill. Consider getting a ceiling fan, if you don't already have one, because the circulating air feels much cooler so you can set your thermostat higher and save money. Use fluorescent bulbs whenever possible. Not only do they use less electricity, they throw off less heat, so you won't have to use as much AC. If you have more than one zone for your heat or AC, set the thermostat higher (or lower in the winter when you are heating instead of cooling) in the area of the house that you are not using. We cool the master bedroom more at night and leave the thermostat set higher in the rest of the house. Why pay to cool or heat rooms that you are not using for 7 or 8 hours?

Unless your owner's manual specifically calls for high test, use the lower and less costly grades of gasoline . I use a "no name" brand to save even more. Keep your tires properly inflated. If you see a red light up ahead, take your foot off the gas and coast for a while rather than jamming on the brake at the last moment. Leave a little early for work and drive slower. The faster you go, the more gas you use. Try to combine all your errands so you can get as much as possible done in one trip. Consider doing your weekly grocery shopping with a friend or neighbor, and take turns driving. Carpool to work if possible. Consider trading in your gas guzzler for a smaller, more efficient car. I bought a hybrid 2 years ago, when the cost of gasoline was much less than it is today, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Well, dear readers, that about does it. I hope these tips will prove helpful to you, and remember, when someone calls you a cheapskate, just smile and say "Why, thank you!"