using cloth diapers when at home. danaeigsti227@yahoo.com

I make my own household cleaners. They're cheaper than the cleaners at the store and I don't have all those unhealthy chemicals to worry about.

beachcrazy777@yahoo.com
Samantha

Shop with a list!

bbellbulk@yahoo.com

consignment sales and thrift stores. I buy my daughters clothes, including uniforms at consignment sale or used through her school. it makes a huge difference.

Cherie
cherie0225@MSN.com

I try to make everything from scratch. No expensive packaged goods if I can help it!
jacrae AT gmail DOT com

This is boring, but it's the one that has probably saved me most at the grocery store: make a menu! Make a menu, go through your menu and make sure you have all ingredients needed for the entire menu, and only then go to the store and buy. If I don't plan, I buy so much more. I've read her blog for years (since Biblical Womanhood). I honestly don't believe I can save as much as she says with coupons, but I also don't have time to spend on it. I work while my kids are at school and want to be with them the rest of the time. But if I weren't working I would probably try harder and also try to hit more than one store. I admire the way they plan and stick to their plans. Most of us could learn from that!

sheilaglaurence @ gmail.com (spaces removed)

After organizing my pantry, I can see exactly what I have to make meals and what I need to buy to fill in. This has saved me money.
dewittab@gmail.com

I refuse to stop using butter, despite sky-rocketing costs to my budget & my arteries. However, since it is cookie-baking season, in most recipes (except spritz and shortbread) you can substitute butter or regular flavored Crisco for half of the butter called for. Crisco is much cheaper. I'd rather save the delicious butter for my waffles! mardeka@aol.com

Our money saving tip - cut your meat quantities in half in recipes. When you make a casserole, use a 1/2 lb of meat rather than a full pound. With all the other veggies/goodies in the dish you won't miss it, and you'll get two meals out of that meat instead of one.

SnoWhite
joyinmykitchen@gmail.com

I like to make as much from scratch as possible, cloth diaper, and always check Amazon!

Stealing some of my mom's homemade jam whenever I'm home! (aspiring.ameliorant at gmail.com)

Seriously? I think realizing that the amount of meat my husband and I were consuming was overkill was the best thing we've done for the budget.

I've been saving on veges. and fruits by buying them through Bountiful Baskets. Thanks for the review. I'm own of those people who isn't persuaded to use coupons, except like you at Costco or an occasional trip to Target. We buy so many things organic (that have no coupons that I have ever seen). I tried buying the paper, but never got enough coupons to pay off the paper. I've read Crystal's blog from the beginning, but just haven't been able to make couponing work. I was also wondering if the book was worth buy, since I've read the blog for so long. Thanks for answering that question.

Menu planning! This prevents us from last minute fast food runs or sit down dining because everyone is starving and I don't have a clue what to make.

Making a menu is definitely the best way for us to save money. Couponing in Canada is hardly what it is in the US. And I don't buy the processed junk either, so couponing is pretty much non existent for me. I watch flyers for sales, and plan everything out before I go. That's as good as it gets :) Americans should realize how truly blessed they are with grocery prices, even without couponing!

Love the giveaway!!
We coupon; a LOT! and we also make all our meals from scratch.
Making menus and grocery lists for each week specifically.
And we garden and can and freeze!

This would be useful- this time with my e-mail...
thissideofzerodotcom@gmail.com

We buy beef from my parent's home grown cattle, make homemade laundry detergent, cook from scratch, use coupons, and will be using cloth diapers in January when our baby arrives. Would LOVE a copy of Crystal's book!! Thanks!

I'd love to win a copy of Chrystal's book. To save money don't have a cell phone plan. My husband's cell phone is provided and paid for by his company. I have a $29 prepaid cell phone and I buy 1 $100 minutes card (giving me minutes for .10 a min) about twice a year. I'm a stay at home mom and 2,000 minutes a year is more than enough for me. The bottom price of a cell phone plan is $39.99 a month before taxes (so closer to $45 a month-if you can even still find this plan) So I save at least $340 a year that way.

I'm so excited that you get to giveaway 5 copies of the book instead of just 1! I hope I get a copy... :o)

One money-saving tip is to shred your own cheese. It's especially great if you can get the blocks on sale, shred them all at once, and keep it in the freezer. I don't really even like the pre-shredded cheese any more; doesn't seem to taste as good. :o)

My email is unmistakable1 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com

~Arlene

Thanks for the giveaway opportunity! My #1 money saving tip is to keep healthy snacks in the car so we aren't tempted to stop for a snack while out doing errands.

Blessings!

Lisa
happyindolevalley@gmail.com

I love getting rid of extra things I don't use. I feel like my home is so much more clean and organized. But it's hard as a mother and a mother with morning sickness and bed rest to alway keep on top. I'm just glad I can declutter right now. :-) My email is sarah.s.degroot@gmail.com.

One tip would be to bath a toddler in the baby tub, placed inside the big tub...saves a lot of hot water. And they actually have fun in the baby tub! Mine was flat bottomed, so it worked. Not sure if this would work with one of those newer sloped baby tubs?

I'd love to win this (been following MSM since the beginning :-). Money saving tip...plan ahead for gifts (birthdays, Christmas) by buying things on clearance, on sale, for free with a deal online, etc. Then you're never stuck running to the store at the last minute to buy an over-priced gift!

Linnea linneabc (at) gmail (dot) com

In our three years of marriage, we've always had to live frugally (though even if we didn't *have* to, I think we would!). Using cash has probably been the single most helpful thing we have done to save money.

I live in China (thus if I win a book it will be sent to my sister; I've preordered the kindle version but I think this book would be a blessing to her as a new wife) and infants start potty training as early as a week. I waited til my son was seven weeks because I thought it was crazy (I'm American and have only lived here six years). It's a bit of work in the early weeks but it worked well for our family.

I know this certainly isn't for everyone, and many Western people don't agree with the practice, but Chinese people don't really buy diapers (there are no coupons and they are pricey) and only use cloth diapers (aka old cut up tshirts) for a few months. It saved me money and most importantly, time. Haven't washed a diaper since my three year old was 5 months old. Am going to do it with baby #2 next summer.

So, there's my money saving tip for what it's worth :)
Charlotte
knitter82 at yahoo dot com

We cloth diaper and save huge doing it! And we utilize the farmer's market and can and freeze like crazy since our yard is tiny and we can only grow a bit of food in it...although we keep trying to squeeze more in!

Thanks,
Heather@pagesbyheather.com

Never go into a store without a fistful of coupons :) I hate paying full price for groceries!!!!

Johnna jshortsleeves@myfairpoint.net

I make most of my own spice blends for cooking! soo much cheaper than those expensive packets or small bottles!

Menu planning and limiting trips to the grocery store to once a week really help with our budget. I also try to double the amount when cooking, so I can freeze food.

Kate Seiler
k.m.seiler@me.com

I save on dryer sheets by cutting them in half when I open the box. In the short amount of time it takes me to do that, I double the amount of dryer sheets I just bought!

Holly Bensing
lhollybe@hotmail.com

We cut back by shopping every two weeks for groceries and really evaluating any other shopping needs.
taralaxson@Hotmail.com

My husband and I have six children. For all of their lives, I have purchased the majority of our belongings at yard sales and thrift stores. Clothing, toys, furniture, books, household supplies, you name it. We've always been on one income and have been able to keep it that way because we refuse to purchase new on most everything. Thanks for offering the giveaway! :)

We shop around at garage sales to find high quality things like stainless steel colanders and a cast iron skillet that we needed rather than purchasing an overpriced new item. We definately found it was worth looking around a little, and getting something of really good quality that someone else didn't want anymore.

I make my own homemade laundry detergent. I spend very little to buy the initial ingredients, a 5 gallon bucket lasts months (literally pennies per load) AND I keep the dyes and perfumes off my kids clothes! Win, win!

Jennifer kandjpritchard at yahoo dot com

...then plant it, and get your money back several times over in salad makings for the rest of the summer! There are hundreds of seeds in a dollar's worth envelope of lettuce seeds, which is one of the most minimal time and effort taking plants to grow. And it really doesn't take that much space to grow a few heads of lettuce. Keep plucking the leaves, and the one seed will regrow itself for awhile, before getting seedy. Of course, expanding your garden to other varieties will be of great benefit as well. :-)

My frugal tip is buying beef from a trusted farmer in your community. We purchase a quarter of a cow for roughly 2.00 per lb. That is 2.00 per lb for porterhouse steaks! Ground beef at the supermarket is running well over 2.00 per lb here. With buying from a local farmer, we know that the cow was grass fed with no growth hormones and had a good life which is more than we can say for the supermarket mystery meat.
kjmacke@etczone.com

Repurposing leftovers!! Works best in the winter when soup is eaten often. :)

Menu planning and using up all food we buy is a great moneysaver, plus having a few "easy" things ready, such as already made taco meat, in the freezer to pull out when we are busy with the kids' activities, etc.

I grow my own rosemary, basil and thyme, all of which will cost you several dollars each for a tiny package at the grocery store. They don't require much room, can be grown in containers and, the more you trim, they grow. I have plenty for my cooking needs and to share with my friends and family. Also, if you're in a southern climate as I am, citrus fruit trees are a tremendous money saver over a period of time.

Lisa
BMLNVL@YAHOO.COM

We started using cloth diapers, but have realized how much "throw away" stuff we buy. SO, we have switched to un-paper towels and more rags instead of paper towels. Also, paper plates are a waste of money!! I don't know why but it just finally dawned on us that spending money on something that goes straight into the trash is wasteful :).
Thanks!
Julie
squeakgirl@gmail.com

My money saving tip is pretty simple,,, stay home as much as possible and limit those trips to the store. If you arnt in the store you arnt spending money!
Jill
jbkeyes@comcast.net

Taking Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University class is our families biggest money saving tip! His passion and wisdom and encouragement makes everything else fall in to place - you learn contentment with what you already have, he motivates you to become "gazzele intense!" to meet your financial goals and opens your eyes to the joy giving to others can bring. After taking that class, I have began couponing, menu planning and asking myself "Do we really NEED this?" and spent lots of time in prayer thanking God for what we DO have and asking for wisdom to help our family become debt free. The BEST 100 dollars our family has ever spent was taking FPU!

I would love love love a copy of Crystal's book!

Jen Olson - olsons01@gmail.com

My best tips for saving $ are making your own dish soaps, using vinegar for rinse agent and general cleaning, line drying clothes, and using local library for books :) I also save the children's clothes for the next child :) With 4 girls that saves A LOT of $ LOL Of course, I cap it to a certain size box. I only have so much space :)

stormielandry@roadrunner.com

We like to live a frugal life style therefore there are many things we do to save. Like many others have said menu planning is a must, Im not sure i could function without one. We also do haircuts at home, buy used clothing, when needed make all of our household cleaners and laundry detergent and rarely go out expensive entertainment like movies.

Make a menu plan, detailed grocery list, and buy in bulk! Also, go to the store once every two weeks.

Sharen Prine
sharenprine@gmail.com

Hi Tammy,
We make our own firestarters. We use the pinecones that are all around us...we live in Georiga.
I take an old crockpot and melt old candles ( can buy these for really cheap at Goodwill), dip the pinecones in the melted wax and allow to dry. They work great.

Thank you and blessings,
Cathy

We purchase many of the items we use second-hand by shopping yard sales, thrift stores, and letting others know of what it is we are looking for.

...but really, I need to be better about saving money, so I guess I really need this book!
phil and jaime at yahoo dot com

Menu planning, lists and coupons! That's my go to every week.
mrsjld2006@yahoo.com

My hubby and kids LOVE movies! The blockbuster express kiosks and free codes have made it nice lately!
lyndianderson@sbcglobal.net

I save money by clipping coupons, buy 95% of household at garage sales, cook everything from scratch, we buy used vehicles and keep them until they die....literally.

My favorite way to save money, is just to ask! Every time I get a deal by bargaining with someone, I know I make my dad proud. He was the one who taught me that it is okay to ask... the worst they can do is say "no!"

Cloth diapering! :) I'll never have to buy diapers again!!

Emily

thejochims (at) gmail (dot) com

Discount shopping is where I save the most. Basically I buy in bulk when somethings on sale at my grocery store.

Becky

prncssbecky at hotmail dot com

Make a shopping list according to a meal plan for the week. Check Money Saving Mom for the current store deals! Use Swagbucks to earn Amazon gift cards with which to buy diapers. Don't shop hungry! :-) -- Sarah, ninemoreweeks @ yahoo . com

I shop local grocery stores instead of big chains for my meat because its cheaper, and so i will buy a lot of it when i find a good price, and then use items i got with coupons to turn it into meals to freeze.

My best money saving tip is to shop for Christmas items throughout the year when there are lightning deals or when the photo companies offer freebies.

Oh no I forgot my email address it is auzzipozzi@hotmail.com

I never shop online without a coupon code!

Use coupons!
adalida5@yahoo.com

I make my own laundry detergent and it saves my family so much $$$!!! Here is the recipe I use:

2 cups Fels Naptha Soap (finely grated – you could also try the other bar soaps listed at the top)
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Borax

■Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.
■Use 2 tablespoons per full load.

My email is Savannahsmom27@hotmail.com Thanks!

Read free books for kindle from amazon.com. you can even read them on your computer.

Melissa Nassraway
hkittycrzy@aol.com

Plant a garden!! I started it this year. It is healthy, yummy and helps cut costs on produce!!

Julia
jaeyers@gmail.com

Thanks for the giveaway!!

don't eat out, make a menu and a list

tlcmom@pldi dot net

I LOVE the fact that I can send my expired coupons to military families overseas for extra savings value! My daughter is in the Air Force and I coupon to be able to afford to send care packages to our men and women in the service. It feels good to give, and I focus on the fact that more money saved = more money to spend on items that make them feel special and appreciated. It really feels great to spend more on shipping then I spend on all the items in the care package itself!

RNFrosty@woh.rr.com

we buy most of our clothes at thrift stores.

we buy most of our clothing at thrift stores.

stephkandray@gmail.com

Freezer meals and cloth diapers definitely!!!

I've been trying to find out way to save more money. This book would help me out so much since I'm also following Dave Ramsey's money makeover too!

heycelica at gmail dot com

I use coupons for almost everything I buy, and we eat at home most of the time, since eating out costs so much money!!
Christy Grimsbo
momtobubby@gmail.com

Coupons for me

granatfamily(at)gmail(dot)com

One way I save money is by taking my calculator to the store and using CASH only. I get a certain amt every 2 weeks. I take that, multiply it by our tax (7.8% here) then subtract that from what I have. That way I know EXACTLY how much money I can safely spend at the grocery. I found a calculator at the Dollar Tree that I can wear around my neck! NOTHING goes into my cart w/o getting put into the calculator. Not being able to use my credit cards at the store keeps me focused on getting ONLY what is on my list. Thank you for the opportunity to win one of these great books!!!!

I buy all of our kids clothes at consignment stores; I rarely buy anything new. I also spend 1 hour prior to each grocery trip to clip & gather as many coupons as I can. I've cut my grocery bill in more than half each month...spending $250/month for a family of 5 instead of about $550!! We put the rest in savings each month!
(my email address is mandy_harmon@yahoo.com) thanks for doing this giveaway!

Stack in-store and manufacturer's coupons for more savings.

Stacegoe@cox.net

I shop for groceries on the first Wednesday of the month, using all the coupons that will expire before the first Monday of the next month. Our grocery store offers an additional 10% discount to people who are over 55 (thank you hubby) on the first Wednesday. I make my menus for bulk cooking (pulled pork, marinara sauce, chili, enchiladas, soups, etc) and buy everything I need for those meals. I usually save between $70 -$125 every month! The other weeks of the month I only have to shop the perimeter of the store for fresh fruits/veggies and dairy products. p.s....I have purged my pantry of everything over 5 ingredients so I am not buying pre-packaged and processed foods. My biggest savings is on house cleaning items, diapers for my grandson, and beauty items (which I would normally NOT buy at the grocery store).

I ALWAYS buy anything I need after the season and use it for the next year instead of buying things full priced. Like Christmas decor, summer and winter clothes, I wait until they g on sale, find a store coupon and head on over for cheap cheap finds. I probably wont ever change this habit as it has saved my family so much!

Living on an actual written budget where we decide how we're going to spend our money before we spend it. It has saved so much to decide beforehand rather than asking "where did it all go?"

christina.stiebler@yahoo.com

The biggest savings for us has come using cloth diapers full time with our last 2 kids. We started line drying our clothes this summer too and we were able to cut our power bill significantly.
chickenscowschildren at yahoo dot com

Besides not purchasing much in the way of processed foods we purchase our grains, oils, honey and a few other items in bulk from Azure Standard. The grains are then stored in 5 gallon food buckets. We also joined a CSA that delivers organic produce practically to our doorstep for almost the price of "regular" produce. Having items delivered, with no additional deliver cost, keeps us out of the stores and helps control our food budget!

No brainer for me, use coupons!! lol
angelsamongus1986@yahoo.com

I make my own lunch every day for work instead of eating out. It's healthier and saves lots of money every month.

juliewingsfan[at]gmail[dot]com

Money tracking software! It helps me recognize when I've started to spend more, and that realization helps me cut back. I also cut coupons and meal plan. (This book would be way handy, since I've been without tracking software for a few months - gah!) Just in case, my email is myiamb@yahoo.com. Thanks so much for the awesome giveaway!

Using coupons saves me a lot of money!
Eliza
izdeb@hotmail.com

I use credit cards that have no fees and offer cash back. I save an extra 1 to 5 % on everything I buy. The biggest key is to never spend more than you already have in the bank and pay the bill of in full every month no matter what. It definately takes dicipline and you have to remember that every penny counts!

dawnoftime77@hotmail.com

My favorite way to save is by planning ahead my shopping trips to make them all in one day, meaning I save not only on things purchased but also in wasted time and gas. Which in turn allows me to spend more time with my little princess who at 1 year old almost lost her life to an undiagnosed case of viral Type I diabetes. I use some of the money I save throughout the year on products to donate to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation with a prayer for a cure one day, eliminating the continual pricks and shots. Saving for a Cure!

Using cash instead if a card.
Tanya Chavez
Cyanngianna@hotmail.com

Playing the Drugstore Game at CVS and using cloth diapers have saved my family hundreds if not thousands of dollars. I love Crystal's blog and have preordered my book, but I'd love a copy to give a friend! :)

lisawahla @ mail.com

We save and roll all of our coins for the entire year. Then we use that money to pay for our vacation. Last year we saved enough to pay for every vacation expense, with the exception of airfare (we used airline miles for our tickets). It was like a free vacation!! I've heard of some people doing the same with coins, but depositing them in a savings account for college, etc. :)

Matching coupons with sales--basic, but a life-changer (or at least budget changer)

Ask, is it necessary?

Do your homework. I do tons of things to save small amounts daily (coupons, sales, deals, re-purpose, cook all meals at home, etc), but we've had quite a year of all appliances breaking beyond repair (they are OLD). Fortunately, many of the items were covered under insurance for replacement, as they were ruined in our house flood. They gave us full replacement value in a check to go replace them. By doing hours of research, deal comparison, etc. We made sure we got the best price available on each item, and saved a couple thousand dollars! The insurance company said the extra $$ was ours as they replaced the value of what we lost, the money I saved was ours to keep. It saved us when our water heater suddenly went out! It would've taken a long time of small savings to equal what I saved by doing my homework on the big ticket items!

We utilize the library and if coupons aren't available we almost always buy off brands (after we've gotten what we can first at Aldi's)!! thewhytehouse5@yahoo.com

One money saving tip that I do is Swagbucks :) Love them, and it looks like a few other people do too! We get free gift cards to use for gifts, which saves all that extra spending that we do for Birthdays and Christmas.

Contact info : nelsnr2010(at)gmail(dot)com

I save money by keeping a pantry and making the majority of my meals from the ingredients I have on hand.

pinecone304 at yahoo dot com

Thanks for the giveaway.

I have found that the less catalogs I receive, the less I want. You know, the stuff you didn't know you needed until you saw it? :-) It's easy to call the 1-800 number to get off the mailing list or by using Catalog Choice's website. The same principle works for staying out of the stores, out of the aisles even that I know I don't need to be in or will have too many temptations. Thanks so much for the giveaway!

fredjoeyash (at) yahoo (dot) com

I do a lot of frugal-ish things, but cloth diapers save us the most hands down. We also started early infant potty training and though there were a lot of rocky times and false starts, I think my daughter might be fully potty trained early in the new year, by about 18 months--and washing no diapers is even cheaper than cloth diapers! ;)

mkjorgenson @ gmail.com

My tip is to pay all bills online on payday, via online bill pay, then the next time I go by the bank, I withdraw all grocery/gas cash I will need for the next couple of weeks and pay cash for incidentials and groceries. Similar to an envelope system, just simpler.

By following MSM!! I clip coupons, price match, and stockpile at rock bottom prices!
amy05m@yahoo.com

If I know I am going to be wanting something soon but can wait for it then I shop around for it. Hopefully, I will find it on sale before I really want it.

Oh, I would love to win! I already pre-ordered the book on Amazon but if I won I would give a copy to a friend. :)
I'd say my tips would be: plan a menu (sometimes we have weeks where we try to make all our dinners out of mostly what we already have on hand), I use coupons (drug store and grocery/Walmart), shop sales for other things (like Joann Fabrics), and buy online saves a lot esp. for gifts. We also make most of our food from scratch and buy in bulk!

Oh, I would love to win! I already pre-ordered the book on Amazon but if I won I would give a copy to a friend. :)
I'd say my tips would be: plan a menu (sometimes we have weeks where we try to make all our dinners out of mostly what we already have on hand), I use coupons (drug store and grocery/Walmart), shop sales for other things (like Joann Fabrics), and buy online saves a lot esp. for gifts. We also make most of our food from scratch and buy in bulk!

Making homemade laundry detergent has been a huge money saver for us (and it works great!) . beckylamunyon at gmail dot com

I am a single mom of three and staying with my parents right now. Making menus and knowing ahead of time is a great way we have saved. Also coupons and on sale items. I also love going down the clearance isle at walmart. Also walmart price matches and takes competitor coupons so i only have to go to one store.

Carol
cordescarol@gmail.com

I save money by making my menus based off the weekly grocery ads. If chicken is on sale, I guarantee we'll be eating some kind of chicken dish. I tend to base the fresh fruits and vegetables I purchase on the grocery sales, too. Buying only what's on sale gives us a variety of fruits and veggies each week and saves us money for other essentials in our budget.

blessed-with-3

My best tip making a meal plan and sticking to it (that's the hard part).

it seems simple enough but for our family learning to keep to our meal plan each week is always a task I am working on. I've even gone as far as grouping the non refrigerated ingredients i need for each meal together at the beginning of the week that way i have NO excuses for not cooking (although I'm always able to find a few :)

Megan

smart.spending1@gmail.com

I don't shop for fun anymore--I shop for a reason!

Christie
ropp dot 5 at wright dot edu

I love the "low budget" recipes, and the great tips that you always give about "hot deals" that are going on....I always look here first before shopping!! I'm new to couponing, and I would sooo appreciate having your book! It would be very helpful!!! Thank you!!

for our household, cutting out bills that we do not "need" such as cable or credit checking services save us the most money.

I do alot of the things, these ladies have listed above my new favorite money saving tip is the grocery store game, I got from Money Saving Mom. Love it. On thanksgiving I got over $115 worth of products for less than $15. I am still new to it so if I would have known all the rules I prob. could have gotten the total alot lower but it's better than paying even couponing pricing. Plus I got 8 free redbox rentals as a bonus! :)

Brandi

busybcakery@gmail.com

One tip I need to remember is: "t's not how much you save but how much you spend on what you need."

I use RSS feeds to monitor deal sites like slickdeals.net and dealnews.com. I buy gifts when I see them on sale online, then keep them for the next birthday or holiday. I keep a list of what I've bought and for whom.

pandora1123@hotmail.com

Menu Planning and combining coupons with a sale. Thanks for the giveaway!

womack_sheila@yahoo.com

At Halloween we purchase several packets of coupons from different fast food restaurants. You'll usually get 14 free item coupons for $1. Then when we are out and about Christmas shopping we can run through the drive-thru for a treat for our 6 children. Some restaurants offer these coupon books at other times like Valentine's Day too. a dot casalino @ att dot net

My favorite EASY tips are to use vinegar and water as an all purpose/window/mirror cleaner and repurposing what you already have before buying something at a store.

Lisa Keiser
topazbug@hotmail.com

Stay home! :o)

Couponing, bulk purchases from Costco, clumping errands to save gas, lots of cooking and eating leftovers at work the next day, making gifts, grocery store every other week .. and Dave Ramsey :).
jewel0247{at}gmail{dot}com

Take my lunch to work as often as possible. It's less expensive and much healthier than eating out.

Teresa
Shurtzt at knology dot net

Shop at Aldi!

Kelly (krbonner@juno.com

We grow a garden and really try to think about what we are spending money on. Do we really need it?

beitagrubb at gmail dot com

If your kids eat a lot of peanut butter sandwiches buy creamy. It makes a lot more sandwiches than crunchy. Buy jelly instead of jam or preserves for the same reason. Plan your meals around fruits and veggies that are in season.

April P (hugabug1@Juno.com)

One of the things we do for health and to save money is just drink a lot of water instead of juice or soft drinks. Add some lemon or lime slices to a pitcher of water in the fridge and it is a healthy and frugal drink. We don't buy bottled water either, just use the filtered water from the tap.

Another tip is to adjust the temp in the home to help with the heating or air conditioning costs. We keep it a bit warmer in the summer and a bit cooler in the winter. Not so much that we are uncomfortable but a couple of degrees can make a difference.

I would love to have a copy of this book!

Angela (LibraryGirl @ about.me)

Signing up for free samples, and playing the drugstore game. I always get the "free" items from the drugstores. I figure if I can't use them, I can certainly find someone who can!!

Katrina (snowkatleo@hotmail.com)

what we don't need, we don't buy, no matter how great of a deal it is. that means i avoid dollar stores and the target dollar bins a lot. ;) andrewandkristan(at)hotmail(dot)com

we use coupons as much as possible. very rarely eat out, clumping errands together.
karen b (bkbowman91@centurylink.net)

Freezer cooking saves so much time on a daily basis, more time for family and less time cooking!!

Jennifer (gjgmandk@iland.net)

We buy family passes to local museums, or request them for Christmas and birthday presents. That way we have somewhere we can go visit and play and when the weather is too hot for outdoor play, or too cold. It is also one of our favorite gifts to give.

aliejudd@gmail.com

Using coupons!
klbabb03@gmail.com

Hasn't been mentioned yet, and might be a bit off-topic, but it sure helps the budget!

I also have been meal planning with a friend, and since we both have little kids it helps us get in on more deals if we each shop different stores and share costs of items (I can't make it to 5 stores for all of the sales, but we can each hit two).

Amaraob1 at hotmail dot com (no spaces) Thank You for the opportunity!

I invested in a Food Saver vacuum sealing system. Not only do I save money buying in bulk but I can cook in bulk and save time!

Laurie
stevenlaurie@yahoo.com

over the years, the biggest money saver for me has been a commitment to contentment. sometimes this means not shopping at all...if we see it, we want it...so, if we don't see it at all we might just be better off - right? sometimes it means being happy with what i have or a less expensive alternative rather than wanting something new or more expensive. hence my van with 200K+ miles :) but it always means being thankful for what i DO have and remembering that we all - here in America - have more than so many around the world.

brandiejo@gmail.com

I save a ton of money because instead of buying and using a vehicle and paying for all of the extra costs associated with it, I either walk or take public transportation. Not only do I save a whole lot of money every year, I also get much-needed exercise.

bargain_deals2011@yahoo.com

Meal plans and coupons have saved us so much.
sqs1721 at gmail dot com

Coupons and planning menus according to each week's sales saves us tons of money!

I group my errands together, buy in bulk, freezer cook (my meat), and buy my meat from a local farm. Thanks for the opportunity!

We rotate playdates at home vs. always going out to a place. Kids have fun playing with "new" toys that they don't have at home and the moms get to chat.

vblina [at ]gmail [dot] com (spaces removed)

Thanks!!

I buy almost all of the clothes for our family of four at thrift stores or garage sales, as well as a lot of other items too - dishes, toys, you name it. Soo much cheaper! And when my kids outgrow clothes and toys, I take them to a resale shop and often get as much back for them as I paid in the first place.

_aquiel_ (at) yahoo (dot) com

I haven't read all the comments yet, but I'm sure I'm not the only one by far to suggest using vinegar and/or baking soda in place of expensive cleaners. I especially like that I don't have to worry about keeping the cleaners away from my little ones...and if I'm having to keep them away from the bottles, do I really want them touching surfaces that have the residue on them?

sarah_andrews at hotmail dot com

I plan out my menu, make a shopping list, match up coupons and go shopping! I also use extra gift cards for Christmas through surveys and searches.

bylands2(at)yahoo(dot)com

Roll together errands to save gas.

I make my own foaming soap.

onlyatech at yahoo dot com

I only shop once-a-month. Saves me lots of time, money, energy, and gas!
....and exposure to germies this time of year ;-)
-Donna-
www.momsfrugal.blogspot.com

A lot of people don't think that coupons can save you money, but if you buy what's on sale and buy what you need to last between sales, you can save money for your grocery budget. Also, buying bread at our Dollar Tree helps. I rarely find it cheaper and at $1/loaf, I stock up and freeze it for my husband's lunch. cpjunkie@cox.net

make lots of meals with beans instead

Freezer baking has been a life saver esp. after baby #2. We can still eat healthy and not spend money eating out! Also great if you are sick or just not enough time to make dinner.

thriftysahm83 (at) gmail (dot) com

Shop second hand!!! Contact me at poutyforyou@yahoo.com