No one wants to waste money, however now days, we just can’t help it. Unfortunately all the progress and innovative gadgets we have in our everyday lives increases our living expenses ten fold. Below I have listed a mere 10 items that you can easily waste money on.

Home Mortgage:
Of course this is the big killer. Considering most home loans run for around 20 years, this adds up to a huge amount of interest. If you can pay your home mortgage off quickly, you can save thousands.
Shopping:
Avoid shopping at all costs. Even grocery shopping can be detrimental to any budget. Stick to your list of what you need. Do not go shopping for fun!!! You will often buy items you do not need.
Telephone bills:
Now that everyone has a mobile phone, it is almost impossible to avoid extra phone bills. They are convenient and always have specials deals, but could you do without it? How about just receiving calls and not making them?
Pay TV:
Get rid of it! There is enough to do and see in the world, why spend your time watching TV.
Eating out:
You can feed a family of four for around $200 a week, however one meal at McDonald’s for the family can cost over $30. So 3 meals a day for a week is $530. If you like the cafes and restaurants you can double or triple that cost.
Lottery tickets:
I have heard of people spending $20 a week for twenty years on the same numbers hoping they would come up. Some people are lucky and some are not. If only those people had invested that money and compounded the interest. They would nearly be millionaires.
Movie Tickets:
I cannot get over the price of a movie ticket. I like to wait until the movie comes out on DVD and hire it out. Then everyone can watch it for a mere $6.
Car washes:
Why can’t people wash their own cars? You can turn it into a bit of fun with the family..
Bank Fees:
The banks have really got the fees covered. Interest on borrowed money, transaction fees, monthly account keeping fees, and the list goes on. Find out what fees you pay and then figure out how to reduce them.. Its as simple as that!
Utilities:
We can all save money on our utilities, especially the electricity bill. Turn off un-used electrical items and lights.

Mitz Pantic writes articles for various sites including Fill Your Money Box, Free Computer Help, Tips4pc, Brisbane Computers and more.

Consumers are getting crushed by the soaring cost of gasoline here in the US. Prices are increasing almost daily and people’s budgets are stretched to the limit. However, there are a number of things that you can do to combat these wicked price increases. Following are some proven techniques that can reduce your gasoline costs by 50%.

1. Use regular gas instead of the premium blend if your owner’s manual permits it. There is thirty to fifty cent difference between the cost of regular and premium gasoline. And if your car is designed to run on regular gas, there is no advantage in filling up with premium. Of course, if your car requires premium, you should never use regular as it may cause some damage to your engine.

2. Keep your engine well maintained. A dirty air filter can reduce your gas mileage by as much as 40%. Change the air filter according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. However, if you live in an area that is prone to dust and dirt in the air, you should change the air filter more frequently.

3. Ensure that your tires are inflated to the proper pressure. Tires that are over or under inflated can reduce your gas mileage by a considerable amount. Use a tire gauge to check your pressure. Do not depend on the guage that is attached to the air hose where you get air. They are frequently inaccurate.

4. Slow down! By far the primary cause of most poor mileage is speed. As far as gas mileage goes; speed kills! Traveling at 75 miles per hour as opposed to 55 mph can reduce your gasoline mileage by a whopping 25%. So the next time you are late for an appointment, call them and tell them that you can’t afford to get there on time.

5. Keep your car well maintained mechanically. Worn out spark plugs not only rob your car’s gas mileage and power, it’s stealing the money right out of your pocket. A six cylinder car that has one fouled spark plug is wasting 17% of the gas you buy.

Following the 5 easy tips above, you can easily reduce your gasoline costs by 50%. Check out my newest ebook for tons of other details on how to cut expenses and put money in your pocket!Put Money In Your Pocket.How to Reduce Expenses Painlessly!http://www.Reduce-Your-Debt.netLearn How To Make Money Online!http://www.the-absolute-greatest.comFREE Ebook – Make Money Every Day!http://www.milliondollararticle.com
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I spent over 20 years as an Investment Advisor for a major brokerage firm. In addition, I spent over 8 years as a professional investor and have served on numerous non-profit and corporate boards.
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Keep a positive attitude

When you succeed at saving money you are helping yourself. Pat yourself on the back for meeting your goals. Remember that just because you have determined to live by a budget, does not mean that you are “cheap”.

Be content with what you have
Remember that you have so much more than most people in this world. Do not view budgeting as doing without; but as being an intelligent consumer, and consistent manager of your money.

“Stretch” everything as much as you possibly can
For example, you can dilute these products with water, or cut them in half and they will work just as well: toothpaste, shampoo, hair conditioner, dish detergent, dishwasher soap, and laundry soap.Drink lots of waterIt is better for you, and much easier on your pocketbook. At home, the cheapest of course, is your tap water. However, if you do not like tap water or desire filtered water, you can still save money on bottled water by using these tips:

Buy the store brand – do not pay extra for name brands. When your bottles are empty, look for the bottled water machines at your grocery store. In my area, I can fill a gallon for only .25 cents. Compare that to .75 cents (or more) per gallon that you are paying in the store. Stock up on small bottles when they are on sale, and reuse them for lunches. At work and when dining out, always order water. It is usually free. If you take a bag lunch, take along a bottle of water or a thermos.

Always stockpile sale items whenever your budget allows for it
This is a huge money saver, and my all-time favorite tip. Stockpiling means buying enough of the item while it is on sale to last you until the next sale.

Spend as much of your budgeted money as you possibly can on sale items. “Loss Leaders” are the low-priced sale items that the grocery stores advertise to get you into their stores. They are hoping that as you stop by for the sale items, that you will do all of your shopping in their store. Don’t. Get the sale items and leave.

Shop around. Compare prices. No one store ever has the lowest prices on everything.Never pay retail prices unless absolutely necessaryUse coupons, send for rebates, and shop the sales. If you use the previous tip, you will always have on hand the things you need. You will not have to make special trips to purchase items at full price.

Don’t be caught by surprise – plan ahead. You will feel more secure knowing that you have a full pantry as well.

Make it yourself
Make what you need instead of buying it. My favorite thing to make is Laundry Soap.There are many things that I make instead of buying. One is Pickle Relish. Instead of paying $1.29 for a 10 oz. jar of pickle relish at the store, I buy the 46 oz. jar of whole pickles on sale for $1.50-$2.00. Then I chop the pickles in my blender or food processor. I save $3.00-$4.00 by doing this. I refuse to buy processed cheese slices. I buy store brand bricks of cheese on sale. The typical price is $1.20 for an 8 ounce brick. Then I process the cheese in the blender/food processor and add a little mayonnaise. This makes a great cheese spread that you can put on sandwiches, and it is much cheaper!

Shop the discounted bread stores
Did you know that most of the time the bread stores carry fresh breads? You can get baked goods for a much lower price. Most bread stores also offer promotions such as “frequent buyer cards”. Our local bread store gives discount cards. For each $5.00 purchase, they will stamp the card one time. When your card has 7 stamps, you turn in the card and receive a free $5.00 credit. These bread stores also carry snacks, spices, and mixes.

Pay your debts
Pay them off as soon as you possibly can, and do not charge anything else until they are paid for. You may want to cut up your credit cards, but be sure to leave yourself a low interest card so that you can take advantage of great deals online. You also may want to keep it for emergencies. However, when you buy online, make sure that you pay for your purchase as soon as the bill comes. If you let interest add up on your great deal, it is no longer a great deal.

Don’t buy it unless you need itNotice I said, NEED it – not WANT it. There is a big difference. Curb your desires, and learn to discipline your spending habits. Trust me, it can be done.Before you buy something, ask yourself the following questions

Is this something I can live without?
Do I already have something that I can use instead?
Can I borrow it from a friend or family member?
How long will I have to work to pay for this?
Do I really need this, or do I only want it?

Always use the Five R’sRepair, Restore, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – these alone will save you a bundle.If you will incorporate these tips into your daily life, you will save money – guaranteed.
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This article is for all the moms, dads, grandparents and childcare providers who are trying to stretch their dollars and still provide fun activities and supplies for the children. Below you will find 20 recipes for homemade art supplies including play dough, modeling clay, paint, slime, goop, glitter, sidewalk chalk, papier-m?ch? (paper mache) and multi-colored crayons.
* * *Homemade Art Supply List
Along with a good supply of crayons, markers, chalk and lots of paper, your children (or grandchildren) will also love playing with these homemade art supplies and games. You can purchase many of them at the store, but why not save some money and teach your child how to be even more creative by making their own supplies? Children love seeing how things are made, and they love the time you will be spending with them while making these projects. If you don’t have kids at home, try making up a batch of something just for yourself, I won’t tell if you don’t! I have been collecting these recipes for 13 years, many of them are scribbled on a scratch piece of paper. Enjoy!

Glitter Mix together 5-6 drops of food coloring and 1/2 c. salt, stir well. Cook in microwave for 1-2 minutes or spread out on a piece of waxed paper to air-dry. Store in an airtight container, as with all of the art supplies in this article.

Sidewalk Chalk 1 c. plaster of paris1/2 c. water2-3 T. tempera paintMix plaster of paris and tempera paint, then add water and mix well. Pour into molds and let dry for 24 hours. Remove from mold and let air dry for 2-7 days depending on size. You can use paper cups, plastic butter tubs or food trays, candy molds, muffin tins, or even toilet paper tubes covered with foil on one end.

Finger Paint 1 envelope unflavored gelatin1/2 c. cornstarch3 T. sugar2 c. cold waterFood coloringDishwashing liquidWhite shelf paperSoak gelatin in 1/4 c. warm water and put aside. Combine cornstarch and sugar in medium sized pot. Gradually add remaining water and cook slowly over low heat, stirring until well blended. Remove from heat and add gelatin. Divide into containers, adding a drop or two of d/w liquid and food coloring to each.

Paint 1 c. liquid starch6 c. water1/2 c. soap powderFood coloringDissolve soap powder in water, add starch and food coloring.

Edible Peanut Butter Play Dough This recipe is especially good for toddlers because they can play with the dough and then eat it. (Be sure to wash hands and work area!) It’s also one of my favorite candies, when made with peanut butter and powdered sugar!1 c. peanut butter1/2 c. honey1 c. plus 1/2 c. powdered milkMix ingredients and roll into balls. Cook Play Dough 1 c. flour1/2 c. salt2 tsp. cream of tarter1 c. water1 T. oilfood coloringMix first three ingredients together and then add last three. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until it forms a ball and becomes dull.

Kool-Aid Play Dough (no cooking required)3 c. flour1/2 c. salt1 pkg. unsweetened Kool-aid1 T. alum2 c. boiling water Mix together first three ingredients then add boiling water. Knead dough with up to an additional 1 c. of flour until it becomes the right consistency.

Jell-O Play Dough(no cooking required)4 c. flour1 c. salt2 pkgs. unsweetened Jell-O4 tsp. cream of tartar2 c. boiling water2 tsp. cooking oil or baby oilMix together first three ingredients then add boiling water and oil. Mix together well and knead until dough becomes the right consistency.

Sticky Putty 3/4 c. plus 2 T. water1 tsp. Mule Team Borax8 ounces white glueFood coloringHeat water over medium heat and add borax, stir with wooden spoon until dissolved. Add glue and a few drops of food coloring, stirring constantly until glue and water mix. Pour into a plastic bowl and cool.

Modeling Clay 1 c. cornstarch1 and 1/2 c. water16 ounces baking sodaCombine cornstarch and baking soda together in large saucepan. Stir in water and cook over low heat until the mixture becomes thick and forms a ball. Remove from heat and cool. Knead the dough on a countertop dusted with cornstarch until smooth.

Air Dry Clay 3 c. flour1 c. salt1/2 c. white glue1 c. water1 tsp. lemon juiceMix together until well blended. Mold into shapes or roll out and cut with cookie cutters. Let dry overnight before painting.

Papier-m?ch? Mix one part flour with about 2 parts of water until you get a consistency like thick glue. Add more water or flour as necessary. Mix well to get out all the bumps.

Goop 2 c salt1 c. water1 c. cornstarchCook salt and 1/2 c. of water for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cornstarch and remaining 1/2 c. of water, then return to heat. Stir until mixture thickens. You can also add food coloring to this.

Multi-colored crayons Peel broken crayons and melt carefully in a small aluminum pan at 350 degrees for 15 -20 minutes. Cool and break into new multi-colored pieces, or carefully pour melted mixture into small waxed paper cups and remove paper when cooled.

Disappearing Paint Mix 1/8 tsp. “bluing” (laundry additive) with 2 cups water. Paint the sidewalk and watch the blue color disappear. Face Paint Mix poster paints with cold cream.

Cinnamon Clay This recipe is great for Christmas ornaments or scented hearts around the home.1/4 c. white glue1/3 c. applesauce3 T. cinnamon1 and 3/4 c. flour1/4 c. waterMix ingredients together until dough forms a ball. Knead dough for 1-2 minutes, adding a little more flour if needed. Roll dough out and cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes.

Crazy Putty (this putty bounces) 3/4 c. of white glueAdd enough liquid starch until a ball of dough is formed, then add food coloring and knead dough until it’s completely worked in.

Slime 1 c. glueLiquid starchFood coloring, if desiredAdd starch to glue slowly until mixture becomes the right texture; slimey!Lap Desk Make a pillow out of scrap material, fiberfill and some poly/plastic beads to make it squishy. Attach a lap tray or board with strips of Velcro.

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The Common Misconception: Auto auctions are only open tocar dealers.

The Surprising Truth: Anyone with the right resources canparticipate in the same auctions as the dealers!Think about it. How much could you save if you bypassedthe dealers and purchased directly from their sources? 30%, 50%, maybe even 75%.As unbelievable as this sounds, it is possible with alittle patience and research.

As you probably already know from past experience, cardealers will do ANYTHING to get you into the car of yourdreams. Whether you can afford it or not!

I can recall a former coworker who got into a new luxuryvehicle with a little “creative financing.” The managerdivided his mortgage payment in two. His justification: As a married man his wife was responsible for the otherhalf of the mortgage….even though she was a stay at homemom! Luckily for them, they found a way to pay their hugecar payment and avoid repossession.

Unfortunately, others aren’t quite as lucky. Thousands ofpeople default on their loans everyday simply because theycouldn’t really afford it in the first place.This can work to your advantage. The banks and financialinstitutions that serviced the loans want to recoup theirloss as quicly as possible. Add to that the exhorbitantcost of storing these vehicles, and you can easily see whythe banks want to dispose of them in a timely manner. After all, the longer financial institutions have to storethese vehicles, the less money they’re going to get back.Auto auctions are the quickest way for banks to ridthemselves of repossessed vehicles.Car dealers know this, and they go to great lenghts toprotect this knowledge from the general public. After all,auto auctions are a huge source of revenue. Dealers canpurchase vehicles at a fraction of their value, and thenresell them at a huge mark-up. But what if you could avoid the dealer’s mark-up andinstead pay what they pay? What impact would that have onyour wallet?

Amazingly enough, auto auctions are not solely restrictedto car dealers. Up until a few years ago, I too sharedthis common misconception.It was only by sheer luck that I stumbled upon a websitethat allowed me to search local auctions by zip code andvehicle make that I learned the surprising truth.

I was paying dealers thosands of dollars in unnecessarymark-ups.I tried the website’s search feature out, and to mysurprise the cars listed were exactly what I wanted. Only a few years old with very low miles. Many of them werestill under the manufacturer’s original warranty! Thismade sense of course, since most of them wererepossessions. The auction house was even willing to throw in a vehiclehistory report at no extra cost and a 3 month warranty. Sure I wouldn’t get the complimentary car washes and oilchanges the dealer throws in, but that surely wasn’t worththousands of dollars in premiums. After a little hesitation I joined the auto auctionmembership site. They helped me locate auto auctions in myarea, and gain admission to them through their exclusiveaccess rights. I learned what questions to ask, and how tohandle the bidding process. It was a lot simpler then I ever imagined it could be.The day of the auction, I showed up a few hours early toinspect the vehicle I was interested in and get a feel forthe place. It must have been a slow day, because when my car came upfor auction only a few dealers were bidding against me. Since I wasn’t buying the vehicle for resale, I succeededin outbidding the dealers! It was a truely empowering experience. I got the vehicleof my dreams, and I only paid a little over half its bookvalue!What did this experience teach me? Auto Auctions can saveyou thousands in unnecessary dealer mark-ups.
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How many times have you said to the kids; “Put your toys away or throw your dirty clothes in the laundry?” How many times have you said; “I wish you would all pick up after yourselves?” How many times have you said: “I am tired of doing all of this all by myself, why can’t you help a little?”Plenty!! If we had a nickel for every time that we, as moms, and wives, have said this we would be millionaires. But, nothing ever changes; we still don’t get the help that we so desperately need.

Why?Because of these simple reasons:

1.No one really knows what it is that you want them to do.

2.How do you want them to do it, do they need something special to clean it with etc.

3.It isn’t fun.

4.No one seems to see the same ‘dirty’ things that you do.

5.It will probably take too long and they will miss out on something that they really want to do.Okay, so how do we take care of this little problem!

There are a few ways that you might want to try that will possibly get your family on the right track and make your life a lot easier.

First of all, don’t make it harder than it really is, you may have to change your thinking a little in order to get to your ultimate goal.Yes, it is true, the living room isn’t going to be polished as nice as if you would have done it yourself, but it’s polished..Right? It will get better the more that they do it, so give them time.Let’s explain the reasons it’s not getting done first; just to give you an idea of what the full picture really is from their point of view.

1.They really don’t know what it is that you want them to do.
You say; “I tell them what I want them to do, what do you mean they don’t know?”Well, you are telling them to throw their dirty clothes in the laundry, does that mean the hamper, down the laundry shoot or put it next to the washing machine or in the laundry basket? The one thing that you have to learn is to be exact in your wording or they don’t get it at all! Now, if I say; “Put your clothes in the hamper, I am washing this afternoon, if the clothes aren’t in there you will have to wait until the next time I wash in order to wear your favorite ________. (Fill in the blank with their favorite item of clothing)Now you have told them where to put the dirty clothes, why you want it put there and what will happen if they don’t. If their favorite pants or shirt are dirty they will make sure that it gets into the wash.

2.How do you want them to do it?
If you say something like, “polish the furniture for me.”Does this mean the whole house, the living room furniture and what should I use to polish it with? You need to tell them to go and get the furniture polish and the dusting rag, under the sink and polish the furniture in the living room. Sounds ridicules doesn’t it? Well, that’s because you do it all of the time and at some point and time in your life, whether you remember it or not, someone told you all of these things in order for you to learn them. If you feel that they may overlook things that you want polished you may have to be a lot more specific. You may have to say it this way: “Get the polish and the rag from under the sink and polish the end tables, coffee table, bookshelf and the T.V. stand and make sure that you polish all of it, not just the tops. Now you have told them where the cleaning items are, what to polish and how to do it.

3.It isn’t fun!
What you would really like to say is: “Of course! You think that I have been having fun all of this time!”So, now is the time to make it fun for everyone, including you. Everything is a lot more fun if you make a game out of it. Set the kitchen timer for 15 minutes and see who can do the best job with a certain chore in the fastest amount of time. This person gets to pick out a favorite T.V. show for everyone to watch or gets to stay up a half an hour longer.Hide a quarter someplace in a room, but don’t tell anyone that you did it and the first one that finds it gets to keep it or gets a special treat. Make up your own games as you go along and sooner or later, the kids and your husband will make a few games of their own.Yes, you and your husband get to play too. If he hides the quarter and you find it while cleaning, you get a half hour in the bathtub without any disturbances. If you hide the quarter and he finds it, he gets a half hour without anyone bugging him about something. When it works its way up to a extra half an hour at the golf course or fishing, he will be all for this game.

4.No one seems to see the same ‘dirty’ things that I do.
That’s true and always will be true! So, you make a list of everything that needs to be done and as it gets done, you cross it off of the list. The more times that they clean and the more times it gets crossed off of the list; they will eventually know what is expected in a room and what needs to be done before they are finished with that room. But, since they are having fun doing it because of all of the games you are all playing, they will look for another room to clean and be asking you what they should do next!!

5.It will probably take too long and they will miss out on something they want to do.
No one really ‘likes’ cleaning but if you make it fun and then set a time limit on it, everyone will know that there is an end in sight. The only thing that can change that time frame is if they are wasting time and the job isn’t finished. Then they only have themselves to blame. You could say; “Here is our list, we have until 11:00 to get it finished so, Billy can go bike riding, Sarah can go to the mall, Dad can go golfing and I can have some piece and quiet.” This way they know that if it is all finished they can go about the things that they like to do and you will be happy with the fact that the work is completed.

Now that you understand where your family is coming from and how they need to be told everything; who, what, when, where, why and how, it will make your job a lot easier.Just make it fun for the whole family and you will get a lot of rewards that you weren’t expecting.Get their ideas for more rewards that they would enjoy,You will be surprised how many they can come up with. You can write them all of paper and put them in a bowl (one for mom and dad and one for the kids) and then pick a reward . If you pick the reward before the project you have something to work for or maybe the winner can pick their reward out of the bowl. Have fun and “Happy Organizing”
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Being crafty in this day and age sure can go a long way for party planning. Making your décor for the party is special too. It can compliment you in everyway, when presenting a beautiful dinner party.

By planning a dinner party ahead of time is half the battle. Make notes of a theme you wish to center your party around. For example it’s about Easter. Then you may want to include hard boiled colored eggs. For a springy theme to your dinner table you can start with a plain while or ecru colored table cloth. Some votive candles or small pillar candles you can add. Remember its spring so think spring colors. Pinks are the best idea.

Next, buy a bag of Easter confetti or confetti that will compliment your dinner. Spread this confetti over your table cloth. The colors in this confetti will add flavor to your table. Put your candles on the table, and a few hard boiled eggs that are different colors. Remember now a day you do not have to boil the eggs to get colored eggs. Many of the stores carry the hard boiled colors eggs. You can also add different colored peeps to your table décor. This method of decorating a table is inexpensive but in the same token it will look like you have spent time and money to decorate. When cleaning up, well you know the peeps will be gone, just remove everything except the confetti. Take it to the trash can and just dump it, and now you are clean.

Author is Michele Rogers, owner of http://www.lilyputts.com Lilyputts Gift Baskets , an online gift basket retailer. Also hosted is a http://www.lilyputts.blogspot.com BLOG that reviews gifts and welcomes other comments as well. Please visit Lilyputts Gift Baskets for descriptions and product presentations. Please, if you use any portion herein be sure to email author first.
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What ever happened to the single income family? It died that’s what happened. For the majority of American families it’s just not feasible. This is very unfortunate that it’s pretty much a necessity to have two incomes coming into the household. Unless you are making a nice six figure income.

Well I am one of the lucky families that are managing to be a single income household, and before you ask. No I do not make a nice six figure income. The only way I make a six figure income is if you start counting decimal places. I do make a pretty good living, but it doesn’t allow my family any great luxuries. I’m married and have two children, and I‘m very grateful that we are able to keep my wife home with the kids. Let’s see the house is nothing special maybe 1200 square feet three small bedrooms and one bathroom.

Did I mention I live in Connecticut? Which lets just say isn’t the cheapest state to live in. I sometimes wonder how my wife and I are able to pull this single income household off. We are not financial wizards we don’t have our families subsidizing us. We just try to live within our means. This seems to be an alien concept to most of American now days. We had to prioritize what was most important to the household and that’s how the money would be spent. There isn’t much of a budget for frivolous spending anymore. I’d like to have that part of the budget back as much as the next guy, but it’s just not happening.

Let’s see some of the ways we try and save money. Like I said we are not financial advisors or anything of the sort just regular people trying to make ends meet. So here we go a few of our techniques we use. I’m sure these will probably be redundant as you’ve all heard of these before. The problem is people don’t use them. I believe the reason that most people don’t use these available options is because of pride. Pride can be a very positive thing when it allows you strength to overcome obstacles you might face. On the other hand you can be blinded by pride, and not ask for help when you need it, or not take some of the options available to you because you are too proud.

Lunch: Bringing you lunch to work. This one has been huge for us. I try and bring my lunch to work everyday. Once in awhile I’ll treat myself and buy lunch. I used to buy lunch everyday and maybe a coffee in the morning. It was costing me at least $10 a day.You might be saying that doesn’t sound like much. It doesn’t when it’s one day but it works out to roughly $200 a month that’s a lot of money. So needless to say bringing your lunch to work can be a great way to save a decent amount of money.

Wholesale Clubs: While these can be a big help you need to really check the prices as some of the items might actually be cheaper in your local grocery store. My family uses these clubs and they can be a great help. I’m just saying to investigate the price per unit as it might be cheaper else where. Sometimes you just don’t need 15lbs of ketchup.

Groceries: Use coupons! They work I know in my younger days I’d be to proud to use them. Not anymore. You don’t always have to buy the brand name product. A lot of the time the generic is just as good. Sometimes it’s not close, but you’ll just have to experiment.

Clothes/Shoes: If you insist that your kids have to wear all name brand high end clothes look outside of the department stores. Especially if your kids are young they’re going to outgrow the clothes and shoes in a week. Try Ebay you can find tons of clothes if you know what you’re looking for. I must say my wife has been doing this for years now and has pretty much clothed our kids for nothing. Other sites like ours help people to find Deals On Infant & Toddler Clothes also try second hand stores. I guarantee with a little looking you’ll find some very nice clothing whether it comes from a thrift or consignment store.

Baby Food/Diapers: These are incredible expenses go to the company of your choices website and sign up for their mailing list or coupon list. We receive a few five dollar coupons a month and every little bit helps.I wish you all the best. Even if you aren’t able to be a single income family hopefully a few of these tips will help out. Just don’t be to proud to use some of the tips.

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My wife recently cleaned our oven. Not the inside but the top. You know, around the elements where it is just burnt on. We recently have changed to natural cleaning. So when it came time for the oven, my wife used non-toxic general purpose cleaner. While this is highly concentrated, the stains were also quite old. So, she used it full strength. She didn’t need a mask or gloves to do this. She just let it soak & then the baked-on crud slowly came off with some scrubbing.

Here’s the point. The various commercial cleaners from the store contain petroleum distillates. They produce potentially deadly fumes & are harmful to our environment. Not to mention the fact they cost much more per ounce then the natural cleaners. Often their packaging is non-recyclable.The store-bought cleaners are also pre-mixed.

With the natural cleaners, you decide how strong you would like the solution. Just one quart of natural cleaner can make up to 32 gallons of safe cleaning solution. One quart of cleaner from the store equals one quart of cleaner.The natural cleaning products are just as effective as their toxic counterparts.

It’s easy to save money with organic cleaning since the products are concentrated. We have cleaned quite a few things with the cleaner so far, & still have quite a bit of concentrate left. At just pennies per quart of diluted solution, there isn’t a much more effective cleaner out there for the money.Natural cleaners are effective everywhere in the home. While the kitchen & bathroom contain most of the more harmful cleaners, they can be found in all areas.

Even air fresheners (aerosol) are harmful. Natural cleaning products can provide a safe home environment & help save money.John Marshall a.k.a. “Mr. Green Clean” is an advocate of natural cleaning.

More info available at http://www.completegreencleaning.com. Copyright (c) John Marshall. Reprint article only with this resource box included please.
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With the economy in the shape that it is, everyone is looking for ways to save money on things they need. If you’re an artist, you need to know how to pay as little as possible for your art supplies, especially when money is tight. Here are six quick tips for finding art supplies at a discount.

1. Buy in bulk. One of the easiest ways to save money on art supplies is to buy in bulk whenever you can. Artist supply companies may give you a price break (sometimes as large as 30 percent) if you buy in large quantities. You may have to do some searching and asking around to get the best deal. Once you have established yourself as a repeat customer, the supply company may be more inclined to offer that discount.

2. Shop auction sites. Look for your favorite art supplies on auction sites such as Yahoo Auctions, eBay, or WeBidz, where you may able to find brand new art supplies for much less than retail prices. Some sellers may even have them listed well below wholesale.

3. Buy local. Check out local art supply or crafts stores, which generally have sales throughout the year, especially when new items are being added. Pay attention to unadvertised, in-store sales. If the store has a mailing list, make sure to sign up because the merchant will often announce special sales to newsletter recipients. If the store has a website, make sure to sign up for online newsletters and check for online coupon codes before you buy, as well.

4. Shop yard sales and estate sales. Quite often people will purchase art supplies thinking they’ll enjoy a particular craft. When they actually start the hobby they find they don’t like it after all and have spent quite a bit of money for supplies they’ll never use. You can often find some really good deals on art supplies like this.

5. Don’t throw out the Sunday advertisements. Larger national chains will often place coupons in Sunday’s papers because they know more people read newspapers during the weekend. Some coupons can be as much as 40% off a regularly priced item.

6. Make your own art supplies. You may be able to make art supplies cheaper than you can buy them. For example, make your own finger paint with unflavored gelatin, cornstarch, sugar, cold water, food coloring, and dishwashing liquid. Make your own modeling clay can be made with cornstarch, water, and baking soda. Search online for “homemade art supplies” and you’ll come up with a number of websites offering recipes, often using materials you have in your kitchen cupboards.

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