I stretch my pennies by doing the following things

1.  Read ads for local stores and stock up on sale items for the future

2.  Buy generic

3.  Use coupons on items that are also on sale that week

4.  Avoid buying prepackaged snacks and instead buy in bulk then make the prepackaged snacks myself by using sandwich bags.

5.  Go to more than one store a week and buy only the sale items

6.  I make a list and stick to it 

I use my scooter that gets 150 mpg for smaller trips and going to work everyday. I have found that I rarely even use my car these days.

I have formed somewhat of a co-op with friends and family.  We all put together a list of produce we would like to have.  We compare the list and the most requested items we buy from the produce stock house here in town.  We save about 60% buying it wholesale over the grocery store.

I also stock up when the local grocery has the buy one get 2 free sale, or the dollar days.

I recently participated in a dinner co-op sponsored by a local church. The ladies who organized it took orders in advance as to how many of each and which meal options you wanted. Then we all showed up on a Saturday and assembled our meals to take home and stick in the freezer. With this kind of event you'll get HUGE savings by buying in bulk PLUS save a ton of time by cutting out the prep. All you have to do is stick it in the oven! And in my case I was able to support a local charity too while still paying less per meal than I normally would! A win-win-win situation :)

 Lately, I have been looking localy to help my wallet.  By buying my meat (pork and beef) from local farmers, I not only get it at a great price, but I know that it is grain fed and hormone free.  And, in return, that frees up more money for me each grocery trip, where even coupons don't stretch things along as much as they used too!

 Brittany

www.barefootfoodie.com

I have started to buy more in bulk:  rice, noodles, chicken, and other staples and have seen a huge difference.  I shop each week and my bill is much smaller and I buy less junk.  It forces me to buy only what I need.

www.classychaos.com

I make extra for dinner each night, and put it straight into single-serving tupperware.  My husband just grabs one of those for lunch each day.  It saves us on buying lunch stuff, or having him eat out.  If we have too many, I can freeze some or eat it myself for lunch.

When making a pasta dish, I stretch it further by adding chopped fresh veggies (spinach, zucchini, broccoli) and/or canned beans and tomatoes to add bulk and nutrition.  My son doesn't recognize mac and cheese without something green in it. 

I make use of reabtes and coupons.  I take up the offer for double and triple coupons.  I know lots of women make use of coupons, but I hear very little about rainchecks.  They are wonderful.  Maybe your money is a little tight the week that a particular item is n sale.  With a raincheck you can get it later for the sale price.

I have started cooking at home, and cooking from scratch. Convenience foods add up quickly, but with a well-stocked pantry with flour, sugar, eggs (which would be in the fridge, not the pantry, but you get the picture), you can make nearly anything for a fraction of the cost.

Staci at Writing and Living

I've learned that I can go to the grocery store manager and they will match the prices of the other stores in town. I bring in all the flyers from the 4 area stores, and they give me the lowest price for each item from those flyers. That saves time and gas - I don't have to physcially go to 4 different stores.

Then I use coupons that I find in the paper and online to get items discounted more. If I can, I shop on the double coupon days.

If no double coupon days, I shop on senior discount day - my mother registered for me so I use her "senior" bonus card to get 5% off - on top of the sales & coupons - on senior discount days.

I literally save hundreds of dollars a month using these methods.

When our third child came, cutting corners, and becoming a stay at home Mom, was the only option for us.

1. I only buy it, if it is on sale. I plan my meals by, what is on sale.

2. I use coupons.

3. I use vinegar and Ivory dish soap to wash our clothes.

3. I make big pots of food that last two nights. Casseroles, and Spaghetti,  And Hubby takes it to work.

4. I use a mixture of 1/2 botttle rubbing alcohol and 2 cups vinegar pour it into spray bottle and I use it as a stain remover for laundry, and for cleaning mirrors ,kitchen and bathroom floors,  and add 1/4 cup clorox to that for cleaning the bathroom and kitchen counters. It does a wonderful job.

5. We stopped drinking soda.

6.  I use Prego Sauce, when it is on sale,  because, if I use something generic or cheaper,,the kids won't eat it. And then I won't save any money at all.

Oh, and any money that's left over, or you feel you saved, put it in the savings, for those 20% off, Meat sale days.

- try to use as many frozen vegetables as possible

- after I make dinner I put some aside for lunch the next day, to gurantee there will be leftovers (since my husband will eat whatever he sees!)

 - i try to use more pasta and canned soups in recipes

 - casseroles and omelletes are great for leftover veggies 

-  we buy 2 liters of soda instead of cans to make sure we don't waste money on leftover soda. 

 - we bought glass containers to store extra food, so we wouldn't keep having to buy those plastic gladlock disposibles (this saves us A LOT.)

 - buying generics

 - buying "buy one get one free" at vons

 - using spaghetti sauce as pizza sauce

 - making things from scratch (like pizza dough and english muffins.) 

 - using left over lemon rinds to freshen the sink.. 

 - shredding and chopping vegetables and cheese myself.. bagged/pre-cut is always more expensive. 

I used to use coupons a lot, but I've found that cooking with fresh ingredients and planning meals stretches the dollar much further.  Lots of pre-packaged foods aren't quite as healthy for us...

Anyway, I plan out several meals before shopping - especially meals that use the same ingredients.  If I can roast two chickens at once, and use the second for a pasta dish the following day, then I've managed to save myself time and money.

When I have veggies left over in the fridge, I throw together a vegetable soup to use them up, and freeze the extra (if there's too much).

Same goes with tomatoes and extra veggies for a tomato sauce.

When my favorites go on sale, I stock up.  I've gotten crazy looks in the checkout line when I pile 10 bags of .99 flour on the belt, but it all adds up in the long run.

When I'm lucky, I can convince a neighbor to take a trip to a warehouse place, and we can split large items between the two of us.  Saves us both money!

Hoo boy!  I work HARD to stretch our budget!  I can't remember the last time I paid full retail for anything.  I'm a serious bargain shopper, both online and in person.  I'm a hardcore couponer at the grocery store (and the cashiers know me as such!).  I scan the grocery ads each week, make my lists, match my coupons, etc.  I comparison shop (is the price per ounce less on the smaller size of an item, or the larger size that's on sale?)  I'm a member of several online bargain shopping sites.  We pay our bills and have very limited amounts of credit cards so we're not living above our means.  It's not an easy task, but it all can be done, and it makes a HUGE amount of difference!

i stretch my budget by using coupons and looking thru local grocery stoes flyers, and  going to grocery stores that double and triple coupons.

Ladies, ladies, ladies.  Have you ever paid attention to the packaging that your purchases come in?  On everything there is either a website or 800 number to contact that company.  Use it.  I cannot tell you how many free things I have gotten just from using the "Contact Us" link on a website.

I let the companies know that I tried their product and I let them know my opinion.  Sometimes I get coupons, other times I get free things.  I emailed a water company  about the price of theirs versus Dasani and others and they sent me a 24-pack of their water to my home via UPS.

Nowadays everyone wants to complain about Customer Service being in the toilet, but I think some of the fault lies with the consumers.  You and me.  We have ways to talk to the cmpanies and many of us don't take the time to do it.  As I have been told by companies many times "we can't fix a problem taht we don't know about."  Well, if I have a problem or if everything is just pachy I let them know.

I rarely bother going to the customer service counter in a store anymore.  I launch my problem on their website.  That way it gets some attention.  I once got $10 cash from a  Wal-Mart manager for a 30 something cents price difference.  The kicker is that the man that gave me the money is the manager that the lady at the customer service desk called when I brought the product to their attention.  I wasn't satisfied in the store, so I went to the website.

With job shortages everywhere you turn and the hosuing crisis only getting worse we have to make sure that we get what we have paid for with our hard earned money.

Share your opinions with me.  I would love to hear from you.