Food can “eat up” your budget! Plan menus, take advantage of current sales, shop with a list and avoid impulsive purchases. Stock up on canned goods when they’re on sale. When a bargain on meat comes along buy extra to freeze. Bulk shopping can help your budget; buy quantity packs of hamburger and freeze in one pound baggies. If your family likes meatloaf or meatballs double recipes and freeze half for a busy day. Soups and casseroles also freeze well. Make double batches of cookies, cakes or bread and freeze half to save time another day. Set aside one day each week for meatless meals; serve bean, egg or cheese dishes. Prepare food from scratch, you pay for the convenience of fast food. Try planting a family garden or visiting a farmers market for produce? Canning, freezing or dehydrating can save you money throughout the year.

Paper products are expensive. Buy cheap cloth rags at a warehouse club and use those instead of paper towels for most chores. Lint-free clothes work fantastic on glass and mirrors. Just wash them with the dirty towels. You’ll need to wash the towels anyway.

You can save on cleaners, too. Almost everything in your home can be cleaned with white vinegar and baking soda. A bit of vinegar and water in a spray bottle makes a good all-purpose cleaner, and vinegar has antibacterial properties. It cleans glass, appliances and bathroom and kitchen counters. Just spray some on a cloth to dust. A mixture of vinegar and baking soda fizzes to make sinks, tubs and toilet bowls sparkle. You'll enjoy using fewer chemicals. Wash clothes with half the usual measurement of detergent, all but the filthiest loads come clean. Also, most dishwashers will clean dishes with only 1 tablespoon of detergent.