Tips Saving Money (home)

There are several tips how to save money..........

Set Your Own Personal Budget

These clever tips help keep your cash where it belongs -- in your pocket!
First things first: Learn how to set your own personal budget with our easy-to-use worksheet.

Flavored Water

Instead of buying pricy flavored bottled drinks at the supermarket, add a hint of flavor to tap or filtered water by infusing it with slices of lemon, lime, orange, or cucumber and mint. Set a pitcher of your flavored water on your desk: You'll drink more if the pitcher is there as a reminder, and you won't have to buy multiple bottles of water, either!

Make Clothes Last Longer

Prepare your clothes for the washer by closing zippers, fastening hooks, and turning items inside out. Wash darks together using the cold-water cycle so they don't bleed onto lighter clothes -- and cold water is crucial, since it lowers your water-heating costs. Line-drying dark items will also help maintain their original appearance -- and you'll save on heating costs of the dryer.

Stock Up on Scraps

Reserve carrot ends and peelings, celery leaves, garlic trimmings, the outer layers of onions, and wilting herbs and their bare stems (such as parsley and thyme) in a resealable bag. Store shrimp shells or roast-chicken bones separately. Freeze, then make stock from scratch whenever the mood strikes (Tip: Remove onion skins before using; they can turn a perfect stock into a bitter one).

Budget Vases

Instead of shelling out cash for a pricy vase, make your own out of a glass bottle and some enamel paint.

A Well-Kept Pantry

Transfer flour, sugar, and other dry goods to wide-mouth, airtight containers. This will help keep them fresh and make them easier to scoop with measuring tools. If you don't use ingredients quickly, note the purchase date on the containers and keep these pantry staples in a low-humidity environment. Moisture can make solid sugars lumpy, so be sure to leave brown sugar in its original bag, and then double-wrap it to keep it soft.

Value Valance

The tailored look of men's handkerchiefs can add punch to more than just pockets. Turn a set of new hankies or pristine vintage ones into a valance

Prioritize Organic Foods

Buying everything organic isn't always financially feasible, so make the switch for items most likely to have higher pesticide residues -- apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, grapes (imported), lettuce, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, spinach, and strawberries. It's also wise to buy organic meat and dairy products that don't contain growth hormones.