I’m still new at this posting stuff – I thought this went up last week, but apparently not!

Since everyone is cutting back, I thought I would offer a few money-saving tips that I use in my every day life. Most of the things I buy at the grocery store don’t get coupons (organic spinach? no coupon. and I don’t buy spam so I’m out…) so I’ve had to get creative…

1. When your mom says she bought a 10 pack of socks from Costco and she doesn’t like them, offer to take them off her hands.

2. Buy your kiddo’s clothes at Costco and claim they came from a very expensive boutique called Cost’co (I’ve actually gotten away with this one. Not that I have any problems with Costco, it’s just more fun the other way).

3. If you’re like most girls, you have an entire cabinet or basket or storage tub or whatever filled with samples and half used bottles of lotion, shampoo and body wash. Use them up by mixing them together and coming up with some shnazzy new combos.

4. When you go to get your teeth cleaned at the dentist, make up the fact that you have in addition to your husband, a grown child so you can get extra free toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss.

5. The one thing I do use coupons for religiously is diapers. I will make 4 separate purchases at Babies R Us to use the diaper coupons. Generally the checker gives up after the second one and just overrides the transaction so I can use all the coupons. I also beg and plead to use the expired ones!

6. Eat all the frozen food in your freezer. Pull out the crazy things that you have forgotten about and make something delicious and possibly strange with the stuff that’s been in there. I still have turkey from when Baylie was born last year…I’m afraid to use it or throw it away.

7. Switch to all knock off brands – but be sure to check the product out first. I just bought the CVS version of the Neutrogena sunscreen that I use and instead of smelling slightly of orange blossom and typical sunscreen, it smells like cloves. Not kidding. It’s weird. But I’m cheap so I’m using it!

8. Have a garage sale – it’s amazing what you have in your closet and cabinets that you don’t use. But do the cleaning out when your spouse is not home. I have been trying to get rid of the same damn elk themed blanket forever and Peter keeps brining it back.

9. Use gift cards. We have a drawer full of gift cards from Christmas, birthdays, etc. But we always forget we have them so I’ve made a point to carry about 20 with me at all times and then systematically check them while at the cashier. They love it, I’m sure. I also had to explain that I had 2 half used gift cards to the Pizza Hut guy the other night. It was  not pretty…

10. Lastly – get pregnant, gain 40 lbs, don’t wear your wardrobe for a year, loose the 40 lbs and it’s like you have an entire new closet!

Happy saving!