My family and I am on a very fixed budget (when we have money to even BE on a budget!) So, we try to save a penny where ever and whenever we can! Here are some tips from our house:

1. Make a shopping list. For two reasons, #1 you only buy what is on that list, no luxury or last minute items. #2 you can determine what you need from various stores. We make a list that says what we need and next to it, a $, $$, or $$$ depending on how much it is and where we can find it. $ usually means the dollar store, $$ is Wal-mart and $$$ is Safeway/Target.
2. Shop at the dollar store and at overstock food warehouses. You can find a lot of cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, shampoo, storage boxes, gift wrapping, decorations and more at a $1 store! Just be aware of the toys and kid’s items because many (if not all) of their items are made in China and you never know about the lead content! Overstock food warehouses are my new favorite shopping destination! The one we shop at gets regular daily shipments from local Safeway’s and is usually $2-3 off major items. Many of the items are dented cans, overstocked or unpopular food items and more. Also be aware of any expired items and ALWAYS check the date.  A few key items I remember are Cody-size juices, 10/$1, brownie mix for $1.50, applesauce for .75 and a NEW box of 24 crayola crayons for $1 (which you CAN’T find at the $1 store haha). Also, clip those coupons but be sure you’re not buying more then you need, or something you don’t need.
3. Cancel your cable, unplug the T.V. and radio. If you have high speed Internet, your computer or laptop can be an all-in-one entertainment center. Cody plays tons of toddler games and watches PBS kids videos on-line. My husband and I watch the newest releases of T.V. shows (Survivor, The Office, Chuck, 30 Rock, House) and also movies on Hulu. Netflix also has a great “watch instantly” section of movies if you sign up with them. If Netflix or the Internet don’t have enough choices, you can always check out your local library for VHS/DVD’s. For radio, we tune into a live broadcast of NPR through itunes every morning. Itunes is AWESOME for radio and pod casts. You can also usually tune into any of your favorite radio stations if they offer a live-streaming link.
4. Shop Goodwill and thrift stores for clothes and shoes. We just scored a sweet pair of hiking boots for Cody at Goodwill for just $2. I also found him tons of books that would have cost well over $15 total, but ended up only costing me $5 because the books are .25 to $1 each!
5. Fill up your gas tank at the lowest priced gas station in town. Luckily we have one of the lowest priced gas stations in our town (Western) so we don’t have to drive far to fill up but the next one is about 25 miles away! Check out this website to find one near you!
6. Beg, borrow, and steal…well, I mean, take what’s free! If there is something I need that my friends and family have, I will always ask them if I can use it/try it first before I go and buy it. We also beg our friends to barter with us…make us dinner and we’ll weed your garden, help us with our garden and we’ll cook YOU dinner! We also make frequent stops at gas stations and fast food joints to grab as many to-go sauces, ketchup’s and coffee creamers as we can!

I’ll be adding more to this list later, but hopefully this helps!