Here are some of our favorite strategies for saving money. Since everyone's situation and resources are different, you need to adapt these strategies to your own lifestyle. Remember, frugality is a tool that you can customize to the way your live. Use them as much or as little as you want, according to your need. You can enjoy living frugally!

Get it for Less- Find a cheaper source for things you already buy. There is always someone selling it cheaper. The challenge is to find new sources. Start by looking in your yellow pages, you may be surprised at the resources around you.

Make it last longer- Stretch the life span of the items you use. How? First and foremost by taking better care of them, maintaining them (such as tools), and doing it yourself. Learn to do your own home and car maintenance and repairs. Fix only what is broken, not the whole thing! You can make "work" shoes last longer by having them reheeled instead of buying a brand new pair. There are many, many ways to lengthen the lifespan of the things you own. In fact, there are whole books on the subject! Visit your local library for more ideas.

Use it less- Conserve your time, energy and resources. If you plan out your shopping trips and only go once a week, hitting everything you need to, then you are using less gas, and causing less wear and tear on your car. If your home is properly insulated, you are using less electricity or natural gas to heat /air condition it. You can get longer use out of light bulbs by remembering to turn them off when not in use. The same goes for items that use batteries. Think conservation!

Use it up-Turn to what you already have first! Use up your leftovers in the kitchen, then use the food scraps in your garden, which will help you grow fresher foods. Use "clean" trash- paper, containers, cereal boxes, etc, to make crafts, games and organize things. Make new clothing from old! Be resourceful and turn a creative eye on things you already own.

Wear it out- Get the full use out of something before you toss it. Maintain it, repair it, repair it again, and recycle it! Here is an example: If you wear pantyhose to work, you can wash them in a solution that strengthens them and makes them last longer. Once you start to see runs, fix them with clear nail polish. When the runs on one leg become to much, cut off the leg of one pair and merge it with another pair of one-legged pantyhose, to make a complete pair. When those get worn out, recycle them in the craft room and garden.

Make it do-Substitute where you can/ If you don't have what you need, find something to fill the void until you can find a cheaper or better alternative. Perhaps you need to fix something and don't have the right part. Will a substitute work? Sometimes the substitute is better!

Do without- Ask yourself if you really have to have it. Is it worth the money? Do you have to have it now? Or are you just acting on a whim? Avoid impulse buying! If a few months have passed and you find you still want or need it, then start looking for a good price. Sometime I wait a year or more to get something I want. By then, I know the best prices for it and often get it much cheaper than I would have if I had acted on impulse. I also appreciate it much more.

Make it yourself- If what you want is too expensive, brainstorm about how you can make it cheaper. Buy large clothing at yard sales in nice fabric and make clothes for yourself or your kids out of them. Don't like the prices of the fancy knick knacks in the stores?

Grow it yourself- Don't like the high prices of your favorite fruit or veggie? Perhaps you can grow it instead of buy it. I enjoy growing herbs, tomatoes, tomatillos, romaine, and garlic. Not everything I have grown has turned out so good, but it is a fun journey! You can really save bigtime on the herbs.

Trade it- Barter your goods and skills for something you need

Put the word out- Tell others that you need or are looking for something in particular. One man's trash is another man's treasure! Sometimes you can find exactly what you need for cheap or even free!

Plastic recycling tips

Plastics are used everywhere today, from packaging to car parts to building construction, and production is growing rapidly, leading to increased waste. That's why plastic recycling, which has been widely available since the early 1990s, is more important than ever.

THE CHALLENGE

-Plastic production is up. A record amount of plastic was produced in the U.S. in 2004, a total of about 115 billion pounds, according to the American Plastics Council.

-Most plastic is made from nonrenewable resources. Plastics are typically made from fossil fuels, including oil and natural gas.

-Plastic waste is increasing. The amount of plastic in municipal solid waste has increased from less than 1 percent of the total in 1960 to 11 percent in 2003, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

-Plastic recycling rates are down. The recycling rate of the most widely collected type of plastic (#1-PET) has dropped by about a third in the last decade, from one in three containers being recycled in 1995 to about one in five in 2004, according to the Container Recycling Institute. This means that, of the 50 billion single-serve beverage bottles expected to be used in 2005, about 40 billion will end up in landfills, or as litter. See the table below for more recycling statistics.

THE OPPORTUNITY

-We have the capacity. According to the American Plastics Council, we're only using 25% of our nation's recycling capacity. That means the plastic you put out at the curb or drop off at a local facility is most likely being recycled, as promised, and there's room for a lot more.

-There is a market for recycled plastics. Once collected and sorted, plastic is processed into small pellets or flakes and sold to manufacturers, which then use it to create new plastic products. The majority of collected plastic, #1-PET and #2-HDPE bottles and containers, is turned into fiber, including carpet and clothing, as well as nonfood containers, including detergent, motor oil, and household cleaner bottles. To learn more about recycled plastics, see the table below.

HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

1. Get to know your plastic. Since the late 1980s, many plastic products have been labeled with one of seven codes indicating the type of material they're made from. These are the familiar numbers and letters inside "chasing arrows" found on the bottom of plastic containers. The most commonly recycled types are #1-PET and #2-HDPE, while the other five are much less likely to be collected.

The following table explains the codes, common packaging and recycling uses, and recycling rates for 2004, the most recent year available:

2. Follow your community's recycling guidelines, especially if not all types of plastics are collected there. If you’re not sure which ones are accepted, you can find out through your local Department of Sanitation or Department of Public Works. You can also learn about curbside recycling programs in your area by visiting Earth 911 and typing in your ZIP code.

3. Choose plastics that can be recycled in your community. Most communities accept #1 and #2 plastics. For higher numbers it depends on the municipality.

4. Give preference to products made from recycled content. Whenever possible, use products made from recycled plastic. Look for those labeled “made with recycled content” and especially those “made with post-consumer recycled content,” which are made with materials that have actually been used, rather than with manufacturing waste that never reached consumers.

5. Reduce when you can. Try to cut down on the amount of plastics you use in the first place. Alternatives, such as cotton shopping bags, reusable water bottles, and refillable containers can go a long way toward reducing the amount of plastics that enter the waste stream.

• Drive sensibly. Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gasoline.
• Consider buying a highly fuel-efficient vehicle. A fuel-efficient vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or an alternative fuel vehicle could save you a lot at the gas pump and help the environment. See the Fuel Economy Guide for more on buying a new fuel-efficient car or truck.
• Combine errands into one trip. Several short trips, each one taken from a cold start, can use twice as much fuel as one trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.
• Replace clogged air filters to improve gas mileage by as much as 10% and protect your engine.
• Get regular engine tune-ups and car maintenance checks to avoid fuel economy problems due to worn spark plugs, dragging brakes, low transmission fluid, or transmission problems.
• Keep tires properly inflated and aligned to improve your gasoline mileage by around 3.3%.
• Use the grade of motor oil recommended by your car's manufacturer. Using a different motor oil can lower your gasoline mileage by 1%-2%.
• Check into telecommuting, carpooling and public transit to cut mileage and car maintenance costs.
• Reduce drag by placing items inside the car or trunk rather than on roof racks. A roof rack or carrier provides additional cargo space and may allow you to buy a smaller car. However, a loaded roof rack can decrease your fuel economy by 5%.
• Clear out your car; extra weight decreases gas mileage.
• Use air conditioning only when necessary.
• Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.
• When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces wear.
• Avoid high speeds. Above 60 mph, gas mileage drops rapidly. The http://fueleconomy.gov/ Web site shows how driving speed affects gas mileage.
• Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration, and hard braking) wastes gas. It can lower your highway gas mileage 33% and city mileage 5%.
• Idling gets you 0 miles per gallon. The best way to warm up a vehicle is to drive it. No more than 30 seconds of idling on winter days is needed. Anything more simply wastes fuel and increases emissions.

Monthly Tips

Don't Let High Fuel Costs Drive You Nuts

Whether you drive an economy car or an SUV, there are plenty of ways to improve your gas mileage. Avoid aggressive driving and observe the speed limit. Speeding, fast acceleration, and hard braking wastes gas. Lighten your load by clearing your car of extra weight, and remove roof racks or carriers if not used frequently. Keep current with car maintenance—clean air filters can improve gas mileage by as much as 10%. Properly inflated and aligned tires will improve gas mileage by 3%. Using the wrong grade of oil can reduce mileage by 1% to 2%. For longer-term savings, consider a high-mileage vehicle for your next purchase. See http://www.fueleconomy.gov/ for more on buying a fuel-efficient car or truck. Check out Driving and Car Maintenance for more tips.

Track Your Energy Costs with a Home Energy Audit

An energy audit will show you which areas of your home use the most energy and help you decide the most effective way to reduce energy costs. You can conduct a simple audit yourself, contact your local utility, or call an independent energy auditor for a more comprehensive examination. Check your home's insulation levels, and check for open fireplace dampers. Look for holes or cracks around doors, light and plumbing fixtures, and other places where air may leak into or out of your home. Make sure your appliances and heating and cooling systems are properly maintained, and study your family's lighting needs and use patterns, paying special attention to high-use areas. Check out Your Home's Energy Use for more tips.

This Winter, Save Money and Stay Warm

Keep your energy bill and your pollution output low this winter by taking a whole-house approach to heating. Start with setting your thermostat as low as is comfortable. A programmable thermostat can help by adjusting the temperature according to your schedule-it can cut back heating at night, for instance, and turn it up again before you rise in the morning. It's also important to weatherize your home—caulk and weatherstrip any doors and windows that leak air. Make sure your equipment is properly maintained and cleaned, and that furnace filters are replaced regularly. Finally, insulation is inadequate in many homes. Check the insulation in your attic, ceilings, exterior and basement walls, floors, and crawl spaces to see if it meets the levels recommended for your area. Check out Heating and Cooling for more tips.

Keep Your Energy Bill Out of Hot Water

Water heating can be expensive, but there are a number of ways to lower your costs One way is to use less water. Repair leaky faucets immediately and use low-flow shower heads. (A family of four, each showering for five minutes a day, uses 700 gallons of water a week; you can cut that amount in half by using low-flow aerating showerheads.) Insulate your hot-water storage tank and pipes, and drain a quart of water from your water tank every three months to remove sediment that impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of your heater (follow the manufacturer's instructions). Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees; water heaters sometimes come from the factory with higher temperature settings than are necessary. When buying a new water heater, compare EnergyGuide labels to find an energy-efficient model. Check out Water Heating for more tips.

Cut Loads of Energy While Doing the Laundry

It's easy to cut your energy costs for laundry. About 80%-85% of the energy used for washing clothes is used to heat the water. You can reduce this cost by using less water by washing full loads and using cooler water and cold-water detergents - switching the temperature setting from hot to warm cuts a load's energy use in half. . If you are in the market for a new washer, look for the ENERGY STAR and read EnergyGuide labels. You can reduce drying costs as well: clean the lint filter after every load to improve air circulation, and don't over-dry clothes. Use the cool-down cycle to allow clothes to finish drying with residual heat. Also, periodically inspect your dryer vent to ensure it's not blocked. Consider buying a natural gas dryer, the cost per load is less than an electric dryer. Check out Laundry for more tips.

Lower Your Lighting Costs

Increasing your lighting efficiency is one of the fastest ways to decrease your electricity bills. Turn off the lights in any room you're not using, or consider installing timers, photo cells, or occupancy sensors to reduce the amount of time your lights are on. Use task lighting; instead of brightly lighting an entire room, focus the light where you need it. For example, use fluorescent under-cabinet lighting for kitchen sinks and countertops under cabinets. Consider three-way lamps; they make it easier to keep lighting levels low when brighter light is not necessary. Finally, use compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs); they are much more efficient than incandescent bulbs and last 6 to 10 times longer. CFLs are more expensive than incandescent bulbs, but they pay for themselves by saving energy over their lifetime. Check out Lighting for more tips.

Close the Window on High Energy Bills

If your home has single-pane windows, as almost half of U.S. homes do, consider replacing them. New double-pane windows with high-performance glass are available on the market. In colder climates, select windows that are gas filled with low-emissivity (low-e) coatings on the glass to reduce heat loss. In warmer climates, select windows with spectrally selective coatings to reduce heat gain. If you decide not to replace your windows, there are other ways to improve their performance. In cold climates, close your curtains and shades at night, and open them during the day. Installing storm windows can also reduce your heat loss, by up to 50%. In warm climates, install white window coverings to reflect heat away from the house, and close south- and west-facing curtains during the day. Check out Windows for more tips.

Save Energy Today!

You can take a few simple actions today to save energy. Set your thermostat low in the winter and high in the summer. Install a programmable thermostat to control your home's temperature automatically. Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Air dry dishes. Turn off you computer and monitor when not in use. Use power strips and turn them off when equipment is not being used. Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees. Take short showers instead of baths. Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes. Drive sensibly and don't speed. Check out Save Energy and Money Today for more tips.

Power Your Home, Naturally, with Renewable Energy

Today, there are more options than ever to use renewable energy at home. A new home provides the best opportunity for taking advantage of passive solar energy. Orient the home to avoid overhead summer sun and to benefit from winter sun in cooler climates. Solar pool heating systems are very efficient and can cuts costs for heating swimming pools or hot tubs. The easiest way to take advantage of solar power is to buy electricity generated by renewable sources from your local utility. Under certain conditions, installing PV cells might be right for you. Check out Renewable Energy for more tips.

Insulate Your Home Against High Energy Bills

A good insulating system can help keep your home warm during winter and cool during summer. Check the insulation in your attic, ceilings, exterior and basement walls, floors, and crawl spaces to see if it meets the levels recommended for your area. (Insulation is measured in R-values — the higher the R-value, the better your walls and roof will resist the transfer of heat.) Consider factors such as your climate, building design, and budget when selecting insulation R-value. The easiest and most cost-effective way to insulate your home is to add insulation in the attic. Check out Insulation and Air Sealing for more tips.

Audit Your Home Office for Energy Savings

Working from home is becoming increasingly popular, but office equipment can run up the electricity bills. Look for ENERGY STAR computers, copiers, printers, and fax machines when purchasing new equipment. ENERGY STAR products use about half the electricity of standard equipment. Turn off machines when not in use and make sure power management features are activated. Consider buying a laptop for your next computer upgrade; they use much less energy than desktop computers. Check out Home Office and Home Electronics for more tips.

Stay Cool This Summer While Saving Energy

If you use air-conditioning, set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible in the summer. The less difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be. Don't set your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn it on. It will not cool your home any faster and could result in excessive cooling and unnecessary expense. If you're shopping for an air conditioner, look for the Energy Star and EnergyGuide labels. Consider a whole-house fan or evaporative cooler if appropriate for your climate. Remember that insulation and sealing air leaks will improve energy performance and comfort in summer by keeping cool air inside. Check out Air Conditioners for more tips.