By Monica Resinger


Plantldy98[at]aol.com

If you have a hard time finding the motivation to start saving money, consider challenging yourself to tuck away what you save. It can be very motivating to watch your money grow. Set up a special savings account to make weekly deposits of what you have saved from your money saving efforts. If in one week you bought yourself an outfit at a thrift store for $10 that would cost $30 at a retail store, put the $20 you saved into your savings account. You may need to keep record in a notebook of what you saved before making your deposit so you won't forget. With that thought, just keeping record of what you save can be motivation enough to start saving money. If you look at it like a job, maybe you'll be more likely to put effort into it. Here are a few of my favorite ways to save money.

Save Money On Clothes

When it comes to clothes, I shop at thrift stores and yard sales. I have found the best deals at yard sales but sometimes it can be hard to find the size you're looking for. A lot of times I find clothing for 25 cents each and sometimes they‘ll let you fill a bag for a dollar! The thrift stores charge a bit more, but all are usually at least 30% less than retail. I like to go to thrift stores on their sale days (such as 50% off day) to save even more.

Ways to Save Money On Food

I try to buy only sale items and shop at discounted food stores. Each week when I receive the grocery ads, I go through them to see if there are any good buys. When I find a great deal, I buy as many of the item as our budget will allow and stock up on it even if I already have some. This method not only saves us money but it ensures we always have food on hand.

Another way to save money on food is to use all your leftovers. I have improved my efforts of using leftovers by planning. For example, if I make a large pot roast, I plan on making roast and vegetables the first night, hot roast beef sandwiches the second night, and BBQ beef the third. If I plan, it gets used. If I don't plan, it doesn't always get used. The ‘Leftover Recipe E-book’ has many recipes for using leftovers; for information, click here: http://homemakersjournal.com/leftovers.htm

Make Your Own All-Purpose Cleaner

I have found ammonia to be a great general household cleaner and it is very inexpensive! It cuts through grease and makes everything shine. I buy the 64 oz. size ammonia for around a dollar at the grocery store. To make the cleaner, put 1/4 cup of ammonia into a cleaned out spray bottle, add a drop or two of dish soap, about 20 drops of essential or aroma oil for a nice scent, and fill the bottle the rest of the way with water. For more cleaner recipes, see the ‘ Homemade Household Cleaners’ e-book here: http://homemakersjournal.com/homemadecleaners.htm

Save Money On The Christmas Tree

I purchased an imitation Christmas tree for 33% off a few days before Christmas one year. We'll miss the wonderful pine aroma, but we'll be saving a lot of money at Christmas time (when we need it most) and we'll have a tree right in our garage rather than having to pick one up in a crowded parking lot.

Save Money Decorating Your Home

When decorating, you can save money and enjoy a wider variety of unique items if you shop thrift stores and yard sales. Decor items from retail stores can cost an arm and a leg. Silk floral arrangements, curtains, pictures, picture frames, throw rugs, throws, pretty sheets, material, and more can be found at thrift stores for a fraction of retail prices. Look for items that match your decor and if they are inexpensive enough, buy them. Keep in mind you can always fix things up with a little paint, ribbons, or glue.

For more money saving tips, check out The Big E-book of Frugal Tips: http://homemakersjournal.com/frugaltips.htm and the e-book 'Fantastic Frugal Grocery Tips: http://homemakersjournal.com/frugalgrocerytips.htm

Get Monica's FREE e-zine for homemakers! Each issue includes a home & garden article, delicious recipes and more!
To subscribe, just send a blank e-mail to:
HomemakersJournal-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Check out the 56 home, garden and recipe e-books full of reader tips that have been published here: http://homemakersjournal.com/allebooks.htm

Published - January 2006