by Raven Lebeau

Created on: March 16, 2009   Last Updated: January 30, 2010

You avoid the mall like it's the dentist's office. You don't need the latest gadgets. You've worn the same clothes for so many years they're now considered "vintage". Your idea of a vacation is a visit to your parents' house.

And yet your living expenses are still too high.

How can you start really pinching pennies without feeling the pinch yourself? Here are a few simple ideas.

1. Save on utilities.

Invest in a roll of weather stripping and you'll keep those drafts from blowing away your savings. If possible, get a programmable thermostat installed. In the winter, program the thermostat to automatically go down at night and up in the day. If you work outside the home all day, then have the thermostat stay low during the winter (or high during the summer) while you are gone. There is no point heating or cooling an empty house.

2. Clip coupons.

Before your next grocery store excursion, check your local newspaper ads as well as the Internet for coupons. Be sure that the coupons you use are actually saving you money. Remember, a coupon is only helpful if it take a product you planned to buy anyway and lowers the price below what you would have paid for it. For example, a coupon that lowers the cost of a name brand item to slightly more than the house brand price is not helpful.

3. Use food efficiently.

Wasted food means wasted money. When you go to the grocery store, buy only what you can realistically use. If you have leftovers, try to freeze them back, especially if you have more than one or two meals' worth. It is not realistic to expect your family to eat the same dinner three or four nights in a row!

If you plan several different meals you can make from the same ingredients, this will help you use your food more efficiently. For example, if you open a can of sauce for spaghetti on Monday, then make a pizza with the leftover sauce on Tuesday.

4. Clean with dilute vinegar.

Specialty cleaning agents for your kitchen and bathroom can get expensive. Instead of paying several dollars for bottles full of pricey chemicals, try purchasing a home and garden sprayer and filling it with one part vinegar to eight parts water. This solution can be used to clean surfaces in your kitchen and bathroom as well as other parts of your home.

5. Consolidate your errands to save on fuel.

Instead of running out every time you think of something you need, try to keep a shopping list so you can get everything in one trip. Also, try stopping by the store on your way home from work

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