Ways To Stretch That Dollar! Part Three

Part Three... Even More Ways To Save

• MAKE YOUR OWN CLEANING SUPPLIES. This is cheap and so easy. There are several good recipes on the net but I will post my own soon. You probably already have these things in your pantry: vinegar, salt, baking soda, olive oil, and lemon to name a few! OK, so you are not into "home made," go to the dollar store. Supplies are much less there than at the market.
• CREATE A PATIO GARDEN. Even if you do not have a large yard you can still enjoy fresh vegetables from container planting. Tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peppers, and herbs do well in tight places. Healthy and thrifty - what could be better?
• MINIMIZE DINNING OUT. Brown bagging lunch saves a TREMENDOUS amount of money over the course of a year. So does cooking and eating your evening meals at home. Enjoy your family time at the table. Face it, you can not get COMFORT food at a fast food joint. When you do go out, train the kids to pick from the dollar menu. You will be amazed at the amount of money that is suddenly available in your budget.
• While you are cooking, MAKE ENOUGH TO FREEZE FOR LATER. I also buy the family packs of meat when they are on sale. It only takes a few minutes to break them down into smaller portions and it saves a bundle! My freezer and zip baggies keep my kitchen going!
• CUT ENTERTAINMENT EXPENSE by going to the morning or mid-day show instead of the evening movie. Eat before you go to avoid killer prices on snacks at the concession stand. Rent a few a month instead and you will save even more. FAMILY GAME NIGHTS are more fun for us than movies and the games are things we have already purchased for the kids.