I also adore my slow cooker for cooking big batches of pasta sauce and soup, chili and stew. I divide these among mason jars and freeze them. Not only does this save money, but I know *exactly* what goes into my cooking. No glucose, corn syrup or food dyes!

Also, stop buying processed foods! You can make a chicken strip better – and cheaper – than anything you’ll ever find at the store. Try and find some other mums who are interested in making big batches of food and divvy the food up. You’ll make one meal, but end up with a taste of everything in your freezer.

I purchase my fresh fruit and vegetables thru a program called Good Food Box. Since they buy in bulk, the savings are passed onto members. I’m spending half as much on produce with this program and learning how to make use of veggies I don’t usually buy, like acorn squash.

Join your local Freecycle group! I can’t even count the number of items I’ve gotten from this movement, including a tricycle for The Mook. It’s also a great way to pass on clothes and toys that your own kidlet(s) have outgrown. What goes around, comes around!

See if you can get a CD of the photos taken with Santa this year. Rather than paying for a package of prints, you can get a CD and print whatever sizes work for you.

I also look for discounts. In my area, most grocery stores offer a 5 cents per bag discount if you bring your own reusable ones. I always carry my student Id and ask about discounts. When we do eat out, I’ve discovered that many places don’t mind me ordering two meals off the child’s menu, or getting just one adult meal that son and I can share. Cuts calories and costs.

On the electric bill side, Wal-Mart carries a cool surge protector that shuts off power to your printer/speakers/other peripherals when the main computer is off. This saves on the “energy vampire” problem of electronics drawing energy even when turned off. I keep all small appliances unplugged when not in use for the same reason. Feel the power plug when the item is shut off – if it is hot, then the item is still drawing electricity. I see this as a safety hazard also. Try keeping the fridge and freezer mostly full, even if it is just with gallon jugs of water. Air is a very poor insulator, and so the fridge has to work harder to cool an empty space than a full one. But don’t cram it too full, and add room temp stuff slowly.

I have to swap my lightbulbs into the energy in-efficient “bright white” to avoid seasonal depression in the late fall/winter. But….it’s only a few months!

Depending on your level of confidence putting your budget information online, mint.com is an AWESOME budgeting tool. It helps me find areas I’m spending more than I’d like.

I ditto mamma mac’s idea about a zoo membership, but I’ve expanded a little. Every year I do a membership to a museum or zoo (although by me its easier since a lot of the DC museums are free!!) We then go there a handful of times over the year and more than get our money’s worth. Then move onto another museum to become members to.

Big tip in that – if you travel to a state with a science museum or zoo, get a membership THERE – then ALL the science museums (or zoos) in your area accept your out-of-state membership. This is only helpful if you have a few in driving distance. An example of how this is useful to me….I have a membership to Chicago’s Science and Industry Museum – this equals free entrance to that museum AND Baltimore science museum, DC’s Koshland Science Center, Richmond children’s museum and science museum, and a lot of nature centers in the area.