Penny Pinching 101 Everyone pinches pennies, it’s just that some people are "tighter" than others. If you are new to penny pinching, here are a few basics that every seasoned tightwad will agree are "no-brainers" when trying to save money:

 Grow it yourself - With the price of produce these days, why not try planting a vegetable garden this year? It is inexpensive, a great family activity and you will have fresh produce when you need it!

 Take a shortcut - Do you know all the possible routes home? Find different ways to get to your house. With the price of gas, you could be saving some big bucks! I know an alternate route to my house that cuts 2 miles off the trip, plus it breaks up the same old routine! Check gas prices in your area by zip code.

 Going to the movies? - Bring a paper lunch bag and easily share your popcorn without having to reach over every time. Most of the time the jumbo costs just a little more than the large size and there’s plenty to share!

 Leftover soap - Is your bar of soap getting too small to take a shower with? Move it to the bathroom or kitchen sink for hand-washing.

 Re-Use - Use your empty coffee cans to organize small toys, crayons, nuts, bolts, craft supplies, etc. Have your kids decorate them!

 Too many baked potatoes? - Scoop out the insides and heat them up with some butter for a mashed potato snack or side dish, then rub the skins with a little oil, add cheese and your favorite toppings (i.e. broccoli, bacon, etc.) for a great appetizer. Get more great recipes at TriCitiesPennyPincher.com!  Grease stains? - Use a little Dawn dishwashing detergent to pre-treat instead of buying "special" stain removing products. It breaks up the grease and it has worked every time for me! Some of the other dish soaps work too, but Dawn works the best (in my opinion).

 Buy Used - Now that the weather is nice, do some of your household shopping at yard sales and flea markets. I bought Maia 7 skirts and 6 tops at a yard sale for 7 bucks! I also got 3 throw rugs for a buck apiece. Today, I bought my daughter a computer monitor for 6 dollars!

 On the go? - Make sure you have a good traveling cup for your coffee, tea or water. You would be surprised how much you can save compared to drive-thrus and convenience stores.

 Give your Heat pump a rest - This time of year is a great time to save on the electric bills by simply turning off the heat pump and opening the windows! Not only is the fresh air good for you, it will save you a bundle on your electric bill! (I never lived in a house with air conditioning until 9 years ago! It didn’t kill me, go figure)

 Pack your lunch - I did the math and we save $1372.80 a year just by packing my husband’s lunch instead of him eating out. Plus, all that fast food will pile on the pounds fast!

These are just a few of the ways I save money. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get money saving ideas delivered right to your inbox! There’s a sign-up link on the left hand navigation on every page on my website.