Happy New Year! I have not kept up too much with my blog over the holidays, but am ready to jump back in and get 2009 off to a great year for savings!

So today I thought I'd share a batch of new and not so new tips for saving and being frugal--Enjoy!

1. Do not throw away old socks with holes--use them for dusting and washing floors. Much cheaper than buying those mops and sweepers!
2. Buy some seeds and grow your own garden.
3. Make extra batches of pancakes from scratch and then freeze for breakfast during the week. Much cheaper than buying brand name frozen pancakes and waffles at the market.
4. Make burritos and freeze them snacks, dinners and even breakfast. Cook the ingredients for your burritos, wrap in flour tortillas, and lay them side by side on a cookie sheet. Freeze completely. When they are completely frozen, place the burritos in sealed freezer bags. Just heat in the microwave (usually 1-2 minutes, but be careful as microwaves heat differently)and enjoy. Cheaper and healthier than fast food!
5. Consider doing shopping for upcoming birthdays throughout the year in January. The stores almost always have great toy sales in January, so shop and stock up for the rest of the year.
6. February is a big month for clothing sales, so shop then and buy ahead if the sale is exceptionally good. If you are buying size 4 now for your little one, buy an extra at size 6 if the sale is a good one!
7. Remember to make at least 3 meatless meals for dinner each week. Take the money you would have spent on chicken, steak or hamburger, and put it in your savings acc't.
8. If you do not make your own bread yet, why not make this the year to give it a try? You will find this to be a true money saver!
9. Line dry clothes when you can. Turn the TV off an hour earlier each evening and read instead. Turn off the computer at night. Unplug appliances not being used. Use the crock pot once or twice a week for cooking. All these things will help cut down on your electricity use.
10. Always empty out your pockets every night and save that change! It will add up, especially if you do not touch it!

I play a little game sometimes when I am shopping at the grocery store. I do not instantly save a lot of money, but if I play it enough times, the savings does add up.

It's simple really. List in hand I will go shopping for our groceries, but inevitably I will pick up things that are not on my list. So before I head to the check out line, I check out my cart and figure out a couple of things I can do without or do not really need at all. I put those items back, and make a mental note to add up what I would have spent on those particular items.

When I get home, I take the amount I saved by not purchasing those items and immediately put it away in an envelope I have just for that savings game alone. Even if I save $5.00 on each shopping trip, it adds up. Some shopping trips I can save more if I really think about what I'm buying. If I can think of something I already have at home as a substitute for something in my cart, then that something goes back to the shelf, and the money will go into my savings envelope.

The key to this savings game is to actually put the money you saved into a savings place, like my envelope. If you just save money at the grocery store, but then go to Starbucks on the way home, you are not saving that money. An extra benefit of actually putting saved money in an envelope is that as you start to see the savings grow, the more motivated you will be to continue saving.

Try this Saving Money Grocery Store Game. You will be surprised at how much you can actually save.