Cheap tips...

The following is an expression of my opinions. In other words don't sue me if they don't work for you, everyone is different and you would spend more in lawyers fees than you could squeeze out of me!
1. Plastic check book size organizer- Label each pocket with your usual expenses like, grocery money, fun money, gas money, car wash, lottery tickets, etc. Every pay day put the budgeted amount of cash in each pocket. This forces you to rethink those clearance shoes when you see there is only $20 left in the fun money and a week still to go.
2. Freecycle.org- everything is free but don't get carried away. It's a great way to get rid of stuff too.
3. Be your own butcher- I can spend $12 on a pork loin from Sam's and get a big roast, stir fry for two meals and about a dozen pork chops if I cut it up and package it myself.
4. Never eat leftovers, reinvent them- broiled chicken breasts Monday night turns into fajita meat Wednesday.
5. Make you own mixes- bisquick is cheap but tastes like crap (to me). I mix my own dry ingredients for pancakes, biscuits, etc and store in plastic zip top bags. They keep for months and don't have all the salt of premade mixes.
6. Cleaning 101- those disposable cleaning products are expensive and cheap quality wise. Use and empty plastic coffee container and mix your favorite concentrated cleaner with a little water. I use 1/4 cup pinesol with 3/4 water poured in the bottom with cleaning rags stuffed inside. Shake and use the moistened rags to clean, wash them over and over again.
7. EBay baby- sell it if you haven't used or worn it in a year. It's easier than you think!
8. Plan your route, even in the stores- my grocery list is on a spreadsheet and in the order of my store. I don't have to back track and I don't get side tracked.
9. Credit card management- Credit cards are lies. They say 'I have the money' when you really don't. If you don't have the cash do you really need it?
10. Budget even when you don't have enough to budget- Keep track of what you spend and you will see that there is room for improvement.