Who doesn’t want to save money these days?

Below are some ideas that can help make a difference in your life, from lowering your electricity bill to slashing your grocery expenses.

1. Wash your clothes in cold or warm water instead of hot water.

2. Wash only full loads of laundry.

3. Run the dishwasher only when it’s full, and use the air-dry setting.

4. Use compact fluorescent lightbulbs. (Often, they only use 13 watts.)

5. Change or wash your air filter in your air conditioner/heater at least once a month.

6. Use a power strip to plug in electronics, and switch the off power when it’s not in use.

7. Go out to dinner and pay lunch prices. Some restaurants end lunch at 4 p.m. and keep these prices if you show up just a few minutes before. This works great for buffet-style places.

8. Like lemonade? Order water with lemon instead. Then use sugar or sweetener provided by the restaurant and voila!

9. Buy a large pack of any kind of drink you like: tea, soda, sports drink. Keep it in your car, and when you are at a drive thru, order a cup of ice (it’s usually free) along with your food. Then, just open the drink and pour it on your ice.

10. Never shop hungry.

11. Shop at several grocery stores and buy what’s on sale. Be sure to use any coupons you have on the sale items.

12. Stock up on sale items when it’s a good deal, but be sure to buy only the items you’re going to use. Don’t buy items just because they’re on sale.

13. Plan your meals in advance and make a menu based on sale items.

14. While shopping for items on sale, divide the ounce into the total price to get the cost per ounce. It’s not always cheaper to buy the bigger size.

15. If possible, cook two meals at a time. Not only does it save time, it saves on electric bills.

Julie Smart is the mother of five wonderful children and a blogger at couponsavingfamily.com

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