Today’s economy does not seem to be getting any better, I see evidence of this everyday.  I go to buy gas and lo, it has gone up again.  I go to the grocery store and the produce has gone up as well as other grocery items. My heating bill this winter was enormous.  So, what am I going to do about these higher prices that keep putting a strain on my budget?  Well, I could complain, but that’s really not going to help me.  So, I will just have to look for other ways to save money around my house.  There are several things you can do and none of them are really that difficult and they can save you money to use on other things you need.  Here are a few to get you started.

Make Your Own Cleaners

Making your own cleaners can not only save you money, but they are also better for the environment.  Most of the “homemade” cleaners are made with all natural ingredients.  I make an all purpose spray that I use around the house as I clean.  I also make my own laundry detergent.  It is really easy to make and cost less per load. There are many products you could be using around the house to clean with that you could be making yourself and saving money.  Take some time and do a search for the cleaner you want to make and you will probably come up with several recipes.

Pack Your Lunch

If you spend just $5 dollars a day for lunch, that’s $25 a week.  You can pack your lunch with leftovers or even a sandwich and some fruit for much less and probably eat healthier as well.  Also, beware of the money you are spending on snack machines.  You can usually buy a whole pack of some of those products for a great deal less and keep them on hand at work when needed, just make sure you can control yourself and not eat the whole box in one day.

Look for Free or Reduced Price Magazines

I used to love to buy several magazines every month at the grocery store.  I have now found several offers online for free or greatly reduced price magazine subscriptions.  I recently purchased a one year subscription to the Weight Watcher’s magazine for $3.99!  That’s less than you can buy one magazine for at the meetings or the grocery store.  I was buying every issue at the meetings but now I can save that money for some other need. Another great thing is that some of these magazines I get for free also have valuable coupons in them.

Use the Library

If you love to read or watch movies, stop spending money on them and head to your library.  You will find DVD’s, audio books, new books, recipe books, and lots of other really great items.  I get my exercise DVD’s from the library to workout with at home.  I’m not only saving money on the DVD but the gym too.  Every library has a different policy for when things need to be returned so make sure know the rules or else you could end up paying some fines.  Also check out your library’s programs for kids.  I have taken mine to several library programs and everything is free and the kids have a great time.  I like the summer reading programs best.  My library even feeds the kids lunch.  Sometimes I am unable to find the books I like at my library, but I have asked them to order it or even used the inter-library lending program.  You can find the book you need without paying a fortune to get it.  Libraries also have computers with internet service so you could do without the internet at home and save money there also, if you had to.

Make Your Own Gifts

My kids get invited to a lot of birthdays and I often find I don’t have the extra money on hand to buy gifts, so I have decided to start making my own.  For the next party, I am making some play dough with some inexpensive cookie cutters.  I got this idea from mom advice.  There are also lots of other great ideas online for making gifts for other family members that won’t cost you a fortune!

Start a Garden

Now is the time to start thinking about a garden.  Having a garden can save you money on your food budget.  It cost less to grow your own fruits and vegetables and, in my opinion, they taste a whole lot better.  A garden will take a little more of your time but I think having those fresh fruits vegetables is such a great reward. Children also love to help out in the garden, so make sure you involve yours in the gardening process.  My family did a raised garden last year and it was so fun to go “shopping” in my garden.   So start planning your garden and getting your seeds started now to be able to save money at the grocery this summer and maybe even beyond if your garden can produce enough storage to enjoy in the winter.