Keep your drink hot for free

If you like to drink coffee or tea over a period of a few hours, make a pot of either and put it in a thermos. You won't have to pay for electricity to keep it hot (as in a coffee pot) or keep going back to make more (as in cups of tea.)

You don't have to wash your clothes...

Sometimes clothes can get by with a good airing out instead of being washed. This will save wear and tear on the clothes as well as water, detergent and electricity to wash them.

Convenience food: Chicken

When you come across a good buy on chicken, buy as much as you can, then boil it and take the meat from the bones and package and freeze it in cup sized portions. It's much cheaper than buying canned chicken for those quick recipes.

Free bread crumbs

Every bread sack has a few crumbs in it when it's "empty". Shake these crumbs into a container and freeze them until you need bread crumbs for a meatloaf, stuffing or topping. It's like getting them for free.

Highghts for your hair

Want to try a highlighter in your hair, but don't want to spring for the expense? Try a highlight pen - the kind you use on paper. Yellow for blondes, orange for brunettes or darker.

Be kind to your clothes

Sometimes clothes can get by with a good airing out instead of being washed. This will save wear and tear on the clothes as well as water, detergent and electricity to wash them.

Make your own dish scrubber

You've heard of making dish scrubbers from those plastic mesh bags that produce, etc. sometimes comes in. They work best and last forever if you crochet or knit them into a square or rectangle. Sew them together with floss or fishing line to make one long strip. If you're into macrame or knotting, try that, too.

Toy boxes... or box toys?

If your little ones, like most, enjoy playing with the box as much or more than the toy that came in it, why not make the box an official toy? You can cover it with contact paper or use markers to decorate it. A box full of fancied up boxes would make a great gift.