Make the most of sales

If you find a sale on a nonperishable item that you normally buy, try to get enough to last about three months because that's the normal sales cycle. It will be on sale again by then and you'll never have to pay full price for it.

Take advantage of back to school sales

Even if you don't have children going back to school, back to school sales make it a great time to stock up on pens, pencils, notebooks and so on for personal use. Look for stocking stuffers, too, like nice pens, unique pencil sharpeners and small calculators on sale.

Stocking up, extremely frugal style

When you come across a great sale (they don't happen often, but when you find them, you'll know), ask yourself three things.

1. How much can I afford?

2. How much do I have room to store?

3. How much can I eat/use before the expiration date?

The answers to these questions can determine how much to buy. Don't overdo it, but don't underdo it, either. A penny saved is truly a penny earned.