Gum wrapper note pad

It may seem kind of silly, but gum wrappers - those plain white ones that wrap a stick of gum over the foil wrapper (from the large packages) - are just about the right size to jot a note or short list. Save them and staple them together (or just keep a stack of them). Paper is paper is paper, no matter where it comes from.

Grease soakers

Forget the paper towels to absorb grease from fried foods. The food tends to stick to them, and you have to buy them in the first place - not a good frugal move. Instead, use brown paper, the kind they make paper bags from. Ask for paper bags at the grocer or save the inner brown paper wrapping from bags of sugar.