What do you do to lower your costs?

My methods for saving are very similar to yours. I too use coupons but I have to make more of an effort about that again than I have been recently. I bring bottles and cans from soda back to the store for a refund. We try to shut off lights as much as possible. Sometimes if I'm in the house alone I'll light a candle instead of turning on the lights. I also try to do a full size load in the dishwasher and clothes washer before I start the loads. I sometimes use 1/2 a paper towel on spills that are small and don't need a whole one. Paper products have become so expensive! Sometimes if I am real industrious I keep a pile of half paper towels by the sink/stove to pick up small stains or spills. When we need heat or air conditioning, I try to keep them turned down or off as much as possible and put on or take off a sweater instead. Sometimes I use a small lap blanket over me watching TV rather than turn up the heat. I use a list when buying groceries and try to buy with the sales and specials at the store. I also buy as many things as I can at the dollar store. I've found they have really good frozen veggies for a $1 at a dollar store near us. Instead of buying small garbage bags we use empty milk cartons or plastic bread bags that I tie at the top with the tie that comes on the bread.

don't shop unless i need something. shop with alist shop sales use, use , use the public library and read lots! plan meals ahead of time walk!

I do most of what other posters have mentioned, but I do not do coupons. Most of the coupons I find are for processed, expensive foods. Instead, I buy basics and cook from scratch and that's much cheaper for me. I don't buy paper products other than t.p.. I made a big batch of handkerchiefs and use those. I use rags instead of paper towels and I've made a lot of cloth napkins. None of those things add enough to the laundry to be noticeable. My TV is on a power strip and when I'm not using it, the power strip is turned off. So is my computer. I have a laptop and use the battery except when I have a lot of work to do or when the battery needs charging. If you turn the electricity off to things like that - TVs, computers, microwaves, anything that stays warm when turned off or has a clock - you'll save electricity. I save rinse water from the dishes to water the garden when I can. I wash dishes by hand and use far less water than any dishwasher does.

like most of the response, I use coupons. I also recycle items in my home and use it for different purposes (like old cardboard boxes for storage/table/lamp table). i keep promotional freebies (ballpen, pads, slippers, bags) and even hotel freebies and use them at home. Some toilet bowl utilize too many gallons of water. (for ex, 8liters per flush when i can actually flush down effectively with just 6liters. to save a liter per flush, i put a mineral water bottle -1L- with water inside the tank)i learned this from a conference presentation.

I use coupons a lot. I try to buy extra if I can only if I have a coupon. Then I have extra of things and don't have to buy them for full price. We try to eat a home as much as possible. Lucky my husband drives a company vechile and I work from home so we save a ton in gas that way. I also shop store sales I stock up on soda when it goes on sale buy 2 and get 3 free. I usually can buy enoght so that I don't have to buy it until it goes on sale again. I do recycle but all that money actually goes to my daughters bank account, so this way I can put some money away for her but I don't have to stress about fitting it in to our tight budget. I buy stuff from sams club only if it is chaper. I also do swagbucks to save up amazon gift cards so I can get to do some shopping for free. I am trying to get all christmas gifts this year for free from diffrent sites. I also sale old toys of my daughters on craigslist to help pay for new clothes or toys. I also shop off craigslist for some items that has saved me a ton on toys for my daughter. I shop at goodwill for books for my daughter and pay on average $0.30 for books.

I use reusable bags when shopping, especially at one store because they give me .05 off my total order per bag. I save aluminum cans and other aluminum items to take to the scrap yard for money. I cook from scratch and use coupons like you do. I also do my own canning and grow a small garden in the spring and summer.