Money Saving Ideas You May Not Be Doing Now

I love to save money, but then again, who doesn't? I thrive on a growing bank account and financial freedom. You could say I am something of a compulsive saver. I do all the big money saving things like being debt free (except for our mortgage), shopping sales, ect. That being said, I have found many little ways to save a ton of money! Here are some of them:

1- Make my own household cleaners and laundry soap.
This is also more environmentally friendly and non-toxic to kids and pets.

2- Make most things from scratch (seasonings, mixes, cream soups, ect.)
Also healthier...

3- Reuse ziploc bags
Just rinse them out, turn them wrong side out, and toss them in with your whites
(Do not dry!).

4- Rinse out vacuum filter instead of always buying a new one.
I do have to break down and buy a new one every 2-3 years.

5- Use cloth diapers, and make them yourself.
I didn't do this with my first, but my second will be cloth.

6- Make your own deodorant
Some people cringe at this one, but it works, promise! Also, it doesn't contain
aluminum which has been linked to Alzheimers and other neurological disorders.

7- Make your own frozen meals including pizza
Every time I make a meal that can be frozen (lasagna, casseroles, enchiladas, etc.), I
make 2 or 3 times the amount and throw it in ziplocs in the freezer. On days when
I am behind or just don't feel like cooking, I have an easy back up that is cheaper and
healthier than fast food.

8- Make your own granola bars
I have been doing this for a while now, and my family loves them. I love that I can
control the amount of sugar that goes into them, and they don't contain
preservatives.

9- Make your own bread
This is especially good for me because I can't have gluten and specialty breads are
expensive.

10- Make soup at least once a week
My family loves soup, which is a good thing because we have it a lot. In fact, I
make large batches of soup in the fall when vegetables are still cheap, and we have
them to eat all winter long. It's nutritious and makes ingredients go a long way.

For the next three weeks I will be featuring recipes and tutorials to go along with this list, so stay tuned for those.

What little known ways does your family save money?