1. Serve homemade soup for dinner:  Soup is warm and comforting, and one of the least expensive meals to make. (Cheeseburger soup below, click the photo to get the recipe.)

2. Unsubscribe from advertising emails:  If you don’t know about the sale, you won’t be tempted to spend. Plus you’ll save time deleting them.

3. Use the correct amount of laundry detergent—read the label.  It’s so tempting to fill to the top of the cup, but most loads only need the bottom line.

4. Don’t go.  If you can possibly wait on the item on your shopping list, stay home and make do with what you have on hand. The fewer trips you make to the store, the less money you will spend.

5. Add a meatless meal.  Use eggs for your protein source, but get creative.  Try:  egg burritos; fried egg sandwiches; quiche; omelets; fried rice, egg drop soup, or breakfast casserole.

6. Plan your route.  If you have several places to go, plan the order of the destinations to conserve the most gas. And save up your errands so you run fewer trips by doing them all at once.

7. Go cash.  Put your budgeted amounts in an envelope (or coupon organizer) for each category.  Spending cash is more tangible than swiping a card so you feel it more.  McDonalds studied it and found that people spend 47% more when using credit cards over cash.

8. Be thankful.  When you are tempted to buy something that you really could live without, skip it and name 5 things you already have that are thankful for instead.

9. Wait 24 hours.  When it’s a big purchase, high pressure sales are often part of the equation. Set a dollar limit that you won’t go over without praying about it 24 hours first.  Then you’re not likely to be a victim of a time share or a $2,000 buyer’s coop membership.

10. Plan ahead. Give yourself time to find your needed items at a deal or in a thrift shop.  When it’s an emergency it’s more likely you’ll end up paying full price.

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