Being frugal......

O.K., first I have to apologize, I just realized that I haven't "blogged" in almost 2 months....for that small following I have of 4-5 people (O.k. really 1-2 but it sounded good), I plan to do better...I will at least try to blog weekly and if possible, several times a week. I noticed that one of my favorite blogs is missing from the blog world ("new homemaker" where are you these days)....so I want to carry on her tradition of weekly ideas for being more frugal. This is heavy on my heart lately with increasing gas prices and grocery bill to boot. So I thought I would start by posting some very simple ideas to cut your grocery bill and gas bill:
1) Make a list of menus (for us, we get paid every two weeks, so I make a list of two weeks worth of menus)
2) Compile a grocery list from your menu list and then look for odd and end items around the house that you are out of...most important, when you go to the grocery store, stick to your list!
3) Go to Walmart for dry goods and non perishables (a fraction of the cost of what you would pay at the grocery store), go to grocery store for rest (the produce is not that great at Walmart)
4) Know what to buy on sale and what "not" to buy on sale (never buy cheap toilet paper)
5) Take your coupons to store with you, but don't cut out coupons for something that you would not buy on routine basis....(have you noticed that coupon inserts aren't as generous as they used to be and are usually for things that you wouldn't use)
6) Make a "to do" list the night more and plot out your "to do" list along the route you would take, do it all in one trip when possible, limiting your outings to once a day\
7) Fill up your tank when your gas level is half empty, cheaper than a full tank
8) Don't pump gas too fast or when it is hottest outside, fills your tank with more vapors and less gasoline (heard this from a oil company, so take it for what it's worth).
9) Buy store brand items when you can (a can of kidney beans is a can of kidney beans!
10) Consider investing in a freezer if you don't have one yet...
11) Go to www.mygrocerydeals.com for a website that you can check sales at all the stores you shop at most frequently
12) Cut out soft drinks (not good for you anyway), learn to like water....
Now it's your turn, would love to hear any ideas you have!