1. I make most of our bread from scratch. Not only does each loaf cost pennies, the bread is delicious. I use the same method that Crystal uses and I let the dough rise in a bread pan that is the length of a store-bought loaf. I can't stand the shape of the bread machine loaf. I buy my yeast, lecithin, vital wheat gluten, bread pans and bags here.
2. I hang our clothes outside all summer long. I add vinegar to the rinse cycle (in the place of fabric softener) and dry in dryer about 5 minutes. Before hanging on the line I shake each item while still hot from dryer, and hang it to dry. The clothes come off the line wrinkle-free and soft.
3. I cook/bake mostly from scratch.
4. I stock my freezer and pantry when items are at rock bottom prices. I keep up with this by using a price book.
5. I have a good friend who cuts our hair! I've never calculated how much this precious woman saves our family each year!
It's been about 2 years since I really began getting serious about frugality. In that time, I've read lots of great resources - Miserly Moms books, the Tightwad Gazette books, and great websites like the Dollar Stretcher. But I think I've learned the most from reading the Frugal Friday posts on Crystal's blog! What a great resource!
