Oh, yes and I'm sharing and exchanging! What are ya'll doing to save $$$ due to rising prices and fuel expenses?

I love love Aveeno lotion, yet even with a coupon its rather expensive (nowadays). I've switched to Suave lotion, Suave and Equate (wally world) shampoo/conditioner, wally world laundry detergent and fabric softner sheets, and from liquid to bar soap!

Open more windows at night to keep house cool during the day.

Dividing and separating plants and sharing with neighbors.

I've a Bissell Pro-Heat carpet cleaner and always purchase the Bissell brand solution; yet before switching, have any of ya'll used the wally world brand to clean carpets?
(about $3.50 cheaper)

What money saving steps are you gals taking to offset rising gas prices?

If you are a coupie lover try this site. http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/index.php

I am a real estate agent, so I've changed the way I do business. I have the buying clients preview a neighborhood for themselves. If they like the neighborhood, then I'll put it on the "to see" list. Also, I have a great office, but if possible I go to it every other day, and work from home. Mustang, if you have an Ulta store you can use an Ulta coupon for Aveena products there. My husband used to have his clothes dry cleaned. Now he is washing/drying/ironing himeself. They don't look so good, but he works in a restaurant, and he comes home with clothes looking like the fell in the food grinder. I eat soup: chicken broth, elbow noodles, celery, and carrots, several times a week. Husband works in restaurant, and ususally eats there. Oh, like Anne, I try to organize a car pool if a bunch of Realtors are going to an event. I have cut back on volunteering. Isn't that a shame that the cost of gas is a factor so that I don't volunteer at the DV shelter anymore? Need chiro, don't go. Stopped Netflix and all magazine subscriptions. No movies or eating out. Fun is using art supplies I already have, reading books second time around, using library to get movies, although I am #265 in que for "Georgia Rules." Switching anti depressants from expensive Cymbalta to a similar one that is $4.00. Fosamax just went generic. Yeah! Imitrex not. Make cards, no Hallmark. Oh, we have been using Brita filters for years. No more. Strictly tap. And, do you think space heaters are an effective way to add supplemental heat, or do they drain a lot of energy? What else are we doing? I'd love to know too.

I too eat a lot of soups. Everything left over from a meal does not now get tossed, I make it into a soup, so many things make soups taste awesome. I have been shopping a the Dollar Store of late and was and am still amazed at the bargains there. My so called wealthier friends are shopping there now too.

Lynnie space heaters are a good source of heat but be very careful they can be dangerous if too close to curtains etc.

I am also growing spuash, peppers and tomatoes in those hanging, upside down planters all along my patio. Last year I had so many tomatoes I was trading them for other type veges from friends gardens. I also am looking for someone to teach me how to can vegetables etc.
I never leave the house unless I absolutely have to and then if going somewhere close and its not too hot I ride my bike.

Hey Chatty, I never thought of growing vegs in the upside down baskets. I haven't been to a dollar store yet, but there are so many, I ought to give it a try. My weakness now that I am working again is fashion. I love clothes of all styles, from bohemian to tailored. I was jeans and tee shirts for so long (like when writing or going back to school) that now I can't get enough of clothes. I used to sew. I'd like to take that up again, and treat it more like fashion design than sewing. Hmmm, I should walk to CURVES. I never considered that. It's only 1.5 miles away!

I do much of what you ladies do. The library for books and movies, consolidate errand running into a circle, refill gallon water bottles for 25 cents at Wal-Mart - and Fosamax is only $10 for 3 months now, saving me $40.00. I shop at produce markets for fresher, cheaper veggies and fruits, hand wash my work shirts, go to the laundromat only once a month (I have lots of big girl panties), love the $ store and shop at Save-A-Lot (the prices went up).

Anyone else notice that brand names aren't as important as they used to be?

Chatty, where did you purchase your upside down hanging planters? I'm just curious...

I love the dollar store, Fred's, and Save-a-Lot. We also have a store called SOMETHING..(can't think of it) that is along the same lines. All of these places are gaining momentum and giving Wally World a run for their money (literally). I love it. Plus it gives me somewhere I can take the grandbeauties after a day of fun and get them a small "treat" without breaking the bank.

Have any of you tried the Dollar Store's Veggie juice? To me, it taste just like the high dollar tomatoe juice you can buy only it is dirt cheap. I love it!

I have noticed that some of their prices have gotten a tad higher though.

Chatty, you could look up canning online. Nothing to most of it. Pretty easy...if I can do it, anyone CAN. (no pun intended)

Big Lots...that's the name of the other store. Whew! Now my mind can go back to sleep.

JJ, this year and last I ordered my hanging planters from QVC, they were $10.99 or two for $20.00 something. They have them in some catalogs too but when I called they were back ordered until August, so that was no help. I am trying strawberries this year too.
Thanks for the tip and I will check out canning on the internet...

Chickadee, thanks for the coupon site!

PL, thanks for the Ulta reminder! I used a $5 coupon towards minimum of $10 the other day and bought OPI polish and face wash, the later of which was free and the total w/ tax was less than the OPI polish w/ coupon! My color for the summer is Nomad's Dream (for toes, don't wear fingernail polish).

I try to itemize my errands, too. Check out books and DVDs from libray and have the $5 Netflix account for variety. No cable, no trash p/u (take my own), and presently no a/c nor heat (using celing fans and open windows).