The current economic climate has everyone curbing their spending. Most of us aren’t just cutting out major purchases, we’re stretching our everyday living dollars, too. Here are some suggestions to help stretch your dollar, save time, and reduce environmental impact:

Bag bottled water. Drink water, but don’t buy bottled water. It’s not a good value, it’s no better for you than tap water, and it creates millions of tons of plastic trash every year (of which only about 20% is recycled). If you want filtered water, consider a faucet filter, refrigerator water dispenser, or pitcher with an integrated filter. Carry a stainless steel bottle for refills.

Eat at home. Spending just $10 per person for dinner can eat into your food budget quickly. Even a $6 sandwich for lunch or a $4 specialty coffee every morning can add up. Cook, pack lunches, and brew coffee at home. Try new recipes, change table settings, and eat outside in good weather so that you don’t feel like you’re missing anything.

Replace paper towels. Keep washcloths, old t-shirts, or extra kitchen towels handy in the kitchen to mop up spills and wipe countertops.

Buy in bulk. Unit costs are usually lower on larger sized items. Divide into smaller portions for storage; freeze perishable items. Limit bulk purchases to items that you would normally buy that will keep—household goods like toilet paper, soap, and trash bags; daily cooking supplies like sugar and salt; or items with a longer shelf life, like pastas and soup mixes.

Use coupons. Before shopping, search online for printable coupons. Check the store’s sale flyer. Plan purchases around sale items.

Choose products with multiple uses. Buy dryer sheets that also act as a fabric softener or body lotion with built-in sunscreen.
Buy generic. Groceries, clothing, prescription drugs—you can save money by choosing the off-brand, without sacrificing quality.

Get it for free. Use your library card. Take advantage of kids-eat-free promotions. Dial 1-800-FREE-411 for directory assistance.

Cut out unnecessary services. Look at what you're paying for versus what your family actually uses. Do you need all those cable channels? Extra cell-phone features? Gym memberships? Magazine subscriptions? Trim accordingly.