Canned Food Trade Out – Most of us never use all of the canned goods that we buy.  Whether it’s soup, vegetables, or fruit it can be traded amongst neighbors and friends.  Get together a load of canned goods that you will not use and have a monthly trade with a friend or neighbor.  The next month, they can bring you canned goods.  This is a better way of using goods rather than throwing them out.  Also, if you would rather not do a trade-off, take your canned goods to the local food bank so someone in need can use them.

Hire Your Neighbor – Times are hard and you may be looking for a job, or a friend or neighbor might be searching for pay.  If you are in a position to help, hire your neighbor.  You may need your lawn mowed, a baby-sitter, house sitter, or other odd jobs that you do not have time to do yourself.  This is a great way to support your friends and neighbors in their time of need.  You may be embarassed to ask someone you know to do odd jobs for you, but just explain you don’t have time and want to help them.  You never know, the tables might turn and you may need their help in the same way.

Meal Swap – Once a week, you and a neighbor or friend can trade off making dinner for the other family.  You could invite them over to join your family for a meal, or take over a casserole or dinner for them.  This helps each other save on meal expenses and will create a great way to get to know each other better. 

Free Stuff – There are some great websites available these days where you can list items you no longer want for free or for a cheap price.  The best website is, of course, craigslist.  Other sites are freecycle, swaptree, and the free site  – these are all great ways to find items for free and share as well.

Trash-Picking – Some people are a bit put off by this, but you can find some great items this way.  No, I don’t mean diving head-first into a dumpster to find some semi-clean vegetables.  But rather, find out when your local area has trash pick-up days and drive around the night before pick-up.  Preferably, the nicer areas of town have the best picks.  You would not believe how many great couches, wicker furniture, mirrors, desks, etc. I have seen driving around on trash day.  A lot of people do not want to hassle with dropping off their furniture at the thrift store and instead would rather set it out on the curb and say, “good riddance.”  If you are a thrift store shopper, you shouldn’t mind finding good stuff on the curb.  Many people even put a “free” sign, encouraging passers-by to go ahead and take it.  It is better to drive around at night or early morning so you can check it out better to make sure it isn’t dirty or smelly.

Community Cookout – If you live near folks that you know somewhat well, you all should get togther to have a community cookout.  Hot dogs, buns, and hamburgers are inexpensive and can feed a lot of people for a good price.  Those of you who can give a little can, but everyone should be invited around your neighborhood.  Set up a couple of grills, cook some hot dogs and hamburgers, chips and drinks and a lot of possibly hungry people could get a tasty meal and get to know each other.

Hand Me Those Hand-Me-Downs – Before tossing out or giving away quality, gently-used clothing, ask around to see if anyone might need them for themselves or their kids.  I grew up getting hand-me-downs and I loved them – it was like getting a new wardrobe and getting to play dress-up all in one.  If your kids have outgrown their clothes, ask a friend or neighbor if their kids need any clothes.

The moral of this story is to help thy neighbor.  In the 30’s, people helped each other, did odd jobs, and shared what they had to make it through.  These days, the depression is almost worse because we live in an isolated type of world where we don’t find the time or have the energy to help each other get through.  Even though times are hard, it doesn’t mean we can’t share, have fun together and find creative ways to get by.

Spring is also a good time to stock up on winter wares that are now probably 75-90% off.  If your local stores still have any winter items, they are drastically reduced in price.  This goes for thrift stores as well.  I made a trip to the local Salvation Army and bought great vintage winter coats for $1 each!

Grocery sales are in full bloom right now and especially after Easter.  Cash-in on the after-Easter candy sales, ham sales, and seasonal items.  It is always a good idea to check sales every week in the advertisements to see what store is having the biggest sale.

Utilize the dollar store!  If you have some Easter baskets to make, head to the dollar store.  You can put together a great basket for the kids, with all the trimmings for $5-10 total.  Fill it up with candy, toys and a card that can all e purchased for $1 each at the dolar store.

GIFTS FOR KIDS

Companies these days know exactly where to make a lot of their money from – the kids!  That’s right, so many expensive games, gaming systems, phones and toys in general are geared toward the 10-16 year-old audience.  So, how do you compete without breaking the bank?  Try some online stores that sell used gadgets and even have a trading option:  www.gazelle.com, www.secondrotation.com, and www.gadgetgadget.com.  Also, try out your local used video game stores for great deals on games and equipment.  Your local video rental store also has used movies and games for a fraction ($3.99 and up) of the new price and are usually guaranteed. 

For younger kids, look into your local dollar stores.  I have recently been to Family Dollar and saw a huge collection of name brand toys for $5-$15 each.  They had Disney toys and dolls, Dora the Explorer, and educational toys.  Guess what?  Your kids will never know that you only spent $5 on their favorite doll.  Again, I will tout my favorite saving spot – the thrift store.  Last year, I spent a total of less than $10 and bought 2 Leap Frog toys and a driving toy.  I cleaned them up with Clorox wipes and put in new batteries and they were as good as new.  Also, the thrift store has an abundance of children’s books.  You could buy a collection of books for 50 cents each!

GIFTS FOR FAMILY

A great way to save money on gifts for family is to have a name draw.  Just jot down everyone’s name on a slip of paper and each person draws a name.  Put a price limit on the gift and you have saved a lot of money.  You can also have a family get-together with no gifts – everyone just prepare a dish for a great potluck. 

If you still feel the need to buy gifts for everyone, try the thrift store (again).  There are always bath gift sets, unopened, great artwork and books.  Try discount stores such as Fashion Bug, Walmart and Target for items under $10 that are brand new.

SAVE MONEY AT THE WORKPLACE

Just another way to get you to spend money this season – having to buy gifts for co-workers.  Again, suggest a name draw or potluck instead of having to buy each person a gift.  The boss has enough money so include them in on the name draw or potluck – it is unnecessary to buy them an expensive gift when they can buy it for themselves.

Just remember the true meaning of Christmas and do not get too stressed about buying things.  If someone gets upset that you did not buy them enough, then they probably didn’t deserve it in the first place!  Try to have actvities, such as cookie baking, sledding or decorating rather than focusing on stuff.

#9   Drug Samples
If you don’t have health insurance, prescriptions can be expensive.  Next time you go to see your doctor, ask them if they can give you any samples of your prescription.  They usually have some laying around and don’t mind giving you what they can.  My doctor used to give me almost 6 months worth of samples at a time – this saved me about $300!

#8   Have Someone Get a Simple Prescription for You
OK, so this one may not be quite ethical but are the insurance companies ethical?  If you have the flu or something that requires a simple antibiotic or a zpak, ask a family member who has insurance to try and get a prescription for you.  I know this is lying, but when you don’t have insurance, this can help save you hundreds in a visit to the doctor to get the same thing.

#7   Generic Medicines
There is a warning that generic medicines sometimes do not hold up as well as the name brand meds.  But if you find that the prescription you need is a close match and you have no adverse side affects, you can save 20-60% of the cost for your medicine.  A lot of big chain pharmacies have discount programs in place for generics so that you can save.

#6   Preventative Measures
This is the best way to save if you don’t have health insurance – don’t get sick!  Haha, I know, impossible, right?  But if you take preventative measures the likelihood of getting sick will diminish.  The most important thing to do is wash your hands and do not touch your nose and eyes.  A lot of times we think that our hands are clean and rub or scratch our eyes or nose – this is the best way for bacteria to enter into your system!  Eat plenty of citrus, veggies and drink lots of water.  Check out Prevention Magazine for more tips at:  www.prevention.com.

#5   Free Clinics
A lot of communities have free clinics that you can go to when in need of medical help.  Some places hold odd hours or are only open certain hours of the day, but contact your jobs and family services center to find out where a free clinic near you is located.  It is kind of a pain not to get immediate assistance but it is free.

                         
#4  The Health Department
Another great place to go when you are sick or need simple medical procedures or tests is your local health department.  It does cost you a little but nowhere near how much it would cost to go to a doctor or ER.  Some places require you to get an appointment for certain things, but usually you can just walk right in. 

#3  Free Flu Shots
In the beginning of flu season some health departments, local grocery store pharmacies and even retail stops have those who administer free seasonal flu shots.  Call your local health department or community center to find out where you can get one.  I was a manager at a large thrift store chain and they had health department workers who would come in and set up a table and administer free flu shots to those who wanted one while their supplies lasted.

#2   Ask Your Local Hospital About Any Grants That They Might Have
A lot of hospitals have programs that they officiate dealing with grants to administer free testing or services to those in need.  For example, our local hospital has a grant to give free mammograms to those who do not have insurance and are at high-risk.

#1   Befriend a Nurse or Doctor
Most people have a nurse or doctor in their circle of family and friends.  You can ask for their free opinion if there is something that is ailing you and maybe be able to reach a diagnosis.  There are also a lot of online sites that explain in detail certain ailments, their symptoms and treatment, such as www.webmd.com.  I know this is not the best possible way to get help but it could save you a lot of money on tests if you already have an idea of what is wrong with you.  Then,  if you go into the doctor’s office with knowledge you can curtail any unnecessary tests and treatments.

#10  Day Care Teacher/Assistant

The turnover rate is high for day care facilities so there are almost always available jobs in these establishments.  A caveat, however, is that there is a reason for high turnover.  This job is not easy and can be stressful at times.  Usually you are going to be responsible for up to 13 kids at a time by yourself.  It can be rewarding but be prepared with plenty of activities to keep the kids busy and wash your hands as much as possible so that you do not get sick.  Here’s how to get the job:   Call the day care centers in your area and ask if there are any openings.  If you have any experience with children, let them know.  Have three references ready that will give you a good word.  You may have to attend some training classes and get a background check, but the day care ususally pays for these services.  Pay can be anywhere from minimum wage to $10-15 per hour.

#9  Fast Food

Don’t get too uppity for this job because some fast food places, such as Chipotle will pay you $8-10 per hour just to make burritos and clean a little bit.  Here’s how to get this job:  Show up at fast food restaurant a little dressed up (not too much because you’re not really impressing anyone) and fill out an application.  Ask for the Manager and hand it directly to them, introduce yourself and ask when they will be calling you for an interview.  A lot of places when they need an employee, will sometimes have an on-the-spot interview and you could start tomorrow.  Warning for this type of job is that it is none too challenging, but if you can make friends with your co-workers, it makes the time go by faster.  You can earn anywhere from minimum wage to $10-12 per hour.  I have heard that top-paying fast food places are:  Chipotle, White Castle, Subway and Wendy’s.

#8  Gas Station CSR

This is also a job that has a high turnover rate, but that means an available position may be waiting for you to fill.  These jobs usually only pay minimum wage and can be a lot of work but if you have a positive attitude with the customers, it makes it a lot easier.  Warning for this job is true for any CSR job – customers can be angry for no reason.  Just smile and call for a manager – you don’t get paid enough to put up with that crap!  Pay is usually minimum wage – $8-9 per hour.

#7  Baby-Sitting

If you know a lot of folks in your community or anyone with children – offer a baby-sitting service.  This is tax-free money and flexible.  True, it probably isn’t going to pay all of the bills but you can try to do it full-time.  Check out this website where you can post and find baby-sitting jobs in your area:  http://www.sittercity.com/.  There are more like this, just google baby-sitting services.  The pay is definitely going to vary but you can set your own price and hours and maybe get to raid their fridge!

#6  Seasonal Help

Christmas is coming sooner than I’d like to think but the good part is a lot of retail companies are looking for extra help as early as October!  You can look on retailers’ websites for available positions or stop in, fill out an application and mark “seasonal help” as desired position.  If you are flexible and willing to work some overtime this can be totally worth it.  I once worked at a retailer for Christmas break and with commission I made over $2000 in about 3-4 weeks!  Look for jobs that will give overtime or commission to optimize your pay because most retailers pay minimum to $8-9 per hour. 

#5  Waiter/Waitress/Busser

This was not the job for me – I hated being a waitress.  But – there are always available waitress/waiter/bussing jobs.  Just stop in any restaurant that you like and seems friendly and ask for an application.  The pay here is low (don’t be scared) at about $2-3 per hour but you make up the difference in tips.  If you are nice and reasonably ok at this job you can make a lot of cash money on the spot.  Warning – don’t go for restaurants where the wait-staff seems cut-throat.  You will get dumb shifts, like 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. where you will not make any money.  Try for the weekend shifts and evenings if possible.

#4  Flea Markets

If you have wares to peddle and some tables, you can set up shop at year-round flea markets for cash money.  We have a local flea market that goes on every month.  It costs about $10-15 per table and the rest of the money you make  is yours.  Warning – this can be a little hard to manage if you do not have a truck or SUV to carry everything in.  Search ebay and other online shops to see where things are selling at (price-wise) and knock about 1/3 to 1/2 off of that and that is a reasonable flea market price.  I love to sell things and think it’s great fun - but it’s not for everyone.

#3  Online Selling/Freelancing

There are so many online sales and freelancing sites that it is possible to sign up, start now and start earning some money.  Some great selling sites are:  www.etsy.com, www.artfire.com (free), www.ecrater.com (free), and www.ebay.com.  Some great freelancing sites are:  www.guru.com, www.ifreelance.com, and www.sologig.com.  Also, there are tons of sites where you can sel them your items, such as books, movies, dvds, cds, and games.  Some of these sites are:  www.cash4books.net, www.cashforcds.com,  www.gamepawn.com, www.secondspin.com – and more!  Just google what you would like to do or sell and there will be a site for it. 

#2  House Cleaning

If you don’t mind getting a little dirty, you can clean family members or friends houses for cash money.  If you only do it a couple of times a week you might be able to make an extra $100-200 a week if you charge $50 – 100.  Warning – if you hate to clean you may not want to try this.  People expect when they are paying you to clean that you do a thorough job – like spring-cleaning good.  Just call some family or friends and ask if they would like you to clean for them.  Chances are they would prefer someone they know to come into their home than a stranger and they feel good for helping you out!

#1  Substitute Teaching

If you have a Bachelors degree and can’t find a job – just call your local educational services center or local school district office and ask how they want you to apply for Substitute Teaching.  You usually have to get a background check and TB test before getting your license, but once you get it you are eligible to teach grades K-12 any time you want.  Our system has an online service where you can check and cancel jobs online – you don’t even have to talk to anyone.  The teacher will leave you notes on what the kids will do that day – it’s pretty easy once you get the hang of it.  Warning – you have to establish yourself to the kids – do not let them walk all over you or show weakness or else they will kill you.  Just establish rules along with school rules and let them know who’s boss and you’ll be ok.  The pay for subbing can be anywhere from $70-100 per day.

A great noncommittal occupation is sometimes hard to find. You can try to freelance, sell on ebay or find a part-time job. Another, sometimes overlooked, noncommittal job is Substitute Teaching. We all remember Substitute Teachers when we were in school. A fun excuse to not listen, act up and party hardy while the teacher is gone, just hoping that the sub won’t rat you out for your behavior. Why not be that academic punching bag you remember so fondly? Honestly, it’s not that bad. The younger students think you are a real teacher and listen fairly well to your instructions. The older kids don’t care who is there and are pretty self-sufficient.  Also, you are never bored because each day is a new adventure, teaching different age levels and subjects and you leave the stress at the door when you leave!
 

After graduating from college in 2003 with an English degree, I felt I would easily find a great, high-paying job. Well, six years later I am still trying to fit my way in to the successful working world. I decided to Substitute teach after graduating and did so for a couple of years while holding down another part-time job. I was younger and had trouble relating with the kids and simply did not like it very much. I then went into Retail Management for four years and made pretty good money but was miserable. Being constantly micromanaged to the point of no return, I decided that I needed to have more time for myself and travel less (I had a 2 hour a day commute). I decided to give Substitute Teaching another try. After being in the bowels of society (retail) it is so refreshing and rewarding now. I am in charge, respected and make my own schedule. Plus, you have so many funny stories to tell because the kids are hilarious.
 

So, how do you go about being a Substitute Teacher? I live in Ohio and in this state all you need is a Bachelors degree (in anything), a background check, a clean bill of tuberculosis and contact your local Substitute service center to fill out paperwork. Then you can renew your license every spring for the following year. It is good also as a back-up job in case, in these trying times, you lose your current job. In Ohio, once you are licensed, you can check for jobs online and pick the ones that you would like. Also, an automated calling system calls you for jobs too. You are not required to take the jobs that are listed so if you do not feel like going that day or have something else going on, you need not explain yourself to anyone. You are also able to cancel a job typically without even having to talk to anyone in person. You are like an independent contractor. You also are automatically set up with a State Teachers Retirement Fund. The more you work, the more you get paid. Also, sometimes you can land a provisional teaching job if you prove to be efficient because some teachers have to take a leave of absence mid-year and the school would be comfortable putting someone they were familiar with in that position rather than interviewing loads of teachers they do not know.
 

So there has to be a catch, right? Well…yes. If you live in a snowy state such as I do, and have a snow day with school being canceled, you do not get paid that day as a regular teacher does. Also, when summer approaches, you are out of a job for three months. And the occasional “sticky” situation can occur in the classroom. I once had a student chop off about 1/3 of her hair during a cut and paste activity and I freaked. I calmly took her next door to another teacher to ask her how to handle the situation. We took away her scissors, wrote a note to her real teacher so that scissor privileges would be enforced and then I had to tell the students mother what happened at the end of the day. You never know with parents how they will react to you as the teacher. But, surprisingly, she barely acknowledged me and focused on the student. Phew! I was so glad she did not blame me for the incident. You are responsible for the students’ safety but with 27 kindergartners and one of you, I call that a god day.
 

It is also really interesting to see the differences in school systems even though they are in the same vicinity they differ a great deal. I have seen some really great programs and staff and some not-so great ones. Some left me somewhat perturbed and a little angry. I wish that all parents could sit in for at least one day to see how their child’s day plays out. I think that they might appreciate a child’s struggle a great deal more.
 

If you do decide to Substitute Teach, get ahold of the educational services center in your area in late summer or the spring before school’s out to optimize the timing of being on the roster. Sometimes, it can take about a month for your background check and paperwork to be cleared. Also, check out thrift stores for materials because unfortunately some teachers do not leave you much work to do or none at all and believe me – especially if you have younger students – every second that they have nothing to do can result in chaos! I have found lesson plans, Dr. Seuss and Berenstain Bears videos at thrift store for 50-90 cents each as well as free print outs online. I take these with me as a back up so that I will be prepared. Most teachers will be more than happy to help you out if you are in this situation but there are schools that virtually ignore you and you are on your own. I once subbed for a sick Kindergarten teacher who was out for 4 days and was unable to leave lesson plans. The other teachers generously gave me print outs, activities and videos and checked in on me throughout my time there.
 

Substitute Teaching also opens up ideas on whether you would be interested in teaching full-time. In Ohio, it is rather difficult to get licensed, otherwise I would be a full-time teacher. But in other states, especially those who have teacher shortages (Florida, for one) you can find recruitment services and can teach even if you do not have a degree. My fiancé is finishing up his Masters in teaching and we are seriously thinking about moving down there so that he can find a teaching job more easily and perhaps I can teach too without falling further into student loans as we already are. Either way, I am enjoying Substitute Teaching and have a lot of stories to tell and feel good about helping students reach their potential.

Sell Your Books (For Cash)

I have so many books and buy them very cheaply at thrift stores, yard sales and library book sales so this interested me a lot.  I found a few websites that stated they would pay you by check or PayPal for your used books as long as they met with their criteria.  www.cash4books.net s one that I am very excited about.  They have a feature on their site that will give you an instant quote on your books by tping in the ISBN number located above the barcode on the back.  So, you know how much they will pay you upfront and they will provide shipping for you and simply send you a check.  www.webuytextbooks.com  is another site that I found that primarily buys textbooks through check or PayPal and will provide shipping.  I think this is great because even when buying textbooks from a university the bookstore you bought it from may not buy it back or will give you a ridiculously low figure for them.

Sell cds/dvds (For Cash)

I also collect a ton of movies and often get duplicates of movies through gifts or sometimes I forget that I have a movie and rebuy it because there are so many!  (Sad, I know).  Anyway, there are a few websites that I found that will buy your used cds, dvds – even if the case is missing or cracked.  www.cash4cds.com is one site that I found that will give you a quote and provide shipping specials for you.  www.secondspin.com is another site that will buy cds and dvds but I think you’re on your own with shipping unless you sell over $50 worth of materials.  www.newtonvideo.com allows you to browse their list and gives quotes for items they are buying.  Shipping is included here.

Sell Your Electronics (For Cash)

There are also websites that will buy your electronics for cash.  One site is www.gazelle.com.  Another is www.treehugger.com and www.abundatrade.com.  The only drawback I have found with the electronic sites are that the electronics are pretty new and top of the line.  Usually when I want to get rid of something it is a bit older and not a brand new ipod or blackberry.  Otherwise it seems fair and on abundatrade you can opt to trade items. 

Other Free (or Almost Free) Selling Sites

Some other sites that I have found are, of course, www.craigslist.org and www.thesocexchange.com.  The latter mentioned site seems to be in the beginning stages and takes awhile to load pages and seems a bit new so I’m not sure about it yet, but you can sell as much as you want on the site for $1 a month or $10 a year.  www.gamepawn.com will buy video games.  Also, there are a lot of used movie stores, video game stores and music stores that will buy back your items in person and give you cash or credit.  We have a store in Ohio that will give you cash or store credit for your clothes, shoes and accessories.  The drawback is that they are so picky and if they do choose one shirt out of the twenty that you brought in, you may only get $1 while they’ll sell it for $15.  But, it’s better than nothing, right? 

Consignment

I was a Manager at a furniture consignment store for almost three years and have reaped the benefits as a seller when I worked there.  Typically, consignment agreements are that the store agrees to take your items (clothes, furniture, etc.) and once it sells you will get a portion of what it sells for (usually 50%) via check or store credit.  It’s an easy way to get an extra check twice a month and it helps to take pictures of furniture before lugging it down to the store to see if they’re interested or not.  I used to buy things from yard sales, mark them up for the store, sell them for way more than what I paid for it and made big profits (well, for example – bought a fireplace set for $3 at a yard sale – sold it for $75 and received 90% of what it sold for).   There are a lot of outlets to sell your stuff but I think it would be nice to sell for free, get a check and get reimbursed for shipping.  Call me crazy but it sounds like a good deal to me!

Recycle
Not only is recycling an excellent way to do your part in keeping our world clean but it holds benefits for you as well. If you recycle aluminum cans, cardboard, paper, copper scrap, etc. you can make a small profit. If you don’t mind taking them to your local recycling center yourself, you could make $10 or more cash. I know it’s not much money, but every little bit helps. For example, I took in 2 garbage bags of aluminum cans (uncrushed) and got back around $6. Note that prices do fluctuate and with a lot more people trying to find ways to earn an extra buck, the prices might be lower if they already have a lot of that particular item. Also, there are some people out there who steal copper and steel from sites and homes so they will ask you for identification if you are recycling copper, steel or any type of scrap metal.

Coinstar
You can find this service at most grocery stores. If you’re like me, you keep every penny but are uncomfortable in using them in excess when buying something (i.e., counting out 100 pennies may get you some unneeded hatred from the line forming behind you). I like to keep my change in a central location (I use a small basket). I find change when cleaning out my purse, doing laundry and cleaning the house. When my basket is full, I take it in to my local grocery store and use the Coinstar machine. You just drop in your coins, the machine calculates how much is there (they do take a slight percentage) and it prints out a cash voucher that you can turn around and cash in at the help desk. Last time I took my basket in, I made $10 from all my pennies, nickels and dimes (I use most of my quarters).

Secondhand Boutiques
There are some secondhand stores (not thrift stores) that will give you a cash option for your items or a store credit (usually the store credit worth more). The city I live near has a book store, clothing store and cd store like this. The only catch is that they give a very small percentage for your items and are usually picky, but this helps keep the concept and style of the store intact so I understand. The items that they don’t take I give to the local thrift store and get a tax receipt.

Antique Dealers and Auction Houses
If you have some furniture that has been passed down or you found for a good deal but now have no place for it and want cash for it, try bringing a picture of the item to your local antique shops and ask them if they’re interested. Again, you will probably only get a fraction of what the item is worth, but you can get the cash for it now instead of waiting for it to sell on consignment. Also, if you have a lot of items or an estate, try contacting an auction house. They will sell your items for a cut and give the rest of the money to you. Many auction houses will even pick up the items for you.

Pawnshops
Pawnshops are very popular these days because of the need for extra cash. You can take an item in and the clerk will give you a price for the item they feel is fair (keep in mind, the price will be lower than the actual worth because they need to make a profit too). I have never utilized a pawnshop but I would suggest knowing the worth of the item will help so that you won’t get ripped off.

Don’t Overbuy at the Grocery Store
I absolutely hate throwing food away that hasn’t even been touched.  I feel terrible that it was wasted and I think of how much money I had spent on that item and I feel like I’m throwing that away too.  There are a few tips for not wasting food.  Plan out (roughly) 7 meals and only buy these core meals and then see what other foods you may need.  Only buy in bulk items that can be frozen, are in box form, or most beverages.  If you have leftovers, take it for your lunch and take enough for a friend at work who may have forgotten his/her lunch.  Take box/can food that you will never eat to a local food bank (virtually every city has one – you may just not know it).  I am very curious to see if those green bags work – I would love to know!
Fabric Art
If you have a favorite fabric pattern or just need a splash of a certain color on a wall here is an easy solution for that problem.  Take an old wood frame or get one at a thrift store for a few dollars, take your fabric (or get fabric at the thrift store for $1-5) and stretch it over the frame.  Staple the fabric to the frame making sure it is taught.  Cut off the access fabric and turn over.  You now have a very stylish piece of art ready to hang.

Redo Pillows
You can use almost anything to recover an old pillow.  I have used old fabric, old curtains, a favorite t-shirt, even ribbon.  Also, as I have mentioned before, you can use old dresses or sentimental clothing as a pillow cover as well as quilt.
Spray Conditioner
Rinse out an empty spray bottle (hairspray, for example) and add 1/3 conditioner to the bottle and fill the rest with water.  Shake well and you now have spray conditioner to get the tangles out.
Quick Gift Boxes
We all have lidded tins laying around the house and probably not in use.  You can always give to someone with cookies inside but you can also spray paint the tin and add a bow and it makes a lovely gift box.