Money Saving Tip #91: Don't Toss Over-Ripe Bananas

Everyone in my family loves bananas. We buy so many of them at the store that they sometimes become too over-ripe before we get to eat them. Rather than throwing them in the garbage, freeze them! Once they become a little too spotted for my liking, I peel them, cut them into thirds, and place them in a container in the freezer.

There are plenty of good uses of a frozen banana. Here are two:

1. Place a dessert stick in one end of a piece of banana. Freeze. Eat as a frozen treat.
2. Use the frozen portions to make your own smoothies. Stay tuned for my favorite homemade recipe.

Money Saving Tip #90: Wash Your Dish Sponge

Instead of tossing your dish sponge in the garbage every couple of weeks, wash it and re-use it. My husband and I will put our sponge in the dishwasher and let it wash alongside our dishes. We can get several more weeks of use out of our sponges.

Money Saving Tip #89: Don't Buy "Dry Clean Only"

I fully support buying quality clothing in an effort to get more use out of your items. However, I discourage you from buying items that must be dry cleaned only. Getting clothes dry cleaned can cost a lot of money. The cost comes in the clothing, tip (optional), and fuel cost in dropping off and picking up your clothes.

You can buy dry cleaning supplies at the store, but these can be quite costly too. Buy clothing made of fabrics that you can wash yourself.

Money Saving Tip #88: Should You Buy a Water Heater Blanket

We recently had to replace our water heater for our home. While the plumber was here, I asked him about the effectiveness of a water heater blanket. He said that water heaters are designed with internal insulation, so unless you have a very old water heater, it is a waste of money. They cost anywhere from $20-$50.

He said to touch the drum. If it feels very hot to the touch, you may have an old unit and may need to cover it with a water heater blanket.

Water heater blankets are available for both gas and electric water heaters. However, he cautioned ever putting one on a gas water heater.

Money Saving Tip #87: Hang Dry Some of Your Clothes

Cut down on the amount of time and electricity your dryer needs to dry your clothes by reducing the amount of clothes in your dryer. Instead of putting my jeans in the dryer, I hang dry them inside my house. I either drape them over my shower or towel rack.

If your neighborhood allows you to have a clothes-line in your backyard, you can hang dry all your clothes and linens.

Places like Target and Bed, Bath and Beyond sell clothes drying racks that you can set up easily in your room or over your bathtub.

Money Saving Tip #86: Call the Doctor for Advice

Office visit co-pays and prescription medication can be quite costly.

If you, or one of your kids, is feeling a little under the weather, try calling your doctor's office for advice before you schedule an office visit. The doctor or nurse can give you some possible treatments and remedies over the phone. He or she can also tell you if the condition is "going around."

The doctor or nurse will tell you to schedule a visit if the condition worsens or doesn't get better.

Money Saving Tip #85: Movie Night at Home

When you visit the local movie theater, each person is charged for admittance. Save that money and rent a movie instead. Renting from the Red Box only costs $1.00 for a 24-hour rental. So, renting a movie for your kids and another one for the parents is still significantly cheaper than going to the movies.

Netflix is also affordable too. If you purchase the Watch Instantly plan, you can watch as many movies through your television or computer for about $8.00 per month. Visit their website for more details on how to play movies instantly.

Money Saving Tip #84: Unplug Your Cell Phone Charger

It doesn't take all night to charge your cell phone. Depending on your phone, it probably only needs to charge for about an hour. When you leave your charger plugged in, it is still drawing some electricity.

Money Saving Tip #83: Make Your Own Baby Food

Let's face it, baby food is expensive, especially if you buy the organic variety.  I have been making my own baby food for my last 2 children.  I have saved lots of money doing so.  The process is not hard, and you don't need to buy any "how-to" books to do it.

If you have a food processor or blender, you can make you own baby food for a fraction of the cost. 

I bought a butternut squash at the grocery store for $3.14.  I used that squash to make more than 27 ounces of baby food ($0.11 per ounce).

Visit your produce section of the grocery store.  Select the fruits and vegetables you want your baby to have.  If the item is already soft like a banana, strawberry, or avocado, all you need to do is mash it with a fork and serve.  If the item is firm, like potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, or carrots, you will need to soften them first.  You can do this several ways.  I like to bake/roast the vegetable until it is fork tender.  Then I either use a fork to mash or put it in my food processor to puree.  Once I have finished, I pour individual servings into an ice cube tray and freeze.  When I need to serve, I take a few cubes out, defrost, and serve to my little one.  You can even mix the foods like broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. 

Money Saving Tip #82: Use Less Shampoo and Conditioner

When it comes to shampoo and conditioner, most of us use far too much. We like the idea of making for absolute sure that our hair is clean and softened. In truth, we only need to use about a quarter size amount of both shampoo and conditioner for average length hair. My hair falls about 3 inches below my shoulders, and ths amount is perfect.

Another tip for using shampoo and conditioner is knowing where to apply it. Shampoo should be applied around the scalp, but not the length because it can dry out your hair. Conditioner, on the contrary, should be applied to the length, not around the scalp. I apply conditioner below my ears and down.