$1 plus 50 cents a trip to the table.

You buy a car, not a brand.

CostCo has sales, too. Some items seem to go on significant sale once a quarter, like baggies and soda and paper goods.

The #10 cans of tomato are incredibly cheap at CostCo, about the same as a jar of spaghetti sauce in the grocery store. They even sell spaghetti sauce in the can. Mix with a can of diced and freeze in quart baggies. Before freezing we divide up the mixture and add different ingredients to make quart bag before…

We love Aldi's, but you do need to look at labels carefully (especially on frozen food, we don't buy any food from Asia). Some products are inferior, like coffee creamer. Most are the same as name brands, though. Produce specials are spectacular, when something is in season it is generally half to a quarter the…

Are you rural with little competition? We have lots of competition, only the "food court" super stores don't beat Walmart.

We are frugal and compare prices on the non-teaser everyday items. Produce is at least 25% higher in Walmart than smaller local "simple" supermarket chains (Food Lion, Aldi's, some Weis stores, etc.). Walmart has great prices on non-food (most of the time), just seems to be that food that is higher. Walmarts here in…

I assume Woodmans is a small local chain. That is exactly the point I was making, they can negotiate better deals because they work local and don't need to supply nationwide. Don't know where they are physically located, but the Walmarts here in Maryland are in prime real estate big-box developments right off the…

Southwest makes it real easy to cash in on lowered/sale fares, can do it right online. They pay difference in a credit that is good for a year, apply to next purchase. No scary cancel/rebook, just a change transaction so there is no risk of losing seat.

CostCo and Aldi's is a terrific combination. Then shop a gourmet (which most national chains are) about every 2-3 months for specialty items. Walmart is about 15-20% higher than smaller basic chains. Is any store higher than Safeway? They are 50% higher than CostCo/Aldi and 25% higher than every other chain here.

Quite the opposite. Who do you think pays for those huge prime-real-estate locations? And those super huge aisles, food courts, stocking 20 types of ketchup, mounds of exotic fruits and vegetables that generate lots of maintenance and waste costs, cases of cheeses that need special cases? You do. There is a reason…

If you plan on living in an area for some period of time then take a Saturday to get familiar with the thrift shops nearby. Identify independent stores that put out only their own donations and price everything the same, avoid ones that stock from some warehouse and price clothing by brand. It'll become very…

Shake in a lidded small plastic container, so if you hit the edge of the sink while shaking you don't sever off a finger.

On clothes. People that buy clothes come later (10am), so put those out last. Kids stuff also sells later (9am). People looking for furniture start at 7am, be ready for them. If you have antique furniture you may want to bring it to auction (that is where those early furniture buyers go with your stuff).

If nothing is priced and it is busy (early), then I typically leave. I'm not going to wait as you decide on a $1 item for someone else. Nothing is worse than a group decision when you ask a price. Big tip: the people that have the money come early so be slow to pass up people offering to buy a whole lot of items. …

First of all there are 3 types of yard sales: 1) When you just want to get rid of stuff regardless of value cause you hate to throw stuff out, 2) When you have organized boxes of stuff to get rid of but plan on having multiple yard sales so you want to get a good price, 3) When you buy stuff specifically for your own…

Do the same with a layer cake

Find restaurants that are inexpensive AND good. We have a Mexican restaurant we can get 2 dinners & sodas & good tip for $20 with a coupon (comes with chips & salsa, sometimes end up with lunch for the next day, too). We have learned to get an appetizer and split a entree at a Chinese restaurant, just enough food…

Pure olive oil? I've tried EVOO with horrible results.

We prefer to put a cup of the taters in a plastic bag, shape into a disc about 3/4" tall (shape of a hamburger.) Stack bags in freezer. To use one later with leftovers from another meal, place the frozen disc in the center of the plate and surround with your leftovers. Cover and microwave on high until all food is…