i grew up poor, i reuse envelopes, and stamps if i can...i am the Queen of Compensation, no matter where i go i seem to get it. We are not poor now, we can afford to go to Applebees 1x a week, but here is how we do it. we buy off the sale menu, anyplace we go, Call up and compliment the store manager, or while you're there, call the manager over and tell them how great their restaurant is and the waitres is, FREE dessert. if foor is yuckky, complain, but do it nicely, if service is good or bad, CONSTRUCTIVE is the word here, you get free stuff.
when making pasta, i put the cooked pasta in the jar of empty sauce, theres always alot left.
we only buy food that's on sale, we'll buy a monts worth so when it's not on sale we have it.
now i can buy fabric with leftovers.