The way jobs are going we all should learn quickly how to save, it is going to be harder for the ones who have never tried, maybe devastating to some, so don't put off at least giving it a try!Things are looking bad for our economy, but if you start now you can get the idea quickly enough, it just takes practice and not giving in to grabbing just anything that appeals to you, and you may find yourself getting much healthier while you are at it. If you have been a two salary family and one loses their job, you can make it if you try. Well you will have to so best to be prepared. You can never base a budget on two working just for this reason. Always put a little money back for emergencies, let it grow and pretend it's a get out of trouble free card. Most of us have needed those at some point and if you have a partner, working with them and planning things out can be a lot of fun and bring you closer together and save the stress of what it could be otherwise. As the number of hungry is growing and food banks going empty this a a serious hub and subject. Even if you are one of the lucky ones, will you watch other family members such as siblings and their families or your friends or neighbors. go hungry?

When I first married my husband, house painting and wallpaper hanging was how he made money, he had helped his dad and it was all he knew and although there were some nice profits in this during the summer, we lived where summers were very short so I learned at a very young age to save enough in the summer to get us through the winter also. Not that there was no work in cold months but it certainly slowed way down. I did not start working until I got my two babies in school and since this let us live with one car and I saved on clothing I would have needed had I worked plus the cost of a car and gas and babysitter, I felt it was the right choice for me. I had the car to use evenings and weekends, that was enough for me, I didn't trust my husband babysitting too long anyway.

I believe those tight budget winters has taught me to never splurge even in good times, I just could not make myself, and my husband totally agrees with me, in fact he is worse than me, I have to make him buy certain things for himself or just go over his head and buy it, but I am the same with him. It just becomes a part of you after so many years.

I suppose I inherited from my father the concern for people going hungry and that is my main concern today, all the children in our country going hungry while our tax money is handed over to the rich and other countries, it is absolutely not right. Also clothing which I have always been blessed with maybe because I could never throw clothes away knowing all the ones out there needing clothing. Nothing breaks my heart more than to see people take almost new clothing to a trash dump rather than GoodWill or Salvation Army, etc. I will never be able to understand the mind or heart of anyone who could do that. It is so selfish and thoughtless to say the least.

First of all I am sure you have all heard it but it is a must. Do not grocery shop hungry! Check the sale papers each week and pick up things you prefer from that, it's rare I don't find several things I can save dollars and coupons are great, but greater even used on a sale item and I've gotten things almost free when I find a double coupon store, and triple though rare...wow! Always check your receipt, I have gone back quite a few times being overcharged or charged twice for one item. Maybe this seems a lot of work but saving money makes it all worth it, and believe it or not I have been behind people in check out lines, in front of me, much more a pro at this than me and usually a proud husband beside her. I think my husband is proud but he walks on out while I may hold up a line to not be cheated, but I don't mind, many stores put their items on sale but haven't gotten it fixed in the scanner so I keep out a sharp eye on the register, sure beats going to returns and waiting there. Many people keep an exact amount of what they have saved and I have never gone that far, but if it's an incentive and helps get your kids or family involved, go for it. I also find people sometimes cannot figure their percentages off or realize some stores mark their prices up before having this percent off, which is not saving you at all. So develop your math or let someone in the family who is best at it if you can't. My daughter is horrible with percentages, they mean nothing to her, but she likes to save money. Her husband is great with math but has to have the best. But she does understand a few things such as buy one, get one free, and saves knowing a sale price is good, just forget percentages. I find this true with some friends too. Well, I hated algebra, but my math was great! Especially percentages off!

We shake our heads at the idea of going out and spending big money on a meal that I can make at home for a fraction of the cost and knowing it is a healthy and low fat meal, or feed several other people who do not have a meal at all. We had been through quite a few of giving in to temptation only to be sorry later having the money gone and the food not at all satisfying. Not that we never go out for a meal for anniversaries or celebrations or just neither feel like cooking but we have noticed that we, in all these years, are not as sick picking up colds and flu as our family and friends do all around us. I haven't had either in so many years I simply cannot remember, it could have been seven to ten years ago, but that is another story. I would look for food that was on sale or marked down, as long as it looked fresh and when money was in plenty I never passed a deal and would freeze it, or sometimes just eat it that very day such as fruit sales, in a fruit salad, very good overripe mixed with other fruits like crisp apple diced, banana, and some crunchy celery and nuts. I could also make jellies or pies and if no time then to do it, it could be wrapped, marked and frozen. Pretty much most of our long married life we have eaten what is on sale and we are very much alive and healthy and have never been without food. With the two children there was the four of us and even today I cook for four because it became such a habit it is hard to cook for two and besides there are so many benefits to that. Left over spaghetti will be saved two days (if you don't want spaghetti two days in a row) and then popped in the oven with a cover of low fat mozzarella, and its better than the first day I cooked it. We now fix our spaghetti without meat to keep our cholesterol low and use mushrooms as a meat substitute, its very delicious and that in a year is a big savings because we love spaghetti.Of course I am aware many people never use meat in spaghetti but we always loved it, but now would never go back to it. I make lasagna the same but with low fat cheeses( I mix cottage cheese with softened no fat cream cheese instead of ricotta which is so expensive and you don't know the difference, plus mozzarella and Parmesan of course and always make an extra to freeze for a quick special meal with no trouble, just toss up a salad and you have a feast. These cheeses can be picked up on sale and frozen also for when you need them, I just refrigerate the Parmesan, it lasts forever. Know where you get the best deals on certain things and map out a plan the day you shop to stop at these places in a sequence and keep a cooler in your trunk or back seat, to keep things from ruining or thawing as fast.

Left over beans can be eaten with another side dish so no meal becomes boring, or rinsed and mixed in a salad on a day with no meat, this is your protein. Overripe tomatoes can be scalded peeled, cooked to a simmer, cooled and frozen, they are delicious when thawed and cooked in a dish.tasting as if they just came from the garden, much better than canned. We only buy clothes that are on sale and honestly I really seem to find ones I like better on the sale rack and now living in the south there are yard sales for months and months! Some think they have gold so I pass those by, but for the most part I can find clothing with the tags still on for less than $5 and most times not more than $2. Only last week I got two beautiful blouses, with tags on, one $40 and one $30 and I paid $1 each.

Some people look down on yard sales but I think less people have handled these clothes than in a store and they go straight in the washer when I get home anyway. I have four air purifiers that cost me less than $20 for all and they all look new and do work. The GoodWill's near me charge too much for their clothing I think and I don't see too many people shopping there, especially in summer and I buy 80 to 90 % of my yard sale things new with tags or look new and smell fresh. I've gotten new Hane's sweats 50 cents each,new, because the tag was sown in backwards! I buy all I find and share the bounty, all sizes. I bought a bamboo entertainment center for $10! Everyone loves it, it is beautiful. Lately my husband will go with me since he has learned from my expertise to find what I might miss and if something you find you think is too high it doesn't hurt to bargain, it doesn't hurt to say I will buy this, this and this (things you found good prices on ) if you will take less for that. Almost always works for me.They are getting rid of lots in a single sale and get it over with, it gets hot pretty fast in the south and having had a few myself, I find going to yard sales is much more fun than having one even if it does mean you are earning instead of spending. Yard sales that last more than one day are good to go back to on the last day if you saw things you may have liked but didn't want to pay the price for, they just want it gone by then, I've even seen signs saying take what you want and no one around! And I did,:). But you do have to learn not to take what you don't want or need nor does anyone you know.:) The huge pots for your indoor and outdoor that are so expensive in stores new can always be found at a deal and those usually you can say how about so much off if I take them all?

Even in grocery stores when they haven't marked down their overripe bananas and I need some to go in my smoothies I will pick out ones I know they are willing to mark down (haven't gotten to it yet), just on the brink, but totally still good, and go ask the guy working in that department. I have never had a no. Years ago and miles away because there is no Kroger's where I live now, they had a policy that if they overcharged you, you got back the overcharge plus a free one, and if it was three you got overcharged on you got three free. I was taught this by a single male friend of ours by the way, for the guys out there who think only a woman could do this! I told my daughter-in-law and I think she made a living from it! ( Not really, she was a very hard worker, always had a job.) But she did go looking and reporting back to me, it was really fun for us anyway if not for Kroger's. They may have since changed that policy because they never looked too happy about it of course, but it was their policy after all, she was a little extravagant buying her name brand things, as did my son (not letting him off the hook and he may never learn to save I am thinking) but even here I guess this helped her to afford them. You can find your own ways, and if it's legal, go for it. I Christmas shop at yard sales all summer long and it is really fun. Maybe to some that seems overdoing on the cheap but it is very thoughtful to me. Whether in stores or at yard sales you keep an eye open when you see something that say a certain person would really love this and as a Christmas gift you may pay even more than the price you think it should go for at a yard sale or marked down retail price but you have saved money with it under retail plus not having to wait until Christmas and maybe have to buy that person something they would not like as much and pay a higher price, you may find nothing suitable or the rush is on and you have got to get it over and settle for less. It makes me sad when I can't be sure someone will like what I got them and it makes me happy looking with others in mind. I usually even find the wrapping paper or Christmas gift bags and wrap and tag as I go, that has made Christmas so much less hectic for me. You hear so often of how people winning millions are cursed, I can't imagine how that could be if they ever had to watch their budget. Once you learn to budget I don't see how you could ever change, I sure couldn't. It is definitely time! Don't forget after Christmas sales at certain stores you can find sales as low as 90% off! I especially look for the gift bags sometimes as low as a dime each and some things I might save for a birthday gift or next Christmas if you can afford it by then. My husband's birthday is in January so I always look for his gift in the after Christmas sales. But don't tell! Just today I found him a wonderful gift, brand new,low price at a yard sale and it was something I never knew existed. I know he will love it so it will be put back for part of his Christmas, its still in the boxit was bought in so allI have to do is fit it into the right size gift bag.

Maybe this all seem like hard work or a lot of trouble but it has made my life much easier and I feel a good steward over what I have been blessed with. I plan ahead and fix meals ahead to freeze as often as possible so unexpected company or a day I am dragging has already been dealt with. Save and freeze left over veggies to go in a soup this winter and pick up bones with only a little meat if you make soup, not only cuts back on fat but the bones and marrow are very good for you and flavors the soup just as well.

Shade your hot side of the house in summer and let sun in in winter, and turn the heat only high enough to keep water from freezing in winter, at night, just throw on an extra blanket. Also remember to cut heat down low when not at home, it doesn't take long to heat back up and after coming in from the cold even cool will feel warm to you. Wait until you have a load to wash clothing and cheap off brands of clorox ll work just as well and go in whites and colors and much saved on those. I soak mine overnight unless they are fragile so I don't have to agitate so long which wears out clothing faster and your washer, and with the no bleach powders you never have to worry about clothing sitting to long and the water souring, I have soaked dirty jeans etc for a couple days and just no problem whatsoever, i just keep adding to the washer and add water to a higher setting as the load gets larger. I dry many of my clothes just enough to get the wrinkles out then hang on a rack to finish drying, helps prevent shrinking too, besides money for using the dryer.

With only my husband and myself I only use half a cake mix in a smaller pan and I never use three eggs as most mixes call for in a whole mix, only two, with excellent results so in a half only one egg is needed. Speaking of eggs, try having breakfast for supper a couple times a month, easy and inexpensive. Cook up pastas and add to sauteed veggies, add Italian herbs that can be bought for as little as fifty cents and last a long time. Many things can be added to pasta for a delicious meal, even beans or tomatoes and onions and garlic always gives it all the pizazz it needs. Freeze left over buns or bread always that may mildew or go to waste to have with simple meals like this, thaw in the refrigerator for best results, toast under the broiler with butter and garlic powder. If you have kids get them involved and let them help come up with ideas. We all like to protect our children to think there could not be anything but a perfect world but with the statistics of the millions of young children not getting what they need to eat we need to teach our children the truth, even get them involved in helping the needy rather than have a catastrophe if they are ever put in the same position. We can't close our eyes to prevent what might happen to us, but we can prepare in case it does.