Never pay full price for maxi pads again!

Sending away for free samples can really help you stretch your budget. I know it's dorky, but I also really like getting things in the mail. The samples are generally small so that alone won't make much of an impact on your spending, but since they often send coupons along with the samples, you can cut your costs on things you'd buy anyway by checking whether the manufacturer's website offers samples or printable coupons.

In the past month, I've gotten free samples of feminine hygiene products in the mail twice, once by going to the manufacturer's website and once from the free sample section at Wal-Mart's website (just type "free samples" into the search box on their main page). Now I have two $1 off coupons for my preferred brand that are good until June of next year so I can wait for a sale and then stock up. I take a similar approach to toothpaste, deodorant, soap, and other non-perishables.

Jimmy Carter was right.

You should put on a sweater if you're cold. You can lower your utility bills and reduce your carbon footprint. What could be better than that?

Thrifty behavior and environmentally friendly behavior are frequently one and the same. Compact fluorescent bulbs save money over their lifetimes even though they require a slightly larger initial outlay. Better home insulation lowers heating and cooling bills. Water heater blankets and shorter showers will reduce your bills as well. Beans and rice are far cheaper than meat. Thrift store and yard sale shopping mean you sometimes can get an entire outfit for a couple of bucks, and nothing new had to be manufactured to satisfy your desires. The list could go on and on. Please, consider whether a few small changes could help both your pocketbook and your planet.