$$$ Saver

You hear it on the news, you hear people talking about it. TV shows and magazine articles are sharing tips on how to do it. It seems as if it's on everyone's mind. What is it? How to cut costs.

This is nothing new. It is just at the front of everyone's minds right now given the current economic circumstances. Preparing for the worst-case scenario is a priority according to many economic experts and advisors appearing on news shows and in magazines. Job security is not what it was and neither is investing in the stock market.

As an organizer, it is my job not just to organize closets and rooms, but to show clients how living an organized lifestyle frees up time and money. It is my goal to change a client's way of life, not just how things are put away. Doing so leads to less stress and worry and more time and money.

Here are a few ways organized living leads to saving time and money.

• Less time is spent searching for an item when it has its own "home." I assign a place for everything and put it in its place. I know it will be there when I need it.
• Less time is spent shopping for replacement items when I am unable to find what I am looking for.
• Less money is spent when I know what I have. No need to duplicate purchases.
• Less money is spent when I am able to buy in bulk. If I am organized, I have the storage space for bulk items. I compare the price per unit and if the larger size is a savings, then I will buy it.
• Less money is spent when I am not throwing out expired food or medicine. Just as stores keep the oldest perishable items at the front, having an organized kitchen results in less waste. How many times have you thrown out an expired container of sour cream or a container with what looks to be a science experiment inside? Less food down the disposal or in the trash is more money in your pocket.
• Less money is spent on gas driving to the store to pick up only one or two items. I plan my errands so I am completing them when I am already going to be in the area for something else, such as work. The stores I frequent are near the schools and our daughters orthodontist, places I go to often enough.
• Less time is also spent when errands are planned. We live in a rural area and if I didn't plan my trips "into town", I would be spending a lot of time in the car. That's time I would rather spend doing a myriad of other things.
• Less time is spent compiling a shopping list by keeping a list on the refrigerator or nearby. Items are jotted down as they are used up or needed.

There are other ways I save money on groceries. I buy meat only when it's on sale and freeze it. The store I prefer for meat usually has a great sale on different meats weekly. And the sale price for larger quantities is certainly worth the price per pound. So, I might be spending more one month because I am buying larger quantities, but the average spent over a year is less than when I was buying meat fresh as a I needed it.

When I buy meat, I will put a dinner's worth in a freezer bag, remove as much air as possible and flatten the bag out. Less time is needed for thawing when it's flattened out. I do this for chicken, pork and hamburger. Hamburger, though, I go a step further. I will season and shape for burgers, meatballs and meatloaf. The rest I put about a pound per bag in freezer bags. Sometimes I will add a marinade or dry rub to the bag before freezing. The meat then marinades (or absorbs the rub) as it thaws.

Other perishable items that can be bought in large amounts, such as vegetables, I will also freeze. I don't always use up peppers and onions as quickly as I should, but I still buy them in large quantities when they are on sale. Peppers and onions can be diced or cut into strips for soups, stews and stir frys and then frozen. When I need them, I just shake out the amount required. It's especially great when I am throwing things together for a crock pot meal before I leave the house for the day.

Another grocery cost saver is to scan the store circulars weekly and clip coupons. If you don't have the pantry or freezer space, plan your meals around what is on sale and the coupons you clipped. Coupons that are buy 2 or 3 to get the savings (such as cereal), use them when the item is on sale. You'll save even more. I clip coupons and scan ads during breaks at work or while waiting for an appointment, saving time.

More on coupons: Many manufacturers have on-line coupons. Check labels and ads for the web-site address. Sometimes the coupons are even better than those in the Sunday paper!

Here are a couple of web-sites to check out for more printable coupons:

www.couponsuzy.com Free coupons.

www.couponmom.com Membership required but free.

Coupons for other things such as eating out, movies, furniture, clothes, etc. are also available on-line. Using your favorite search engine, type in what you are looking for and you may be surprised at the savings available.

E-mail me if you would like to save money. I'll be glad to help you get organized and on your way to saving hundreds of dollars!

Happy Savings!