Readers tip hands on saving

If you've followed our Spending Smart series this month, you've already garnered plenty of ideas on how to save money, or at least be smarter about spending it. Today, for the last day of the series, we leave you with a clip-and-save list, including great tips from readers. If you've enjoyed the series, there's good news - it will live in the Sunday Business section. For past stories, reader tips, and more, see www.boston.com/spendingsmart.

1. Look for markdowns in the supermarket when bread or meat sell-by dates are about to expire. (One of our spies got six long sub rolls for 99 cents this way.)

2. Don't short your sheets. Short your detergent. Use half the recommended amount to double your washes. Tear fabric softening sheets in half.

READER TIP: When you want something, write it down on a list and wait 30 days. Sometimes after the 30 days, you realize you don't really want it. - Tom Plain, Milford

3. Borrow CDs from your public library.

4. What's faster than Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble and free? Your public library, where you can also get discounted museum passes.

READER TIP: "Delay-a-Day" is a remarkable money-saving principle. With respect to Christmas, Valentine's Day, etc., by delaying the celebration a day, food, candy, cards, holiday paraphernalia automatically get marked down, often 50 percent or more. - John C. Lombard, Concord

5. Join Freecycle.org. Sign up for free and join a group of members in your area that posts and shares for free unwanted items.

6. Plug your TV into a power strip and flip it off when you're not watching.

7. When you buy soap, take the bars out of the packaging before storing. They harden a bit and don't dissolve so quickly in the bath or shower.

8. Bring a cheap friend when you go shopping. See if they can make you think more about what you buy. We eventually throw out about 25 percent of what we buy at the grocery store.

9. If you buy juice for your kids, water down the juice and it'll last twice as long and it's better for them.

READER TIP: I saved the vase from a floral arrangement I received as a gift. Whenever I buy a cup of coffee or make a small cash purchase, I put the change in the vase. It took about two years to fill. My husband and I are going on a cruise and I rolled all the coins and I have $364 in "fun money" to spend. - Paula Rosenthal, Framingham

10. Always do a Web search before you buy something. Make sure you're getting the best price.

11. If you don't use your own bags at the supermarket, make sure to get plastic bags you can line your garbage cans with at home.

12. Store brands are almost always cheaper than brand names, even if you have coupons for the brand names.

13. Don't believe what they tell you at the gym. Everything is negotiable and there's no reason to get stuck with a contract.

READER TIP: To cut down on drafts, remove your baseboards and crown molding, and apply expanding insulation along the crack between the walls and the floors. Then replace the molding. - Bill Chipman, Medford

14. Hunt for lower car insurance now that you can in Massachusetts. You might save hundreds of dollars.

15. Desperate for an iPod? Look for a used, earlier model. If you're nervous about Craigslist or eBay, go to Apple's site and buy a refurbished player.

16. You won't get to see Big Papi, but minor league ball can be excellent - as are the prices. And don't forget college sports. Local hockey teams rank among the best in the country.

READER TIP: Whenever you shop online, check for a promotional code for the company you're browsing. If you search for "(company name) promo code," you will find offers. - Phyllis Robbins, Greenfield

17. Don't be afraid to get on the phone and negotiate with your cable company. Always mention other companies offering better offers.

18. The Museum of Fine Arts and Institute of Contemporary Art have some free nights every week. And Jordan Hall at the New England Conservatory offers top notch talent for nothing many nights.

READER TIP: When we go on vacation, we rent a place with a kitchen. We eat at least two meals a day there instead of eating out. That leaves us with more money for those outrageously expensive theme-park tickets. - Debra Inacio, Winthrop

19. Instead of buying cat toys with catnip in them, get a bag of catnip, stuff some in an old sock, and your feline will never know the difference.

READER TIP: Purchase all your staples for the month at once and commit to buy only perishables for the rest of the month. We cut about 35 percent off our food bill by sticking to these rules. - Glenn Sumner, Clinton

20. Paying bills online will save stamps and envelopes.

21. Save on baby-sitting by swapping date nights with family and friends.

22. Drive 55 miles per hour on the highway. At 65, you burn 10 percent more fuel.

READER TIP: Turn down the heat on your water heater. A temperature of 125 degrees is enough to take a shower and clean clothes. It saves a ton of oil and is environmentally friendly. - Corey P., Dedham

23. If your child is into video games, GameStop allows you to exchange used games for store credit or more games.

24. If you're willing to sacrifice quality, go retro with a VCR. People are almost giving away tapes at flea markets and yard sales and children's programs are especially easy to find.

25. If you know you're not going to do the thermos thing, Bruegger's offers the "Bottomless Mug Club." For $139, you'll get a card or keytag for free refills of coffee, tea, or soda for the rest of the year.

READER TIP: Ask if a service you're paying for can be paid in work rather than cash. I currently get a free health club membership because I help the owner with some work he doesn't have time for. - Brian Feely, Dorchester