A selection of consumer tips and tricks from our sister site Lifehacker.

• A guide to freezer cooking
“…how to cook and freeze a month’s worth of meals in a single cooking session.”

• Give and get items in your community with Gigoit
“A little bit Craigslist, a little bit Freecycle, Gigoit helps you unload unwanted items and find wanted items, all within your local area.”

• Make your home more thief-proof
“Upgrade your locks by removing what’s there and installing dead bolt locks. Even better, double dead bolts locks (that need a key to be unlocked from the inside) provide the best security.”

• Haggle your way to a great deal
“I always say to companies that you’re entitled to make a profit, but if your competitors can do it for less, you guys probably can too.”

• Save hundreds on your next big electronics purchase
“You indicate that you’re interested in buying a big fat warranty, then ask the sales assistant to lower the item’s price. Since big box electronics stores are often pushed to sell warranties, they’ll be willing to budge on the price of your item – especially if it’s got a big price tag. Then when checkout time comes, you have a change of heart on the warranty.”

• Why you should keep cash “under your mattress”
“..if I have no access to funds in any other way – in the event of an absence of electricity or some other essentials, a cash economy will dominate and I do not wish to risk being in that situation with no leverage to make sure my family has food, water, and protection.”

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