We could all use a little extra spending cash in our pocket these days. Help wring a little more cash into your savings account with these five tips from Wisebread…

• 1. Go In Together: Remember how your mother always told you to share? She was right. From buying to bulk to carpooling, sharing makes things cheaper.
• 2. Do It Yourself: Yes you can! Before rushing out, see if you can’t solve the problem yourself, from a leaky faucet to cleaning supplies. Read through our D.I.Y. archives for ideas.
• 3. Barter! Despite what your ex-boss or ex-wife may say, you have valuable skills that can help other people. Don’t just give them away for free, trade them for other useful services you might need. Don’t try this at Best Buy.
• 4. Buy From The Source: Sorry middlemen, there’s no room for you in this economy. Track down the source of your goods and buy direct from them.
• 5. Repair, Reuse, Repurpose: And you thought the other two R’s involved reducing and recycling. Nope! Learn to stretch the things you have and reduce the amount you need to spend on shiny new things. “Clothing is a key example – it can often be repaired, handed down, altered, made into a quilt or even used as rags. There’s rarely clothing that really ought to be thrown away.”

Five Frugality Hacks Straight Out of the Great Depression [Wisebread]
(Photo: naitokz)

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