Tip #1 – Huck cloths. These towels will not only replace your need for paper towels, they also absorb significantly better. I find these to be especially helpful for vomited formula. They will add a little to your laundry load, but not very much. I put them in a rinse cycle with the rest of my son’s vomit-drenched clothes, sheets, etc. before washing on a regular cycle.

Estimated savings: ~$20 / month after the initial investment. This will vary significantly from family to family. We probably saved more because of how frequently our son tends to vomit. We spent ~$45 on our towels and have had them for about a year.

Tip #2 – Slow Cooker. A lot of busy people end up ordering out because they simply don’t have the time or free hands to cook. Most of the things I use my slow cooker for, I would never be able to do otherwise OR they come out much better when they can spend more time over heat. It also makes it significantly easier to have food ready when you need it ready as it can easily stay on “warm” for an hour or two without negatively impacting the food in most cases.

Estimated savings: ~$70 / week if you eat out daily. It will probably be closer to ~$10 – $20 / week if you are already eating in, but the slow cooker allows you to buy and cook in larger quantity. You also may be able to buy less expensive dishes than you already prepare now that you have the additional cook time. For example, a roast with potatoes and carrots is an inexpensive staple which is much easier to prepare in a slow cooker.

Tip #3 – Buy Frozen. Frozen fruits and vegetables are frequently less expensive than their fresh counterparts. Even better, they’re flash frozen at the height of their freshness instead of being picked early and ripening during shipment. It’s tough to beat less expensive AND healthier.

Estimated savings: ~$5 / week. It will be more if the vegetables and fruits you buy sometimes go bad before anyone gets around to eating or preparing them.

Tip #4 – Buy in bulk, separate, and freeze. This is especially helpful for meats but can also be good to do with already frozen vegetables and fruits. It takes about 5 minutes, max, for me to break up 8 lbs of ground beef into 1-2 lb bags.

Estimated savings: ~20%. Savings differ depending what you’re buying. It’s typical to save at least 20% if you’re buying in bulk.