It hasn't happened overnight, but gradually I am weaning myself from thinking of my supermarket as my primary source for groceries. With food costs going up so dramatically, the supermarket has become my last resort, not the first stop. You should see the nice produce at my local dollar store. Milk is cheaper at the gas station mini-mart, and cereal is a fraction of the supermarket price at Target. An ethnic market, where available, is a good source for cheap spices. And today's first reader tip suggests another option.

FRESH SPICES CHEAP. Spices are expensive, and they don't keep forever. A new recipe I wanted to try sent me looking for ground cloves, but I could not bring myself to pay $6 for cloves for one recipe. So I went to a specialty store that sells bulk items and spices and purchased two tablespoons of fresh ground cloves for 30 cents. -- Terri, e-mail

TRANSPORT GOODIES. When you need to transport a plate of cookies, brownies or other goodies, make the paper plate more stable by putting plastic wrap over the goodies and extending the wrap over the edges of the plate. Then put another paper plate of the same size under the first plate, holding the plastic wrap edges in place. Your goodies are much less likely to fall off the plate this way. -- Mary Beth, e-mail

YOGURT SUB. I use plain low-fat yogurt to thin out certain ingredients, which not only makes the dish healthier but also stretches the product. It's so versatile. Almost anything that calls for mayonnaise can be stretched proportionally by a quarter or a half with yogurt. You also can add yogurt in the same proportions to sour cream, which is wonderful for dips, ranch dressing, casseroles and soups.  -- Jenn, e-mail

CAMERA CASE. I bought a compact digital camera, and I wanted to carry it in my purse. I discovered that my camera fits perfectly into a plastic travel container for soap -- and it only cost a dollar. The container has a hard shell, so my camera is well-protected. The case takes up very little room in my purse. -- Naomi L., e-mail

FRESH GARLIC POWDER. Add a few grains of long cooking rice (uncooked) to your container of garlic powder, and the rice will absorb the moisture and prevent the powder from getting hard. -- Katy W., e-mail

LEATHER SEAT CLEANER. I have leather seats in my car, and I clean them with Dove beauty bars. I take a wet washcloth, apply the Dove and then rub the cloth over the leather. Next I gently rinse off the Dove and buff the leather. Test it in an inconspicuous place first, just to make sure. -- Sue D., e-mail

Would you like to send a tip to Mary? You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. Mary Hunt is the founder of DebtProofLiving.com and author of 17 books, including "Debt-Proof Living" and "Tiptionary 2." To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
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