25 different ways to save money

Dawn at Frugal For Life asks "What are 25 different ways you save money?"

Here's mine:

1. I don't wear makeup.
2. I use shampoo and conditioner, and it's Suave on sale. No hairspray, gels, shelacs, etc.
3. I use my library for books and movies.
4. Cooking meals at home instead of eating out.
5. As often as possible I use compact fluorescent light bulbs.
6. I stay out of thrift stores. I found that I was coming home with tons of crap because it was "cheap", but each "cheap" item adds up monetarily and in clutter.
7. I shop at thrift stores, but usually take at least 5 things out of my cart before I pay.
8. I don't buy from the vending machine at work. Even ignoring the issues with sugar and fats, you could buy 5 times as much of the same product at the grocery store.
9. I use the internet to review an item's quality and price before I make a purchase.
   
10. I cut my dryer sheets into quarters. The box lasts four times as long and a quarter works just fine.
11. I try not to wash dishes under running water. Filling the sink saves water and soap. (Although I do get lazy and cheat).
    
12. I don't go to movies unless it's something really worth watching on the big screen. The last one I saw in a theater was King Kong, and yes, it was worth it. Before that, it was the Incredible Hulk, and no, it wasn't.
    
13. I pay myself first every month. 10% of my income goes straight into savings, and it stays there except for emergencies.
14. I cancelled my vision insurance through work. I can get an eye exam for the co-pay at Kaiser, and take my 'script to a one hour lens place and still come out ahead. When I added up my premium, coverage limits, and co-pays, it just wasn't worth keeping it.
    
15. My husband gets all of his work shirts for free from vendors. Considering how quickly they get ripped or dirty, it's worth it.
16. I'm not a fashionista. Worrying too much about what your clothes look like is expensive. I'm clean and appropriate, and that's all that matters.
17. Eat leftovers for lunch.
18. I buy yeast for breads at Vitamin Cottage where it's 60 cents a pound versus those small packets at the regular store, where it runs $3 for 6 teaspoons.
    
19. I take light rail to school. It's an unlimited pass, mandatory with my student fees, and parking on campus is $3.50 and up.
20. I mostly use vinegar and water for cleaning. I mix in eucalyptis oil, but the vinegar smell only lasts a minute and there's no chemicals to give me a headache. I use an old product spray bottle that was completely cleaned out.
21. If something breaks, I get opinions from friends and family before shelling out cash for repairs. Sometimes someone else knows how to fix it. (usually my dad)
22. I track every expense on Quicken. If I don't, I lose track and end of overdrafting, which comes off our credit card. The interest rate is horrible, and every time it costs $10, regardless of how much or little we were short.
23. I ignore cosmetic damage to my car as long as possible.
    
24. I compost. It cuts down on trash and in a few months, I'll have good rich material for my garden beds.
25. We bought a swamp cooler this summer instead of air conditioning. Installation for a regular whole house unit installed on the roof would have been in excess of $3,000. Instead we bought a $400 portable unit like people use in workshops. It cools up to 1,000 square feet, and our house is less than 800 square feet. In the winter we'll store it in the basement. I know you people back east can't imagine actually wanting humidity, but out here it's a blessing!