I've spent a couple of hours reading the first 30 pgs of this thread off and on, and now I have to get some sleep but wanted to post some of our tips before I forget. Sorry if any are repeats!
We do these things for various health, environmental, and money-saving reasons:
We never buy soda or juice and primarily drink water. The kids even have reusable water bottles they take to school for lunch. Even at restaurants, we just ask for lemon to squeeze in for flavor (this saves at least $10 every time we eat out).
Buy huge handsoap refills and refill bathroom and kitchen hand soap dispensers.
Bake our own bread using a bread machine to make it easy (DH actually usually does this chore and throws in the ingredients). I also have an easy jelly recipe for the bread maker.
Bake & cook homemade -- no pre-made mixes or boxed meals.
Also bake snacks (muffins, nutrigrain style cereal bars, cookies, granola bars, etc).
Make our own pizza dough, buns/rolls.
No baggies (I have been using snack sacks from Snacktaxi for yrs but you can get reusable baggies at a lot of stores now. I recently got each child a Lunchbot as well and love them. For food storage I use pyrex, mason jars, and anything else I have on hand. You can buy a lot of those at garage sales, too).
Turned air up 1, heat down 1.
Close curtains on hottest side of house in summer.
No oven when it's too hot (or, if we do, cook early morning). We still use the stovetop.
Buy kids' clothes in advance when they go 75% off (Target often has 75% off racks, and I shop Children's Plc when they have $1-$2 clearance sales and combine it w/ a coupon they've emailed me or look it up on retailmenot.com--you don't have to print out the coupon at TCP; just show them the code on your phone).
Stock up on gifts for kids' friends' bday parties at Target toy clearance.
Went down a tier on tv and saved $15/month w/ negligible channel loss.
Always turn off lights.
Make own smoothies.
Add 1 tsp italian herbs and 1 tsp garlic powder to plain tomato sauce instead of buying pre-seasoned jarred sauces.
Shop in bulk at Costco/Sam's/
Amazon subscribe & save.
We used cloth diapers (Motherease one-size) & cloth baby wipes.
I breastfed exclusively.
Reuse bath towels a few times before washing.
No more straws except reusable ones for littlest DS.
Divacup
Reusable/washable mop pad
Make own rice milk (we don't drink dairy).
Buy bulk popcorn kernels and use a $15 air popper instead of microwave bags.
Homemade gifts for certain people i.e. older family members and teachers (soaps/candles, baked goods, scrap books)
I'm going to try making my own soap. I found an organic base for $5-something that makes up to 20 bars of soap (you can add essential oils).
I read some earlier threads about those trying to eat vegetarian or vegan some nights to save money in which people focused on combining beans and rice for a complete protein. Just wanted to let anyone interested in that know that that theory has been replaced with the knowledge that as long as you eat all of the food groups in a day, your body will have everything it needs. You don't have to eat certain things together at the exact same time. Happy Herbivore cookbooks have the easiest meat-free recipes that use basic things everyone has on hand.
I have a whole list of things to try and can't wait to finish this awesome thread!