10 Ways to save Your Pennies ...

You probably don't realize just how incredibly important it is to tighten your gas cap a little better when you get done pumping! In the United States, 147 million gallons of gas evaporate every year due to loose, cracked or missing caps. That's almost enough to fill up 8 million tanks! So make sure you tighten your gas cap up and get every last drop of that gas you paid precious pennies for! If your cap is cracked, replace it.

If you have the habit of grabbing a burger or sushi for lunch every day, you could be spending almost a third of your paycheck right there. There's no shame in taking a lunch to work, and just think of how much you will be saving. Mix it up and have some variety, you don't need to take a sandwich every day. Soups, salads, wraps, fruit and fresh vegetables are all good options to get you started.

Lowering your water heater from 140 degrees to 120 degrees is a fantastic way to save your pennies! It can save up to 10% on your energy costs, and you will still have warm water. If you have a big family, consider taking turns with showers so you don't ALL shower in the morning or evening. That will spread out the warm water a lot more evenly.

Are you in the habit of running the dishwasher even if it's half empty? We've all done that a time or two! While its nice to get those dishes clean, it will save you time and money if you only run it when it's full. Think about it: you will be saving water, energy and soap. And time is priceless! So fill it all the way up before you run it and watch your pennies build up!

Imagine saving enough energy to light up your whole house all day long. That's what you will be doing if you switch to washing all your clothes on cold! What a way to save your pennies! And washing your clothes in cold water will extend the life of your garments as well. Hot water weakens the fibers faster, so don't be shy about turning that notch to the blue side.

Did you realize that you might be paying for 200 gallons of water per day that you are not even using? Whoa, wait a minute! That's right, 200 gallons! Here's how to find out: Place a drop of food coloring in the tank of your toilet and wait 15 without flushing to see if it shows up in the bowl. If so, you've got a leak! To fix, put in a new toilet flapper which only costs $5 and you can check out how-to videos online.

Do you get in the habit of leaving on the lights in a room you are not using? A single 60 watt bulb burning for 12 hours a day for a year uses up to 63,000 gallons of water! That's enough drinking water to last 35 years! Turn of the lights when you leave a room to save energy and water. Want another way to save your pennies? Switch to fluorescent bulbs, which last 10 times longer than a regular bulb and saves two tons of coal a year per home.

If you're looking for a way to boost your fuel efficiency, the solution is no farther away than your foot. Driving 10 MPH slower than the speed limit does so by 15 percent! Just leave home 10 minutes earlier so you won't be late! And don't forget to carpool when you can. Talk about saving your pennies!

Putting your computer on sleep or standby when not in use can slash your computers power consumption by 98% and save $75 a month on your electric bill. That's a major way to save your pennies! Who knew?

Power strips are a very efficient way to save money and energy. You will be savvy and green at the same time! Using a power strip for your home theater electronics makes it easier to turn them off. It's easy to skip turning them off because there are so many outlets to deal with but just by using a power strip you only have one button to deal with and it's quick and easy. So what are you waiting for?

See? Now you know more ways to save your pennies and you can be a savvy as a coupon mom! All joking aside, saving money is a serious matter, especially for low income families and single moms or college students living alone. I hope my article has given you ways to save your pennies that you can use daily! Do you have any other penny-saving tips to share?