Cut Back Without Crimping Your Lifestyle

Do-it-yourself energy audit: A professional energy audit can cost $300 or more, but there's plenty you can do to find the drafty areas of your house on your own. The U.S. Department of Energy offers instructions on conducting a DIY home energy audit, as well as tips on how to shore up the leaky spots once you find them. For example, check exterior doors and storm doors to make sure they seal tightly. If not, pick up some weatherstripping at your local hardware store and add it to the frames around the doors.

Embrace meal planning: It's easy to drop $30 or more on dinner from a take-out joint. Instead, save those dollars by sketching out a week's worth of dinners, then heading to the supermarket and stocking up on the ingredients you'll need. One tip: Plan straightforward dinners that don't require a ton of prep or cooking time, especially on nights where you have class or meetings. RealSimple.com offers an entire online section devoted to easy meal planning, from a batch of 20-minute meals to advice on efficient dinner prep.

Mow your own lawn and rake your own leaves: Lawn services charge big bucks for something you can easily do in your spare time. And what better way to unwind after a long day at work than by spending an hour or two plodding around your yard? It's exercise, relaxation and frugality all rolled into one money-saving project. But if your idea of relaxation is sitting in a hammock watching someone else sweat, consider skipping the high-priced landscaping service and hiring a neighborhood kid to do the work.