Oct. 12--Food is expensive, gas remains stubbornly high and winter's big heating bills are coming.

Since loans are tough to get and our retirement funds are shrinking fast as the stock market crashes, we thought we'd share some old-fashioned penny-pinching tips.

Some come from readers who responded to business reporter Sue Stock's request for suggestions. Others come from the misers on our staff. And a few come from rules our mothers taught us or hints we've read over the years.

Of course, one person's "don't need that" is another's "can't live without" (we didn't suggest cutting out the $4 latte).

If some of the tips strike you as "well, duh," good for you. But just because you know that it pays to turn off lights, does everyone in your home? Show them this.

Keep a thrifty home

1 Dry your clothes outside on a clothesline and use the dryer only to "fluff" the stiff ones.

2 Wash LAUNDRY IN COLD WATER and you'll save roughly 36 cents a load.

3 Lower your thermostat at night and stay warm with flannel sheets and down comforters. For each degree you lower it, you'll reduce heating costs 3 percent to 5 percent.

4 Lower the temperature on the water heater; 120 degrees is hot enough.

5 Unplug electronics that aren't being used.

6 Switch your old electric meter for a time-of-use meter. It gives you a better rate for running appliances/heat/AC after 9 p.m. and on weekends.

7 Wear long underwear.

8 Replace your light bulbs with COMPACT FLUORESCENTS; over its lifetime, a single CFL provides around $30 in savings.

9 Turn off lights when you're not in a room; 5 percent to 10 percent of your monthly energy bill goes toward lighting.

10 Seal ducts and add insulation.

11 Replace old windows and exterior doors. If you can't afford to do the whole house at once, start in the rooms you use the most.

12 Turn the dishwasher off when it gets to the drying cycle and open the door to add heat to the room. It also puts moist air into your home during winter when heating systems can dry the air.

13 Likewise, when you finish baking, open the oven door.

14 If you have CEILING FANS, reverse their rotation to push warm air down.

Paying (and cutting) bills

15 Pay biweekly instead of monthly on your mortgage. You'll make an extra payment annually and save thousands on interest over the life of the loan.

16 Check with your phone, cable or insurance companies at least once a year to see whether you're getting the best rate. Ask about discounts and specials.

17 Go to a site such as letstalk.com to find the best plans for your phone habits.

18 Drop long-distance service and get a prepaid card. You will have to dial a 1-800 number, punch in your PIN, then dial the number you want. The savings may be worth it.

19 Drop your landline and use your CELL PHONE.

20 Pay your bills on time to avoid any late fees.

21 Pay your bills online to save on stamps. Automate it and you won't forget to pay.

22 Look at your insurance policies -- home and auto -- and consider upping the deductible for a lower premium. Raising homeowners' deductible to $500 can cut a premium by up to 15 percent, reports the Insurance Information Institute, a trade group.

Your ride and your routine

23 Consolidate trips to SAVE GAS.

24 Car pool.

25 Buy a fuel-efficient, reliable car. Pay cash if at all possible or put a good chunk down. Keep it once you have paid it off and you will save on car payments and insurance.

26 Save money on gas: get rid of the roof rack -- even bike and ski racks.

27 You don't need premium gas unless the owner's manual says "premium required."

28 Keep tires properly inflated.

29 Keep car tuned and the oil changed.

30 BIKE or walk.

31 Learn from the pros. UPS maps out its trips in advance to avoid left turns, which cuts down on engine idling.

Eat healthy, pay less

32 Plant vegetables and freeze or can enough for the winter. No green thumb? Buy in quantity at farmers markets or at pick-your-own sites.

33 Subscribe to a CSA (community supported agriculture). Pay the farmer money in the winter, and in spring and summer get a weekly box of fresh, local produce. For a list go to www.ncfarmfresh.com/farms.asp.

34 Cook more meals at home and turn last night's dinners into today's lunch.

35 Plan a week's worth of meals to cut out spontaneous grocery trips and impulse buys.

36 Stop paying for BOTTLED WATER. Get a refillable container and use tap water.

37 Stockpile when you find good deals; combine coupons with sales.

38 If you have a freezer, buy meat when it has been marked down. Label with description and date frozen. You'll want to use most meat within three to four months, but a whole uncooked chicken can last a year without affecting quality.