ONE HECKUVA BARGAIN HUNTER'S GUIDE

49 tips and tricks to stretch your dollar this fall and beyond

- Erin Pepler

Make Your Own Cleaning Products Forget the expensive store-bought stuff and try mixing one part distilled white vinegar with two parts water and a splash of lemon. This homemade all-purpose cleaner is good for the kitchen, bathroom and most floors. Vinegar and cornstarch works for windows, and vinegar and baking soda is great for soap scum.

Save Your Scraps Instead of tossing your food scraps, get creative. Eggshells can be used to fertilize your garden or mellow out too-bitter coffee. Veggie scraps can make a delicious broth, and fruit scraps can be used to make a zingy vinegar. Next time, try an online recipe search before resorting to the bin!

Grocery Shop on Wednesdays Weekly specials usually start mid-week, which means you'll get first dibs before anything sells out. But it's also when the shelves are freshly stocked-meaning it's also when a lot of the previous week's items are reduced for quick sale before their best-by date.

Ask for Unbaked Goods at Costco Some Costco stores in Canada will let you buy a box of frozen, uncooked Kirkland Signature cookies. You can typically get 120 cookies for under $30, compared to about $10 for a dozen baked ones. Call your local store first to check.

Get Creative With Day-Old Bread Many bakeries will sell their stale bread at a deep discount. It's perfect for French toast, bread pudding, croutons and bread crumbs. Making the latter ahead means you'll save yourself some time in the process!

Buy Pet Food in Bulk Bulk food stores have long aisles of candy, spices, baking supplies and snacks-but did you know they also carry pet food? Bring in a refillable container and buy your pet's favourite food by weight instead of by the bag to save some cash.