Has there been a large bumper crop of berries at your local market? This is the time to stock up on organic berries at a fraction of the price. Organic strawberries in particular are a must-buy item, since strawberries are very porous and absorb anything sprayed on them. Freeze yours by placing washed and de-stemmed strawberries on parchment-lined cookie sheets. When frozen, place them in airtight containers or freezer bags and you'll have frozen berries ready to go all season long. Come winter, you’ll be glad you used this tip!

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

It's common knowledge that even when turned off, TVs that are left plugged into the wall continue to draw electricity called "phantom power" that wastes your money. But TVs aren’t the only electronic devices in your home that draw power while not in use. Anything with a cord that goes into the wall can draw phantom power, so walk around and unplug rarely used things like stereo speakers, gaming systems, printers and even chargers for your smartphone. If you do this, you could recoup hundreds of dollars on energy costs over time.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Want to keep snack foods like potato chips, crackers and tortilla chips fresh for months after you’ve opened the bag or box? Store them in your freezer. The biggest culprit in making snack foods go stale is moisture. Storing them in the freezer keeps them away from humidity and freezes them fresh. Since there’s a very tiny amount of water in snack foods, the slight freeze actually prevents the starches from retrograding. And when you remove them from the freezer, it only takes a few seconds for your snacks to defrost.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION