"I'm a lazy cook on a budget," Spires declared. "I look at the elaborate recipes in magazines and count the ingredients (are they capital intensive?) and the number of verbs in the instructions (are they labor intensive?). Too high a score and I skip to the next page."

Personal insurance and retirement

You might be tempted to cut back on your 401(k) contributions to pay off debt, but that's not a good idea, if you can possibly avoid it. Most companies with 401(k)s offer matching funds, so failing to contribute means you lose that free money. You also don't want to drop disability insurance, which protects you should illness or accident prevent you from working. Here are better areas to look for savings:

• Consider "refinancing" your term life insurance; rates have dropped in the past decade so you might be able to qualify for a lower premium.
• If you have a long-term disability policy, investigate the savings if you opt for a longer waiting period to reduce premiums (if you have an emergency fund or other income to bridge the gap).
• Suspend contributions to annuities and other accounts that don't offer matching funds or tax breaks.
• Make sure you got proper tax credit for last year's retirement contributions if your adjusted gross income was under $25,000 (for singles) or $50,000 (for couples). The retirement tax credit of up to $1,000 for lower earners is one of the most overlooked tax breaks, said MSN tax columnist Jeff Schnepper in "10 big deductions too many people miss." If you deserved this break but didn't take it, it's worth amending your return.

Health care

Medical costs are rising at a rate much higher than general inflation, while employers are asking their workers to shoulder a bigger share of the expense. You can fight back if you:

• Buy generic drugs.
• Look for free and low-cost clinics.
• Use urgent-care clinics rather than emergency rooms whenever possible.
• Ask for discounts when you pay cash.
• Carefully review hospital bills for errors.
• Monitor insurance claims to make sure they get paid.

Clothing and services

Professional organizers say most people wear just a fraction of the clothes they own. If that describes you, consider easing your budget by selling stuff you don't wear and being more careful when you shop. You can also trim what you spend on personal care and other services. For example:

• Find out what looks good on you and stick to classic styles that won't look weird next season.
• Inventory your wardrobe and buy pieces that work with what you already own.
• Avoid dry-clean-only clothing.
• Make hair appointments at beauty schools, rather than full-priced salons.
• Drop your health club and form a walking or jogging group with friends.
• Hold a clothing swap with friends.
• Ask friends and relatives for hand-me-downs.
• Give kids a clothing allowance or offer "matching funds" for what they want to buy.
• Check out consignment and thrift stores for lightly-used items.

"I always go once a month to a thrift store not far from my neighborhood," said Rebecca Kelly of Holiday, Fla. "On Wednesdays, they have 50% off all the clothing. It takes a good two hours of time, but I've averaged (spending) about $30 per child, per season. If I were to buy the same clothes at a department store, I would be WAY out of my budget."

Liz Pulliam Weston's column appears every Monday and Thursday, exclusively on MSN Money. She also answers reader questions in the Your Money message board.

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