My University of Illinois Extension colleague Angela Reinhart and I spent an hour with WILL radio personality David Inge of Focus 580 discussing various savings tips last month. I thought I would share some of the tips from the WILL listeners who phoned the show.

• A caller from Urbana suggested using www.freecycle.org to recycle unwanted items, utilize Habitat for Humanity's ReStore, start a compost pile, share garbage container with a neighbor (if allowed by your hauler), and utilize a "solar clothes drier" (backyard clothesline).
• Another Urbana caller commended the local "bicycle friendly map", recommended the home energy audit available at www.hes.lbl.gov, suggested one get rid of their lawn by growing vegetables and ground cover, sit a bucket in the shower to use to flush toilet or water plants, install ceiling fans to reduce air conditioning, do not purchase impulse, convenience items at grocery store, buy large packages for lunch items and distribute to sandwich bags, and use grocery store coupons.
• A caller from Fisher suggested slowing down while driving, using cruise control, checking tire oil pressure, rotating tires regularly, using synthetic oil, wearing sweaters in the winter, changing to CFL light bulbs and avoiding fast food and soda pop.
• One lady from Champaign phoned to say her son was in the service and was divorced with two children. He had attended a financial seminar that recommended he find a "budget buddy", pay yourself first through a savings account, teach children the value of money through an allowance and use self discipline to keep your budget under control.
• A lady from Monticello suggested making your own soap, detergents and cleaners with recipes from www.soapsgonebuy.com and recommended the paperback book "Busy Family's Guide to Money" by USA Today/Nolo Series.

Angela and I also reviewed useful web sites for money saving tips. One of the most well known is "66 Ways to Save Money" available in pdf version at www.pueblo.gsa.gov. U of I Extension Consumer and Family Economics (CFE) educators have recently launched a new "Plan Well, Retire Well" blog to help consumers manage their finances. Just type "plan well retire well blog" in your search engine and you will find timely entries like U of I Extension CFE educator Kathy Sweedler's ""Take Control of Your Finances." She recommended getting back to the basics to be sure your financial life is in order by:

• Make bill payments on time.
• Take time to review your insurance policies and be sure that you are well covered.
• How is your emergency fund? (3-6 months of essential spending) Check the Plan Well Retire Well web site for tips on starting or increasing your savings.
• Pay down your credit debt.
• Stay with your investment plan.
• Take care of home maintenance.

Other useful web sites are U of I Extension's CFE web site www.ace.uiuc.edu/cfe, More for Your Money (Using Your Money Wisely) web site at web.extension.uiuc.edu/money, Is Your Financial Security at Risk? at www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/risk, or Plan Well, Retire Well site at www.RetireWell.uiuc.edu.