Let's face it Moms, we don't need anymore financial experts telling us what we should be doing to save money. We need relief and we need it now! I have implemented the following five tips that help me and my family save money in this time of outrageous gas and food prices.

#5. No more excuses...you must figure out a car-pool plan. This was especially hard in the beginning but now that we have a routine established, I have seen significant savings in my gas bill. There must be a co-worker who lives nearby with whom you can share a ride, even if it's only twice a week.

#4. Bring a sack lunch to work. I save ten to fifteen dollars a week eating last night's leftovers.

#3. Shop for kids' clothes at discount shops. Kids outgrow or ruin their clothes quickly, so why pay full-price? On a recent trip to Value Village, a discount department store, to search for summer clothes for my twelve year old boy, I bought two pairs of jeans, five t-shirts, a pair of swim trunks and a hoodie sweatshirt for about twenty bucks. He's set for the summer!

#2. Discount shopping for the teenage girl - Impossible? Not at all. If you haven't discovered Plato's Closet, a store that resells only designer clothes, then you need to absolutely track down a location nearest you. For example, my daughter was at the mall and found a pair of must-have Hollister jeans for eighty dollars. WHAT? I'm giving up lattes and she wants eighty-dollar jeans? I love this girl but is she out of her mind? We went to Plato's Closet and found a pair of Hollister jeans for ten dollars. She got the designer label and I pocketed the savings.

#1. Shop for food at a discount grocery store. We used to cut coupons, comparison shop, etc., but in the end, the items that were not on sale jacked up the final price anyway. We have found a store called Grocery Outlet which sells food that the big-chain stores no longer wanted. I save at least 50% off my normal grocery bill!! For example, I just bought a large bag of Malt-O-Meal cereal for $1.49! This same bag is just about five bucks at other stores right now.

Since this economic downturn started, I have actually saved money by following these tips. I sincerely hope they help you as they have helped me and my family.