Most of my tips came about not because I was trying to stretch things, but I was trying to remove more disposable items from my life. Some of them might also seem a little expensive at first, but since you're just putting the money out there the first time, over time they've saved me quite a bit.
As many others have said on this thread, I stopped buying paper towels and paper napkins and just use cloth napkins or kitchen towels instead.
I made myself some of these washable, reusable cotton dish sponges instead of buying normal sponges and throwing them away when they get gross:
http://alicethekamel.blogspot.com/2007/09/cotton-dish-sponges.html
I'm starting to use the vinegar/water/baking soda/castile soap methods of cleaning things as I use up my store bought cleaners (and saving the spray bottles from the store bought eco-friendly cleaners to use with my homemade stuff...don't think I'd save them if they had been used for harsh chemical cleaners). Also the vinegar as a rinse aid in the dishwasher and for fabric softening properties instead of liquid fabric softener in my clothes washer.
No more disposable feminine hygeine products. Not for the squeamish, but seriously saved me so much money over the past 2 years since I tried one.
I bring my lunch and snack to work every day, and use reusable containers instead of ziplocs (for instance
wrap-n-mats for my sandwiches and cookies. They are reusable, and you just wipe them down every day instead of wasting a lot of water to clean them.
I pretty much only drink water, and I don't buy bottled water, I use either a water filter pitcher (like brita), or a faucet mount filter, and have both a sigg bottle and a klean kanteen that I alternate between filling up and using. I only buy soda as a special treat every three or four months.
I used to use a TON of those little cotton squares or cotton balls for wiping my face with toner every morning and night, and that added up to a lot, until I found these reusable
roundies. I just get one wet, then put the toner on it, then wipe my face and then throw it into a mesh lingerie bag that is hanging on my bathroom door, and once a week throw the lingerie bag in my wash. I haven't had to buy cotton balls or cotton squares since I got some of these. They'd probably be easy to make your own as well from terry cloth and flannel, but I knew I'd never get around to making my own, so I just bought them.
Beans - beans are a great protein source, and if you buy the bags of dried beans and cook them yourself, they're pretty cheap, especially when compared to a similar amount of other protein sources or even canned beans. It takes more planning and time since you generally have to soak them overnight and cook them for a few hours, but it's a good way to save money.
I'm sure there are more that I'm totally blanking on now.
