New Year’s resolutions from our readers

6. Play the game and win. Kathy Umberson of Ontario, Calif., has devised a system for reminding herself to be careful with money. “I’ve made a ‘game’ to challenge myself to see how long I can get by without buying anything frivolous,” she writes. Here is one highlight from her many-faceted game: “I go through my pantry and actually (gasp!) make meals out of what groceries I have in there. I open cans of soup and cook rice or pasta, and (another gasp!) cook fresh vegetables and actually bake chickens or whatnot for dinner and have leftover meals to take to work during the week. For those people who buy their food out every day – (those fast-food companies and restaurants LOVE you!) – and are not familiar with this practice … try it. It’s actually kind of nice as it gives you a chance to sit and unwind or read a magazine or play cards or something with fellow co-workers if you like, or just to be alone and breathe and unwind. Why go out into traffic and spend all that time going somewhere to eat when you can sit and eat and relax and goof around during your lunch hour?” And here is yet another rule of Kathy’s game: “If I see something I think I really want, I write it down and think about it for a night or two. I usually forget about it or decide it’s not needed. If I keep thinking about it, I ask myself if I’m being impulsive and only thinking I need it. … I usually decide I’m being impulsive and tell myself to drop the issue. If I truly think I need the item, I then have to justify to myself why I need it. (An answer of ‘Just because’ is not a good justification, and neither is ‘’cause I want it’!)”

7. Shun junk food – or at least limit it. Scott of Reno, Nev., shared this advice that can improve both our bottom lines and our bottoms: “Stop buying junk beverages or filler food. (It’s) a no-brainer, but so many things we pick up at the store are not needed or harmful to us. We just need to get used to not having them. Our health is so important to a positive outlook – plus not having the extra pounds on your body will give you (more) energy.”

8. Clear out the clutter. Here’s yet another idea provided by Scott from Reno: “Get rid of your storage space. People spend at least $50 to $150 per month on these super-sized junk drawers, (which contain) boxes of stuff you never see or use. (Remember) the old phrase, ‘If you don't use it in six to 12 months, get rid of it.’ ”

Next week's 10 Tips topic Beating a rigged system Bob Sullivan, writer of the “Red Tape Chronicles” blog on msnbc.com, has written a new book called “Gotcha Capitalism: How Hidden Fees Rip You Off Every Day – and What You Can Do About It.” Next week’s column will highlight smart, must-read tips from Bob’s book. Do you have advice or horror stories about sneaky hidden fees? If so,   please share it here.

9. Save some green by going green. A reader named Carey wrote in to share these environmentally friendly ideas: “Hang laundry on the clothes line to dry. Buy compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of incandescent, and also use 60-watt bulbs instead of 100-watt. Not only turn down the temp on the water heater but remember to wrap it. Open the windows and save air conditioning for the unbearably hot/humid days. (This also helps reduce indoor air pollution.) Check the condition of caulking around doors and windows. During the winter months wrap most windows with plastic window wrapping kits. Leave one window per room unwrapped. Airing out your house periodically reduces indoor air pollution and allows the inside air to heat up more efficiently.”

10. Think like a financial guru. A reader named Linda offered an idea that could work for people who are highly organized and detail-oriented: “This is for people who have the money to pay for large purchases, but want to make a little profit on the way to ownership. When making large purchases, if the seller offers ‘no payment and no interest’ for X number of months, take the deal, put the money into a CD for just short of the due date, and then pay for your purchase in time to avoid the interest.”

Additional resources:

• 10 Tips: Financial resolutions for 2007
• 10 Tips: How to cope with the ‘middle-class crunch’
• 10 Tips: Teach kids to handle money successfully
• Financial resolutions from SavingAdvice.com

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