It only takes one trip to the grocery store to know that rising prices are getting scary. If you're worried about paying your bills and feeding your household, the tips below can help.
 

Food

When money gets tight, many of us reach for the cheapest food possible. For the sake of your health, look for foods that are nutritionally dense as well as low cost. Breakfast foods are often some of the cheapest and healthiest options.

Can you eat eggs? If you can't cook at all, learning to scramble eggs is a simple start. A meal of scrambled eggs and toast can be quite filling, high in protein and cheap. Oatmeal is another option. It only takes a small saucepan, water and some salt to make a pot of oatmeal. You can spice it up with chopped apples, raisins, a little brown sugar and some milk. You can also boost your fiber intake!

Regardless of your cooking skills, do your best to avoid individually packaged foods or highly processed items. Skip the granola bars and head to the fruits and veggies. Apples are cheaper than raspberries and are loaded with fiber. Cabbage is cheaper than lettuce, offers more nutritional benefit, and will last longer in your refrigerator.

Of course, make sure you avail yourself of all SNAP benefits that you qualify for. Visit food banks as allowed and look for ways to give back; you may be able to help unload trucks to either earn money or gain access to another food pickup in future. Check your local area for hygiene pantries; you may be able to get bathroom supplies for free on certain days of the month.
 

Clothes

Before you shop, inventory your closet. If you have plenty of clothes but you're tired of them, pull out the iron and ironing board. Iron your shirts and pants. If clean clothes sit in one basket and dirty clothes lay on the floor, put the clean clothes away and put your dirty clothes in the basket.

By paying attention to the items that you currently own and treating them well, you will gain more regard for them. As you grow to appreciate these things more and more, you'll feel more satisfied with your current possessions and need to shop less.

If you really do need clothes, the first stop is a thrift store. Look for ways to create new outfits by adding single pieces that will go with what you own. If you have a gray jacket and black slacks that you wear for work, change up the top that goes under the jacket. Add a black skirt to the mix. Focus on garments that will coordinate with what you already have hanging in your closet.

For those hoping to get a better job, talk with the professionals at the employment office. They may be able to help you find a local consignment shop where you can find more professional garb.
 

Utilities

As winter comes on, now is the time to acclimate to a lower thermostat setting. Go through your storage tubs. Find the extra blankets. If you have a fleece blanket, use it as a top sheet to capture heat against your skin.

Find everyone's slippers or make sure everyone in the house has at least socks to wear on your feet. If you have little ones and they have warm footie pajamas, let them wear them on their days at home.

Get in the habit of cooking on a daily basis. You can warm up the house while you feed your family. Similarly, work with the sun. If you get morning sun on some windows, open them up and soak up the heat. Keep the windows on the north side of your home covered with plastic if possible and with heavy drapes.

Check out LIHEAP offerings in your region to see what help you can get to cover your winter utility bills. Keeping your house cool will only go so far if you live in very cold country. Make sure your pipes don't get too cold; you may need to leave your bottom cupboard doors open to keep lines from freezing.

The shoulder seasons of fall and spring are an ideal time to save up for the harsher conditions of winter and summer. Now is the time to get on a budgeted utility payment. If you have a bit of cash left at the end of the month, build up emergency savings. Once your emergency savings are covered, it may be time to build a pantry of food items on sale.