In today’s tight economy, who doesn’t want to free up some cash? With a few minor changes you can save more money each month than you might think. Over the next few weeks, I will present some easy ways to trim the fat but not the fun from your budget. Let’s start with something that can put quite a dent in the budget… groceries!

Shop once a week. The more trips you make to the store, the likelier you are to buy on impulse because you see more tempting items. About two-thirds of purchases are unplanned; cut that in half to save $143 a month (if you spend $100 a week on groceries).

Give up the bottle. Stop drinking bottled water and instead buy a filter for your faucet (about $34, plus $25 for replacements). If your family consumes 12 gallons a month, you’ll save about $15.

Eat what’s ripe. Out-of-season produce costs 20% to 50% more than it does when it’s in season. For a list of what’s in season when, go to www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org. Estimated savings: $7 a month.

Differentiate between clean and dirty. Organic produce costs $1 to $2 more than the conventional kind. Cut your pesticide intake by going organic on the dirtiest produce (apples, lettuce) and conventional on the cleanest (kiwi, tomatoes). For a list of clean and dirty fruits and veggies, go to www.foodnews.org. Savings: $18 a month.

For lots more money-saving tips go to http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/moneymag/0908/gallery.monthly_savings_tips.moneymag/