Money savers: Tips from Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine

From the August 2009 issue:

Check yourself out: You'll be more conscious of what you're buying when
you're doing the scanning.

Compare, compare, compare: Stores stock similar products in several areas
at different prices.

Don't clip every coupon you see: Coupons can persuade you to buy things you
didn't even want.

Tasty tip: Dollar store finds

When's the last time you bought food at the dollar store? If it's been a minute, you might want to stop by your local store and look around.

You can easily save money by picking up olive oil, pasta, and other nonperishables, many of which are name brands. When label errors (the wrong color, perhaps) occur, they ship the products to the dollar store, where you'll pay less for the same product.

So don't delay - head over to the dollar store and a ton of groceries for half the price.

Quick Summer Recipe: Watergate Salad

Watergate Salad

Recipe by Dr. Yakini Etheridge

Dr. Yakini Etheridge is a clinical psychologist and mom blogger living in NYC. She loves being a wife and mother to a boisterous baby boy, and blogs about her experiences as a new mom at The Prissy Mommy Chronicles (http://www.prissymommy.com/).

She says:
This really is a delightful dish to serve in the summer, at a barbecue or tea party. The various textures and refreshingly cold taste of this sweet, fruit "salad" make it a popular classic at most gatherings! It's also very pretty to look at! I remember first tasting this in the fifth grade, and I fell in love with it then! I'm not sure of the origins of the name. The story that I once heard is that this salad was named after the Watergate scandal: All of the politicians who got involved were "nuts"! :-)

Ingredients:
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant pistachio pudding mix 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows 1 (12 ounce) container Cool Whip Topping, thawed 1 cup flaked coconut 1 cup maraschino cherries, drained and halved 2 cups walnuts (or pecans)

Procedure:
In a large bowl, combine pudding mix and pineapple; mix well. Add marshmallows and 3/4 of the container of dessert topping (add more to get a creamier consistency). Toss in the coconut; mix well. Slowly add pineapple juice to taste. Transfer to a serving dish and chill for at least an hour before serving.
By day three, you may choose to add additional pineapple juice to the salad to freshen it as it dries.