Now and then, a great reader tip washes up on my desk that causes me to wonder, "Why didn't I think of that?" It makes so much sense: Think of your paycheck as 100 percent savings. Then, as you must, transfer into your checking account only the amount you need to cover your essential expenses. Emotionally, for most of us, it's a lot harder to spend money once it's been saved. Read on. I hope you agree; this tip deserves the Tip of the Month award.

TIP OF THE MONTH. I believe that people have a hard time saving money because they deposit their paychecks into their checking accounts. I don't know anyone who puts his/her paycheck into his/her savings account except me. I currently have about $27,000 in my account. When I need to write checks to pay bills, I transfer the amount of money required to cover them into my checking account. Doing it this way forces me to save money each month. I have read a couple of your books and have found them very informative. I look forward to reading more money-saving tips in "Everyday Cheapskate." — Shannon P., Ohio

MANY POCKETS. I have a trick to keep track of mittens, gloves and other small items of winter gear. I attach an over-the-door plastic pocket organizer (shoe bags available in home stores, such as Bed Bath & Beyond and Home Depot) to a handy closet door near my entryway. No one has to search for that one missing glove or mitten because everything is stored in the handy pockets. I even label each pocket with names and items. — Nell W., Iowa

PAID TO WAIT. I saw bra clips advertised on TV for $19.99. I was very tempted to purchase them because they are such a good idea, but I didn't. A few days later, I was looking in the dollar store and found the same product for $1. Thanks for "Everyday Cheapskate"! — Vikki, e-mail

HARDENED SOAP. Anyone who has problems grating Fels-Naptha soap when making laundry detergent should remove the wrapper and allow the soap to sit for a few days to dry out. That makes the grating process much easier. It's what I do, and it works great. — Sally P., Pennsylvania

CAKE STAKE. I found that whenever I put icing on a two-layer cake, the top layer slides around. Here's my solution: I put icing on top of the bottom layer, and then I set the top layer on. Then I push my cake tester (a wooden skewer works well) through both layers. This holds the cake in place until I'm finished icing it. — Pat M., Maryland

AIN'T PRETTY. I have two huge sliding glass doors in my home that seem to allow the cold air to pour in during the winter months. The doors don't leak; it's just colder by the doors. To save on heating costs, I stand a piece of insulation board that's 2 inches thick in front of each door. It may not look great (I remove them when company is coming), but it is amazing how much warmer the room is. — Linda N., Michigan

Would you like to send a tip to Mary? You can e-mail her at [email protected], or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. Include your first and last name and state. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including "Debt-Proof Living" and "Tiptionary 2." To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.