You know what I like best about being the Discount Diva? Hearing from all of you.

You guys send in some really great household tips, which I’ve taken to using on a regular basis. But it’s not fair that I should keep them all to myself. It’s time again to share the wealth:

Rita Ganim from West Seneca has been saving a bundle on clear plastic wrap and tin foil. Instead of using the stuff to cover or wrap up her leftovers, she has been rummaging through her cupboards to find glass or metal lids that might fit the bowl she’s using.

“It seems there are always several lids or covers that fit the dish the leftovers are in,” she said.

James Richardson from East Aurora reminds readers to check the back of their grocery store receipts for valuable coupons that are “often small and overlooked.”

“I’ve taken the time to read them and have ended up getting buy-one-get-one dinner entrees at Denny’s and a $5 haircut at Fantastic Sams,” said Richardson.

Wheatfield’s Cheryl Raffel is a bargain-hunting pro and knows exactly what to look for at dollar stores: note pads, baby oil, picture frames, utensils, cotton squares and headbands. They also have the “best deal around” on gift bags, she said, and a recent issue of Consumer Reports magazine agreed with her findings.

Specifically from Dollar General, Raffel buys pop-up laundry hampers, plastic bins, wastepaper baskets and dog-training treats.

C. Garland from Hamburg reminds us that “80 percent [lean] ground beef on sale is not a bargain.” Once cooked, she said, the fat will liquify into grease and we will end up pouring 10 percent of what we paid for into the garbage. Sure, you can reuse grease when cooking, but not if you’re trying to stay healthy.

The same goes for bone-in and skin-on chicken. If all you’re after is the chicken breast, you’re not saving any money doing the de-boning and skinning yourself. Whole chickens are often less expensive than chicken breasts, but if you’re not going to use the bones and skin (such as for soup) you’re spending and wasting more than you should. Instead, Garland said, stock up on chicken breasts when they’re on sale.

Like most of us, Bronwen Battaglia of Buffalo loves the convenience of prepackaged food mixes, such as pancake and cake mixes. But, with raw ingredients such as sugar and flour so cheap, she can’t justify paying the higher cost of Bisquick and Betty Crocker. Plus, her three “hungry (and picky)” sons prefer the taste of homemade.

So, Battaglia sets aside time to premix the dry ingredients in large batches and store them in labeled plastic containers. Then, just as is the case with packaged mixes, all she has to do when she needs them is add the eggs, oil, milk or other ingredients.

For her pancake and hot cocoa recipes, check out the MoneySmart blog.

I wish there was room for more of your great ideas. In the meantime, please keep sending your tips my way at the e-mail address below or call the MoneySmart consumer hotline at 849-4618.