Blog Posts by Farnoosh Torabi, Yahoo! Finance

Some good news for those of us who detest doing laundry: we might be able to get away with doing less. While it's important to keep our clothes in good condition so they'll last us longer, experts say constant laundering may not always be the most cost-effective way.

From jeans to jeggings to skirts and bras, we tapped Mary Kate McGrath, senior editor at Real Simple to share some wisdom on when to wash it:

Denim

Good durable denim is excellent at masking dirt, so you can wear it several times before tossing it in the hamper. In fact, McGrath says, over-washing can cause jeans to fade and fray so when you do wash them, turn them inside out, use cold water, and line dry. They'll be a bit stiff at first, but for the mileage you'll get, it's worth it.

One exception is jeggings, or jean leggings. These contain spandex, so wash after every wear to prevent the knees from getting baggy. Then, lay flat to dry.

Dress Pants & Khakis

Because you're likely to wear

Before we get into our findings, here's some practical advice for when buying in bulk:

Consider Cost Per Unit. It's important to do the math. If you're getting a 5lb bag of popcorn for $10, calculate the cost per pound and check how that compares to the per unit cost elsewhere. Often stores indicate a product's CPU on shelves.

Consider Consumption. While the math is important, you also need to be realistic and consider your use or consumption. It's easy to get excited over a 100-count crate of strawberries or a tub of

Enter: alternative-wedding registries. From your honeymoon, to a mortgage to modern art, new websites are allowing brides and grooms to register outside the box.

Honeymoon Funds
My fiancé and I have actually started an account at HoneyFund.com for wedding guests who would like to offer a gift towards our European honeymoon. Similar sites include Honeymoonwishes.com and TravelersJoy.com. They're free and simple to set up. Couples can itemize their honeymoon wish list - from flights to a beachfront massage to a sunset cruise - so guests can help pay for

I recently accepted Eating Well's "5 Dinners, 1 Bag" challenge. Their test kitchen team provided me with a grocery list and I hit the local D'Agostino's supermarket in New York to collect my ingredients, which included:

one bunch each of asparagus, chives, scallions and cilantro
one lemon
8 ounces snap peas
1 pound of sea scallops
1 pound of lean ground beef
12 ounces of pork chops or tenderloin
1 15-oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 14-oz can reduced-sodium beef broth
1 16-oz package whole-wheat spaghetti
1 14-oz box instant or quick-cooking brown rice
1 15-oz can kidney beans
1 16-oz box of whole wheat spaghetti
1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach
1 8-oz block extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1 4-oz block fontina cheese
1 dozen eggs
1 lb ball whole-wheat pizza dough or 1 ready-made pizza crust

Some of the cheapest beauty finds can be found right in your kitchen cabinets, starting with coconut oil, says Williams. "This is an amazing moisturizer for dry skin," she says. "It's all natural and great for shaving, too." The ingredient can also assist with weight loss, she says, because it contains fatty acids which help to speed up our body's metabolism.

Olive oil is another natural ingredient we can use to safely and effectively moisturize the entire body, while cooking spray can help give dry legs a silky, smooth shine. It's not too heavy, either. "The general rule is, if you can eat it, you can put it on your skin

Shopping can be a total wallet-buster, unless you know how to work it. Kim Zaruba, a stay-at-home mother of three, rakes in approximately $3,000 dollars a year consigning her old clothing and baby gear.

Her consignment savvy dates back to just a few years ago when her family was forced to shore up cash following her husband's layoff. "We wound up selling our wonderful home that we loved dearly…spending was pretty much at a standstill," says Zaruba. "We had to reevaluate and work with what we had." That meant no more expensive items for the house or upscale labels for Kim, who started looking for ways to cash in on her cashmere.

[Related: Make money from junk in your attic]

From a community flyer at her daughter's pre-school, Kim discovered Just Between Friends, a network of national consignment events for children, maternity and baby gear. Founder Shannon Wilburn started the organization in her living room 15 years ago. Today, the group spans 24 states with franchisees hosting

For example, when Katherine and Gary Gomez got married last summer both of their parents offered to help contribute to their big day, which included over 200 guests. In total, the New Jersey couple's wedding amounted to $32,000. Katherine and Gary contributed $22,000,

Reduce Debt
Managing debt should be the first item that should be on all expecting parents' to-do lists. As a new parent, you'll need to make room for unexpected costs and if you don't make debt reduction a priority now, it could fall through the cracks down the road. If you need help, check out the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and meet with a local credit counselor. It's free.

Don't Move
Don't assume you have to find a bigger space right away. One of the biggest misconceptions of being a first-time parent is that you need a separate room for the baby. But an infant can safely and easily sleep in a