When it comes to items for her home, Cheryl Franco strives to get the best bottom-dollar deal.

Maybe it's just the way her mother taught her to shop, or perhaps because she has three kids and one on the way. Then again, it could be because she and her contractor husband are simply handy.

Joey Ivansco, jivansco@ajc.com/AJC (ENLARGE)

Cheryl Franco of Lilburn, with daughter Georgeanne, shops for sinks and doors at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

Need a new sink? She tries the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. How about a new door? She'll consider salvage yards. And a new bench or chair? She's not above rummaging through trash.

Yes, she admits, she's been known to Dumpster dive for a cast-off treasure, such as a nightstand she refurbished and painted for her daughter's bedroom.

"I'm not too proud," she said. "I don't go purposefully looking — I just keep my eyes open to see what's there."

On a recent shopping trip at the ReStore on Memorial Drive, Franco explained that she and her husband are building a cabin on their Lilburn property; frequenting thrift stores such as Goodwill and Salvation Army helps them save money that they can put toward their children or the occasional splurge.

She has her limits — all upholstery must be new.

"I'd prefer to spend a little more on that, because I save on everything else," she said.

31 ways to save

• Want to save on food? Ask your neighbors 
• Frequent diner saves with coupons by e-mail 
• Shopper works grocery sales 
• Teenage flash for less 
• Fun, cheap getaway as close as a state park or two 
• Borrowing from library cuts costs for avid readers 
• Gamble pays off in lower expenses 
• Exerciser not waiting for DVD to come out 
• Coupons bite into cost of dining out 
• Find it for a fraction of the original price 
• Purge baby items at consignment shops 
• Brazil beckons for savings-smart traveler 
• Old sol  and 'common sense'  cut electric bill 
• Cost-cutting is par for the course 
• Rack up with sales, off-season garments 
• Shopper charts the best prices 
• Public swimming pool refreshing, affordable 
• More-efficient ride picks up cash flow 
• Clean Air deal sweetens switch to a car pool plan 
• Personal trainer trims costs and fees 
• Mom shops early for school needs 
• 'Kids eat free' nights stretch family's budget 
• RVers cut back, consolidate trips 
• Teacher Web sites offer ideas, freebies 
• Mom 'not too proud' to snag a bargain 
• Cheese plates, movies fit budget 
• Take a walk to library; watch a movie for free 
• Volunteer shows way to free theater seats 
• Catch Braves in action for mere peanuts 
• Portrait of thriftiness in designer-wear garb 
• Businessman finds cheap gas via phone 
• Shopper takes bite out of grocery bill 
• Have your own way to save? Please share it with us
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