Sometimes you can't "Close the Loop", atleast not right away but you can shrink it. Shrinking it might hasten your efforts to close a loop by lowering the expense to where one day you can afford to actually close the loop. You probably know many of these ideas but read over this anyway. It will refresh your memory and might get you motivated.

Getting back to energy expenses. You can shrink the loop quite a lot by exploring energy saving devices (ones that really work). ie, household lighting. Start lightly here. Hee Hee. Flouresent lights are a good alterative. So is turning off unneeded lights and appliances. Don't use a large wattage bulb where a smaller bulb will work. But be careful in traffic areas like stairs and hallways. You need good lights there to avoid falls and accidents.

Heating costs. Turning back the heat manually or automatic setback thermostats are a good investment. Turning back the water heater might be a good idea, too. And if replacing a water heater element consider using a smaller element. Don't heat an unused bedroom. Insulation, outside caulking and storm windows are a real good idea. They cut heating cooling bills and raise the comfort level by reducing drafts and cold spots.

If your water heater is electric and the prices are high in your area consider installing a timer on the water heater to shut it off late at night after bedtimes when demand is low. A electric Hot Water Heater can benefit from a insulation blanket also. And if you need a new heater get one big enough to satisfy demand. Look at the energy star rating also.

There's two heating elements in most hot water heaters. The upper one comes on first and affects recovery after using a lot of hot water. This should be the bigger element. Once that elements thermostat is satisfied it switches power to the second element which can be a smaller wattage element and can be set to just a sligtly higher temperature. Takes longer to heat up the water but keeps the more expensive element from running until really needed this way.

Automotive fuel. This one is always talked about but it's good to talk about again and again. Buy the lowest octane you need for your car. Anything else is a waste. Keep your tires inflated properly. Keep your vehicle in good tune, good oil change intervals and maintenance are important and watch out for dirty air filters. Drive like you have a raw egg between your foot and the gas pedal. Smooth and easy driving saves gas. Give yourself extra room between the car infront so you don't need to brake hard and more often. Avoid rapid acceleration or jack rabbit starts.

Insurance expenses can be cut by shopping around, raising deductables and sometimes by insuring your home and auto through the same company.

Food expenses can be reduced by buying in bulk and raising your own produce in a garden. Joining a co-op helps. Cutting waste is probably the best tip here. Watch expiration dates. Use up stored food before spoilage occurs. Never grocery shop if you're hungry. Stick to a shopping list. Be sure you've grabbed everything you came for before hiting the checkout. Anything sold at the checkout isle stands a good chance of being high markup - impulse purchase items. Put your blinders on and don't habitually "shop" there.