I love thrift stores! Consignment vs. donation makes a difference- consigned clothing is generally higher quality and less worn than donated clothing. One of my favorite things to do is go second-hand shopping, but in this economy I have found more people are buying there so the selection is not as good.

One suggestion I have for saving money that no one mentioned yet is winterizing your house. You can buy a kit to put plastic on your windows for very little (and get some rope caulk, which is also very cheap). Put the caulk in the places where cold air comes in, and put the plastic up on your windows- it really does help keep the cold out and lower your energy bill. Also, I would switch to CFLs and turn down your heat at night.