Save Big By Giving Your Stuff Staying Power

From your closet to your car to your kitchen, there are some simple things you can do to make your stuff last longer. Consumer Correspondent Susan Koeppen shared her top tips on "The Early Show" for saving money through product staying power.

Koeppen noted Americans waste about $155 billion a year on food -- about 500 pounds of food per family.

She added consumers throw out two billion gallons of milk every year. But how could you reduce your family's waste?

Koeppen recommends keeping your milk at the back of your refrigerator. She also noted properly stored milk can last up to a week past its sell-by date.

And when it comes to eggs, Koeppen said, you should also keep these in the coldest part of your fridge. And you should always keep them in the carton they came in. Koeppen reported Americans throw out more than two billion pounds of eggs every year.

Also, you shouldn't keep your vegetables and fruits in the same place in the refrigerator.

Apples and broccoli, Koeppen said, do not mix.

Koeppen said, "It may seem weird, but it's true. Some fruit like apples give off a gas that can actually make some veggies like broccoli go bad."

And what about other areas of your life?

Koeppen said Americans throw away 280 million tires every year. Studies show consumers neglect the rubber that hits the road, with 55 percent of cars sporting at least one tire that's underinflated.

"Underinflated tires mean you're losing thousands of miles of tread life," Koeppen said. "Keep your tires longer by pumping them up on a regular basis."

When it comes to jeans, Koeppen says it's not about keeping them clean.

Levis -- the company that's been making jeans for more than 150 years --says don't wash your new jeans for at least six months. After that, the company suggests consumers wash them every two weeks.

Koeppen reported Levis also recommends never drying your jeans in the dryer. Instead, the company suggests hanging them up, upside down to preserve their length, shape and color.

Levis recommends spot cleaning your jeans if you have to and using an odor-eliminating spray -- something like Febreze -- if you are worried that they may be a little stinky.

Koeppen also shared these tips on "The Early Show":

• Razors will last longer if you dry them off after you use them and don't store them in the shower.

• Body wash will last longer if you use a sponge instead of pouring it into your hand and putting it on your body.

• Store markers with the tips down and dip them in warm water if they stop working to bring them back to life.