Do you feel like you've gone on a shopping spree every time you go to the dry-cleaners? While it's nice to have shirts and pants hung so crisp, fresh, and clean, dry-cleaning service all costs a pretty penny. If you are looking to save some bucks each month on your laundry, consider implementing these tips on how to save on dry-cleaning.

• Scope the land — Rather than go to the closest dry-cleaners out of convenience, do a little research on surrounding stores. Perhaps only a block away, you'll find a better deal that also offers a frequent cleaner punch card.
• Limit the clothes you take — You can hand wash most cashmere, wool, satin, silk, and cotton clothes. However, always take suede, velvet, fur, and leather to the professionals.
• Dry-clean at home — Spot-treat stains, then throw garments into the dryer with a dry-cleaning sheet like Woolite Dry Cleaner's Secret [1] or Bounce 15 Minute Dry Cleaner [2]. FYI, these at-home products are not intended for heavily stained clothing. Instead, they work to keep products fresh in between professional dry-cleaning sessions.
• Care for clothes in between wear — Many people take their clothes to the cleaners because a garment is wrinkly and not because it actually needs to be cleaned. Make sure you hang your clothes when you remove them rather than stash them carelessly on a chair. Consider purchasing a fabric steamer to quickly and easily steam out wrinkles.
• Hand-wash carefully — Use Woolite or a delicate fabric wash. Stick to cold or warm water, depending on your garment's tags. As a precaution, it's best to test out a small hidden piece of fabric to make sure it won't shrink or discolor. When treating stains, try to treat them immediately, or else they will become permanent. Similar to the fabric wash, also test the stain remover on a hidden area of the cloth so as to not remove the fabric dye (I've been there, done that!). Do not rub stains; hold an absorbent pad or paper towel on the other side of the cloth and blot stains.