by Amanda Kringle

Created on: February 10, 2010   Last Updated: February 11, 2010

In today's economy more and more people are having to tighten their budget. As unemployment rates rise, we as a society are having to constantly find ways to save what little money we have.

So for those of you who, like me, are on a tight budget you are probably looking for a little extra ways to save money. I am going to share with you a few little tricks that I learned from personal experience that are simple and easy ways to save a little extra cash.

1). Shop smart. When you go grocery shopping go with a pre-determined list of foods that you will need for a week or two. Sit with your family and plan your menu. Decide what types of foods that you like and make meals out of them. Once you have than done set yourself a specific amount that you can spend whether is be 50 or 100 dollars, whatever you think that you will need. Coupons will be a big help too if you can find them. They are a good way to save.

That being said, when you do get to the store, don't buy the most expensive brands. You can go for the cheaper ones that are still tasty. Its a really good idea not to go shopping hungry either as you are more apt to spend money on foods you don't need and that are expensive.

2). Movies. I love to rent movies. However as the economy tightened and I was laid off I was forced to realize just how expensive renting movies can get, especially on a regular basis. The solution ? Borrow movies from other people. Friends, family and co-workers may be more than happy to loan you a movie to watch for a short time. Also, go to your public library. Many libraries have shelves of movies that are available for loan. They may not be the newest titles, but there are some good ones in there all you have to do is look. Besides, most libraries are free. All you have to do is show them your library card to rent movies. Even if they aren't free, the library is considerably cheaper to rent movies from then the local video store.

3). Cut down eating out. Like renting movies I love going out to eat with friends. However as time progressed and I had to tighten my budget, I realized just how expensive eating out gets. That 5 dollar sub may seem inexpensive to you now, but its 5 dollars that could have gone in your gas tank, grocery money, or your dwindling savings account. Cutting down eating out not only will help you save money, but will also help your waistline. The same goes for the junk foods that you buy every-time that you get gas. Let them go, you will save alot of money and trim that waistline you developed over the holidays.

4). Home smarts. Be smart at home too. Little things that you do at home can add up to big bills every month. Turn out lights when your not using them. If you do need a light on only turn on what you need. If your doing laundry, wash in cold water. Only use as much laundry soap as you need. Don't fill the cap all the way up for a small load. Watch how much of things you use. Your heater and A/C, do you use them all the time? Try setting them on a lower setting and using fans or blankets to maker up the difference. Toilet paper, condiments, lights, water and whatever else. Just pay attention to what you are doing. You will find that you probably use more than you need to. I did and cut down my electricity and grocery bill by over 30%.

In conclusion, simply paying better attention to the habits of you and your family can really help to shave down your monthly expenses. You will be surprised at how much unnecessary things you use when you pay attention.

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