SAVING money is not as hard as you think. Here are some tips to help you rationalise your spending habits:

• Spend Less. This is not over-simplifying the best way to save money!

Review what you spend and look at ways you can save money.

Consider making telephone calls for instance only at off-peak times. Do you really need to have newspapers and magazines delivered?

• Can you do without those coffees you buy at break-times everyday? Would a flask of coffee taken to work save you money? What about using the public library, instead of buying books or music CDs?Establish a personal budget. This is essential for families and individuals and can be the fastest way to save money.

You will not be able to save money unless you know how much money you have coming in, and how much money you have going out.

• Bulk is good. Think about shopping and buying in bulk. Save money on grocery shopping by planning meals in advance and bulk-buying. You can also save money by cooking in bulk. Always purchase generics when you can.
• Make sure a sale is a sale. You have to be sure the sale really is a sale and not a creative marketing strategy of the store to encourage you to spend your money without thinking. "Buy one, get one free", "50% off", and "huge discount" will only help you save money if the actual price you pay is lower than you would pay somewhere else for exactly the same product.
• Buy used. There are huge savings to be made in buying used. Typical products you might consider buying used to save money include: cars, clothes, electrical goods, garden items, tools and sheds, household items and pots and pans.
• Don't carry excessive debt. Some debt in our lives may be essential. We may need a mortgage to purchase a home, we may need to use our credit card to make purchases until pay-day, but your aim to save money should be to have as little debt as possible, especially as it concerns credit cards.
• Save Money. Each week or each month get into the habit of putting an amount, however small, into your savings. You could start by saving a small, fixed amount each time and then move to putting in larger amounts once you begin to save money from your other money-saving strategies.
• Shop wisely. Consider markets, superstores, farmer's markets, local shops, marts and stores.
• Eat in rather than out. A cup of coffee taken out could easily cost you TWENTY times (or more) what it would cost you to make it at home.
• Use less. If we could all use and consume less there would be less waste, less power consumption, and the benefits for you are SAVING MONEY. - savingtips.com