It doesn't have to be the holiday season to feel that financial crunch. Always seems at the end of the month, there is worry about whether all the bills will be paid. Will there be enough for groceries, or clothing, or other necessities? Every month, too, you vow to ease financial burdens by being more judicious with spending, but it doesn't always work. You wonder, is there really an effective way to save money?



Especially if you don't have much money to begin with, saving can prove difficult in hard times. Just when you think you have a nice amount in the bank, something needs to be repaired or a surprise bill is due, and you're back to square one. All is not lost, though. By conditioning yourself to a few simple tasks, you may find you can seed some money into a nice little nest egg for later use, helpful if you are planning for a large purchase like a computer, a car or a trip.

Here are some ways you can save money. One is naturally obvious, something you may already do, while another is a bit more unorthodox, but effective.

Using Coupons Effectively

Okay, so maybe you rummage through the Sunday paper each week for the glossy packs of store coupons tucked between the funnies and the local television guide. Each week brings something new and maybe something familiar and oft-used: coupons for diapers, canned goods, ketchup and cleaning products. You clip religiously and shop, yet are still amazed at how much you have spent for the week's shopping.

As you go through the coupons, think about what you are clipping. You would be surprised to know how often people buy things because they have a coupon. For example, a person might buy a frozen pizza using a fifty-cent off coupon, but what if that person doesn't normally buy frozen pizza? Is he really saving money? If the pizza is never eaten, that's money gone to waste! Take a look at your pantry, how many items are there that have been sitting for months on end because you never found desire or occasion to use them?

Consider each coupon as you clip. Is it for an item you truly need, or for an unnecessary luxury? Coupons for candy, for one, might be nice, but if you don't buy the candy at all that's money not spent, as well as pounds not gained! Be judicious when you choose your coupons, and you will find you wallet isn't so light when you leave the store.

Creative Recycling

Once a week you may put out the recycling with the garbage. Old newspapers, empty soda cans, and plastic bottles fill the bin, awaiting a new life as something else that will be bought and thrown away. While recycling may benefit the economy and environment, there are some things you can actually keep and use once more before you can truly thrown them away.

Take those old typewritten reports or documents, for one. Instead of tossing them, cut them into quarters and use the blank sides to create a notepad for later use. This will save you the few bucks you'd spend at the store for a pad. And don't throw out those old peanut butter jars or two-liter soda bottles just yet. If properly cleaned and sanitized, they can be used for later storage of dry goods or drink mixes for the kids. Why buy new containers when you can reuse the ones you already have?

A bit of forethought and know-how can save you pennies on the dollar and keep you from unnecessary purchases. Try some creativity and good judgment today to save for the future.