Saving money is crucial in today's economy, meaning you should be taking every measure that you can to stretch the money that you have. Living comfortably is easier than one might think especially when one is aware of their spending, saving habits, and regular income. When you take a closer look at your finances, you too can begin to live not only comfortably, but wisely.

Evaluate Your Expenses

Right before you begin to apply money saving tactics, you should evaluate your current financial situation and assess your expenses. Your expenditures are where you are losing money- so obviously this would be the first step. Are there any unnecessary expenses that you make? Are there certain service bills that you don't need? Do you have extended programming with your cable or satellite provider that you don't actually watch? Once you know where your money is actually going, you can begin to apply changes.

Collecting Coupons

This is perhaps one of the easiest ways to save money. You can save up to hundreds of dollars (even up to a thousand or more for a decent sized family) by using coupons. Coupons can be used for nearly anything! From food and toiletries to home decor and entertainment, you can always find a cheaper way out. A good way to start is by collecting coupons for your next grocery trip. Entertainment providers also offer coupons for new visitors and deals for frequent visitors; resulting in deep discounts for you.

Reevaluating all of Your Daily Trips

Do you make it a daily habit to stop by your coffee shop on the way to work, or stop in at your favorite bar or restaurant after a long work day for an easy drink or meal? If so, you should begin to do all of this at home. Brewing your own coffee, making your own food, or buying a six pack can save you much more money than you think. A daily dose of your favorite beer or coffee can cost you $3 a day- or $90 over the course of a month!

Forget TV Programming

Let's be honest: cable and satellite are no longer needed in today's world. Instead, you can use your PC, tablet, or smartphone to look up your favorite shows. You can also have your television set up to stream movies and television shows online. Therefore, why should you have to pay $100 or more per month, when you can watch everything for free with an internet connection? Even services like Netflix are only $8 per month- a huge savings!

Become Your Own Chef

For some of us, cooking is not our Fortier. However, cooking truly is not that hard! It may take a little longer, but you can prepare many common food items such as burgers and sandwiches for not even $1 per serving- usually less. That same burger or sandwich could cost you $5 at your favorite restaurant. It's even better to prepare luxury meals at home as well, as you can buy it in bulk and get many more meals out of your purchase in the future. Almost all food can be bought in bulk and frozen to prevent it from going bad! 

Do It Yourself!

If you have a project or repair that you need finished, don't hire someone else to do it! Instead, you can complete it yourself and avoid labor costs. You can even build your own furniture, such as tables and dressers. This could actually become a hobby as well, and an extra income should family and friends become interested in your craftsmanship skills!

Generic Products and Store Brands

If you have never used generic products, it is good to know that many times they are not much different than name brand products. From food and toilet paper, to baby care items and medicines, they really aren't too bad! Medicines are one of the biggest examples, because they all use the same active ingredients and will treat illness in the same way. Check out the price differences between name brand products and generics- you might just be floored at the savings.

Little Cash Saving Habits to Develop

Many banks offer savings solutions for those on a budget. If you cannot seem to find the money to put aside every month, "keep the change" plans are a great option. They round up charges to your debit card to the next dollar amount, and send the change to your savings account. In other words, a $4.50 charge will become $5, but the other $0.50 will make its way to your savings account. You could also choose a certain coin or bill (Such as $1's or $5's) to put aside in a piggy bank every time you make a purchase. These are great ways to build your savings quickly and easily!