Tips to save money on everyday items

As a big believer in the 'save money' credo, I constantly look out for ways and means to do so. Since every small thing adds up eventually, it often starts at home and everything we do routinely. Think about these and you'll realize most of it is pure common sense, but these are things that get overlooked more often than not.

Take for example, gasoline. With fuel prices shooting through the roof, saving on fuel can actually make for significant savings. This article in thestreet.com lists six ways to save money on gasoline: combine trips; eliminate unwanted trips or carpoool; fill your tires; change your oil and replace air filters; empty your trunk (or boot, as some people prefer to say); and lastly, use the Internet to find the best prices in your area!

Weekly grocery can be another major component of a family's monthly spend. Here, you can choose to visit the premium supermarkets and pay accordingly or save as much as 25-40% by visiting discount grocery stores. As long as you don't have any qualms about being seen in a discount grocery store, there's a lot to be gained. Even if you take the potential savings very conservatively, say 10%, you know how much discount grocery shopping can shave off your monthly expense list.

Changing the way you buy food and what you eat are other effective ways to save money. Some others now prefer to grow their own food and find it a lot cheaper in the long run. It might seem inconvenient and a waste of time initially (granted, it might be impractical to do depending where you live), but if you can and are willing to put in the extra effort initially, you are bound to save quite a bit of money.

More to follow in this series...