Easy and Practical Ways to Save Time, Money and Spend Less on Gasoline

With today's fast paced lifestyle and sagging economy, we can all use tips to save money and time. The following ideas are easy to incorporate into your family or work routine.

When making a grocery list, really take time to go through your pantry and fridge and make a complete list so you don't have to make extra trips to the store for something you forgot. Look through sale ads and stock up on items that are on sale and make sure to clip coupons and remember to take them with you! Never go to the grocery store when you are hungry because you will usually spend more money on things you wouldn't normally buy. Take the time to do some comparison shopping online at the stores in your area, but make sure the cost savings outweigh the cost of gas and time if you go to multiple stores just to save a few dollars.

Try on clothes before you buy them to save money on gas having to drive back to the store for an exchange or return of an item.

Shutting down email and IM programs can help you save time by allowing you to focus on the task at hand (writing articles, working on spreadsheets, etc). It's too tempting to read an email from a friend or respond to a chat on IM if you have easy access to the programs. So only open the programs you need to work with and you'll find your productivity will increase without easy access to the temptation of doing something a little more fun than work on that boring speech or spreadsheet.

If your phone service doesn't come with caller ID, invest in it. You can avoid telemarketers and long winded conversations with friends or family by knowing ahead of time who is on the other end of the line when the phone rings. This can be a real time saver.

Save time by combining your morning commute with a little exercise. Keep a hard rubber ball or modeling clay in your car so when you're stuck in traffic or stopped at traffic lights you can do some hand exercises. Just make a fist around the object and squeeze and release as many times as you can.

Pick out clothes for work or school the night before, and stick with your choice the next morning! Don't just stop with the clothing, though. Go ahead and pick out your accessories too. Hair ties, jewelry, scarfs, handbags ... all of these can cause you to waste time digging through drawers or closets to find the perfect match to your outfit.

Organize your desk and office area so you can quickly find what you need (pens, notepads, paper clips). This will allow you to use your time more effectively.

If you can afford it, invest in Tivo or a similar digital recording device. Tivo is one of the biggest timesavers to be invented in a long time. Fast forwarding through commercials is a great timesaver. Plus you can record shows and watch them at a later date and time when it's convenient for you.

For the ladies, organizing your makeup drawer can save a lot of time. Get caddies or drawer dividers and separate items by category. Put all lotion and facial cleanser, and face toners in a compartment, eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara in another compartment, lip liners, lipsticks, and lip gloss in another compartment, blush and foundation in another compartment. Once you have everything split into a category, then go through and toss out anything that is expired or that you never use. If you haven't used an item in six months, toss it out.

Save time and money by doing as much as possible online. Pay bills, compare brands and prices before you go to the store, and you can buy so many things online now that a lot of times it is more cost effective to buy online rather than spend time running around and wasting gasoline.

When running errands, map your route either on paper or in your head of where you want to go and try not to backtrack. This will help you save time and money on gas.

When you go on a business trip or vacation by airplane, try to pack everything into one carry on suitcase or backpack. You'll save time not have to stand in line waiting to check bags, and don't to worry about your luggage getting lost. Having only one bag can save you money too because you'll have more flexibility to take a different flight if yours gets bumped for some reason. You won't have to worry that your bags won't make the change if you change flights.

When planning a big event, like a wedding or family reunion, instead of sending out postal mail send email to keep everyone informed. Or create a website or other social networking forum such as MySpace to keep everyone informed of the latest happenings. This will save you both time and money.

Keeping your entryway closet neat and organized can save time when you're trying to get the kids out the door for school. Keep all the coats and jackets on hangers and get your kids in the habit of doing that as soon as they come through the door. Consider buying some inexpensive clear plastic see-thru tubs or bins to store hats, gloves, and scarves to keep them organized and easy to grab.

Using baskets is a great time saver and handy way to keep up with things that tend to get lost or misplaced. Pick a central location that is handy for everyone and designate certain used for certain baskets. Each basket is to only be used for holding certain items such as keys, mail, or spare change.

Save time and space in your kitchen cabinets and drawers by getting rid of duplicate items. You don't really need more than one egg timer, set of measuring spoons or cups, corkscrew, ice cream scoop, meat thermometer, or some other handy dandy gadget. Realistically determine how many plates and bowls and cups and glasses do you need, and get rid of the rest. Learn to live with less clutter and you'll discover a certain freedom in the space you'll save and the time you save when trying to find something in a "junk" drawer.

Save time sorting laundry by using two separate hampers. Use one for whites and one for colored items. If you have small children, you can buy one white hamper and one brightly colored hamper to help them remember which items go in which hamper.

Save money by reducing the time needed to dry your clothes. Shaking each item before tossing it in the dryer will help loosen up the fabric and things will dry quicker. You'll also cut down on wrinkles this way too.