Three Easy Ways to Save Money and Stretch Your Paycheck Farther in These Tough Economic Times

There is no question that times are hard right now. It seems as if gas prices are taking us on a roller coaster ride, job security is at an all time low as America hears of drove after drove of layoffs in what seems every industry. So many families are being humbled by the lack of extra money to pay for things we so often took for granted when times were booming. We all need to find ways in which we can pay less for those weekly items we need to survive as we learn to create ways to save money and how to negotiate lower payments on all our bills. During these tough times I have three easy ways to immediately save more of your paycheck.

1. Coupons. I used to think coupons were for the elderly or for the cheap. Just a few months ago I witnessed a young lady and man in their early twenties at a well known major department store cashing in dozens of coupons. Their bill went from about $60.00 down to about $6.00. Coupons are for the smart and all of us have something to learn about how many great opportunities there are to save money right now using coupons. The truth is we can save ourselves hundreds and possibly thousands per year by keeping track of coupons and special deals offered during specific sales. It's one of the easiest methods for stretching your money and keeping more of your paycheck for yourself. For more info on saving money with coupons search the website at http://www.247malls.com

2. Pick one phone. In this day and age of too many financial issues having excess responsibility such as two phone payments are unnecessary. My wife and I had to cut down from two cell phones and a land line to just one cell phone. I would like to suggest that anyone reading this article take a very serious look at the Magic Jack. I was skeptical using it at first but after many months of using it it has turned out to be one of the best money saving ideas for paying less and lowering our monthly payments. Magic Jack cost $39.95 plus shipping and handling to setup and it gives you the first year for free. This includes unlimited local and long distance and includes voicemail. Each additional year is $19.95. It's hard to believe but it works as good if not better than a land line and does not affect your ability to use the internet while talking on the phone. It literally is only $19.95 per year. To find out all the details search the website at http://www.majicjack.com

3. Use Craiglist.com. Craiglist.com is a local oriented site with free classified postings by individuals like you. Find everything from furniture to games to automobiles. If you want to save money, you will need to learn to stretch your money farther by buying some things in gently used condition. Why buy a new dining table set when you can buy it like new for hundreds of dollars less through Craigslist.com. This is a fabulous resource for paying less for all of your luxury items, it will help you save a lot of money so you can afford to pay for the things that count. Visit http://craigslist.com