We all know that the economy is in rough shape. With some lean times ahead of us, we’re all looking to cut spending. Here are some ways to do just that.

Shop around–This advice is true for groceries and anything else you buy. I look at the fliers that the grocery stores put in the mail and plan my shopping trips around the sales. When I lived in the States this was easy because the three major grocery stores in my town were on opposite corners from each other in the same intersection. Here are some ways to save on organic food.

Use coupons–Coupons are a great way to save money on an item that you already purchase, but sometimes they can entice you to buy something you wouldn’t normally buy and you really don’t need. Use coupons, but use them wisely.

Shop with a list–If you have a grocery list, you’re more likely to buy what you need and avoid impulse buys. It’s also a good idea to eat before heading out to the grocery store, because a hungry shopper is a foolish shopper.

Avoid brand names–When you buy brand name products, whether food or clothes, part of what you’re paying for is the brand name.

Pay in cash–Whenever possible buy things with cash. Handing over a pile of bills makes you consider your purchases much more.

Track your spending–Write down what you buy everyday and how much you spend. This will help you figure out where your money is going and help you cut out nonessential items.

Eat out less–This is not only good for your wallet, but good for you health. If you do something as simple as pack a lunch for work, you’ll notice a big difference in the amount of money you have during the week. Eating lunch out everyday really adds up.

Drive less–Gas prices are crazy. Ride a bike or walk when you can. Find someone to carpool with to work or take public transportation. Here are more ways to save gas.

Buy a reusable water bottle–People spend so much money on bottled water. Throwing out all those plastic water bottles isn’t helping the environment. Doing a little something for the environment can help you save money. Most of the time bottled water is just glorified tap water. You can put tap water in a bottle yourself and save tons of money. If you don’t trust the tap water, buy a filter.

Go to the library–You don’t have to buy every book you want to read. The library has a lot of books you can read for free. They have CDs and DVDs there too.

Buy it used–There are tons of things that you can get used from thrift stores or Craig’s List. You can also join your local Free Cycle group.

Pay off debt–Whenever you can pay it off. The interest your paying on that credit card debt isn’t helping you any.

Unplug it–I watched an Earth Day special a couple of years ago where they said that unplugging unused appliances would save electricity. I tried it and it worked. At night before going to bed go around unplugging things. When you get your electric bill you’ll notice the difference.

Photo by helmet13