Today in our society, there is a lot of competition for our disposable income. Everywhere you look, there are advertisements for things to "make our lives worthwhile", things to "help" us through our rough days, and things to purchase to satisfy all of the little boys and girls that are deep down in each of us. For a large chunk of the population, people have been advertised to so much, that we don't even realize the subliminal messages received on an average evening watching television....get an iphone. Get an ipod....go to Starbucks.

Here are a few tips and pointers to help you save money when in this time of financial hardship that most folks are experiencing. Some things are obvious. Others not so much. But with a bit of frugality, you could end up with money in the bank for a day when you'll need it....and believe you me, there WILL be days. I don't care how much you make.

What are you waiting for? Give yourself a raise.

1) Ditch the coffee merchants
I for one love Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts, in my opinion, makes some of the best coffee in America. But at four and five dollars a cup is a bit too much. We don't even think about how much it costs us a month to stop in on our way to work because it's so easy, convenient and who doesn't have 4 or 5 bucks? Well....a little bit of bald guy math translates a daily trip to the coffee merchant to cost you $120.00 a month. That's $1440.00 a year!!! You could buy a top of the line Krupps coffee/espresso maker for that and still be able to afford some great organic coffee from the health food store and make your own at home in the morning. If you need to take it with you, but one of those fancy schmancy stainless steel cups with a lid. Ditching these sort of indulgences can pay off in the long run.

2) Pack your lunch
Packing your lunch seems like a drag, but you know that if you go to MacDonalds or Burger King or even a local mom and pops eatery like I used to do every day, you're going to shell out $6.00 or $7.00 dollars a day for a meal that probably isn't very good for you. If you don't know what to fix, see my hub http://hubpages.com/hub/Survival-Guide-For-the-Modern-Man---5-Things-to-Make-with-Tortillas for some ideas. For taking the time to pack your lunch, you'll save a whopping $147.00 a month if you work 21 days a month. That's $1764.00 a year. With that kind of savings, you can make some nice things for lunch and still have money left over....

3) Make a list when you go grocery shopping
Everyone says that they make a list when they go to the store, but the secret is to stick with it. If you go to the big box marts, it's quite easy to pick up extra items that aren't on your list. Before you know it, you're looking at the receipt in the parking lot wondering how you just spent $200.00 when it's supposed to cost less money to shop there. Even though the prices are better at big box chain stores than other stores, you'll be better served to stick to the items on your list. I don't have an average of what you might be able to save, but I know from experience that when I pick up a pair of shorts, a hat, and a Gators Championship T-Shirt, it's adding an extra $40.00 to the bill. Keep the extra $40.00 and just pick up whats on your list, save buying the other things for a separate trip.

4) Try to carpool or take a bus to work
I'm one of the lucky ones who lives a mile from the office, so I can either walk to work, ride a bike or take a quick drive if the weather is bad. I used to live 20 miles from the office. Bad traffic and high gas prices make me thankful to be so close now. Your average American worker lives 10 miles from their place of employment. Cut gas prices by riding with a spouse, co- worker or taking public transportation to work. Your average savings are hard to calculate but, in my case, I was spending $30.00 a week just to get to and from, which is now cut to almost nothing. $20.00 can last almost 2 weeks.

So in a nutshell, there are 4  ways that you can make little changes for the financial betterment of yourself....save the Starbucks and buying lunch for once a month treats to celebrate your new savings account.