Unfortunately there are a lot of people out there who are facing financial difficulty. Whether you are struggling to pay your mortgage, you've been laid off (which is the situation I am in), you aren't getting a raise because revenues aren't looking good, or many other reasons, you're probably spending a lot of time worrying about how to make ends meet.

It's difficult to face the reality of not having as much disposable income as you once might have had, but rather than going into debt and getting yourself into further financial trouble, there are some simple steps you can take to start saving money. Remember...every little bit counts!

Sounds simple, doesn't it? Of course, one of the easiest ways to save money is not to spend it, but in such a materialistic society, it's actually more difficult than you think. Most people don't even realize how many times they buy frivolous things during the day. Three dollars for coffee, ten dollars for lunch, a quick drive to the mall...everything adds up. If you think you don't have anything to cut back on, try keeping a journal for one week and write down everything you spend money on. I bet when you look it over, you'll find a few things that seemed necessary at the time but could easily have been avoided. If you want to go a step further, think about how much gas it took you to get to the place where you bought that unnecessary item. It all adds up!

A lot of people dont realize that the grocery store can serve several purposes other than selling groceries. I also use it as my post office and ATM. When I'm in need of cash and either am away from my own bank's ATMs or I just need some quick cash, I'll run into the store, buy some gum and get extra cash. There is no extra fee (as other banks will charge) to get cash and I usually need gum anyways.

Also, the cashiers keep stamps in their registers. Just tell them you need a book and save gas on a trip to the post office!

If you're like me and you have accepted the fact that you'll never be the next Rachel Ray or Wolfgang Puck, cooking is probably your least favorite thing to do. I realized that I was spending way too much money on going out to dinner/drinks with friends so I started eating at home more often. I've come up with some quick and easy recipes that dont cost a lot to stock up on. One of them can be found at http://hubpages.com/_1tmghdz4o7gn6/hub/southwest-salad-recipe.

So many bills are paid automatically, it's easy to forget what you're signed up for. Maybe you can live without HBO for a few months. Or maybe your gym membership can be frozen for a while and take up running. Whatever it is, make sure you know what you're paying for and decide whether or not it is a priority during this temporary money crunch.

I've learned that it's important to monitor your credit card statements every month. I've had a couple instances of identity theft where small amounts were charged and would have gone unnoticed by the credit card company if I weren't actively looking.

I'm crossing my fingers that going green isn't just a passing fad. There are so many easy ways that we can reduce our impact on the planet, and at the same time, save money! Here are just a few

• Unplug appliances not in use (microwave, tv, phone chargers, etc) and reduce your electricity bill
• Use grocery bags as trash bags. It seems silly to me to pay for a bag that you're just going to throw away!
• Buy a reusable water bottle. Stop wasting money on one-time use water bottles, you'd be surprised at how much it adds up.
• Turn off sprinklers during rainy seasons. I think that's self explanatory.

If you own a small business, I have posted some green ideas in the following hub http://hubpages.com/_1tmghdz4o7gn6/hub/greencompany