Money Saving Tips in a Struggling Economy

1. Continue to contribute to your 401k especially if your company matches. Contribute at least the 6% in which your company matches. That's free money in which you can not make anywhere else.
2. Improve your FICO Score before making major purchases such as a bedroom set, car, or home. A lower interest rate will save you thousands of dollars in the long run.
3. Pay more than the minimum on your credit cards. If you only pay the minimum it would take several years to pay it off and that's assuming you are not adding new debt to it.
4. Instead putting that new HDTV on your credit card, save up your money to make large purchases. You can earn interest while saving up your money rather than paying 22% interest. By the time you've saved up your money to make the purchase, they price may have gone down or you may realize you don't want it anymore and would rather use the saved money on something else or continue saving the money for a rainy day.
5. Never ever ever take cash advances from your credit cards. The interest rates are outrageous and you'll just dig yourself into a big whole. If you are desperate for cash, borrow from family or friends and offer to pay a more reasonable interest rate to them. Better yet, find a second job to make the cash you need.