There is no doubt that at this time of financial crisis, every cent counts. The global recession has affected millions of people around the world. Thousands upon thousands of employees have been laid off from their permanent jobs. Most of the contractual employees lost their primary source of income. Some companies and small, striving businesses closed down and filed for bankruptcy. Even college graduates who have graduate studies up their sleeves find a very difficult time landing a job that has a salary and benefits fit for their curriculum vitae. To make matters worse, the price of food, utilities, rent, gasoline, matriculation, and other commodities keep getting higher and higher. At this situation and at this rate, we just cannot afford to spend on anything unnecessary. Here are some tips to save every cent from your paycheck.

1.    Bring your own lunch to work. We all know that a meal costs way cheaper if we prepare them in our own kitchen. There is nothing embarrassing about bringing your own lunch food. In fact, this can teach you discipline and control over your choice of food and the amount you consume. As much as possible, learn to cook healthy meals. Recipes are free and available online. You can cook them the night before and reheat them before you go to work in the morning. If your office has a microwave oven in the pantry, sneak in to reheat your food for a quick minute during lunch time. Opt for easy-to-prepare and quick cook meals. Do not be afraid to take on new recipes during the weekends. Learning how to cook more meals can provide variety for your packed lunches and you won’t ever be bored with just one thing.
2.    Make your own cup of joe. Whether you prefer brewed or instant coffee to kick start your day, buying your java or latte from your favorite coffee shop every morning sets you back at least a thousand dollars each year. If you drink coffee more than once a day then you would be roughly two or three thousand dollars poorer by the end of the year. Think how nice this figure could have reflected on your savings account than on your accumulated coffee receipts. For coffee drinkers choose to buy your favorite ground coffee, brew it yourself, and enjoy your daily dose of caffeine knowing that at the end of the year you have at least saved a thousand bucks. That is something worth looking forward to.
3.    Turn appliances and lights off when not in use. It sounds so cliché but this proves to be very effective. Acquire the habit of unplugging those cords when you leave the house for work or vacation. Not only are you saving energy, you are slashing off a considerable amount off your electric bills every month. If the whether is fine, open those windows to ventilate your home. That energy consumption for your heater or air conditioner. If it is bright outside, turn off your lights and pull up the shades instead.
4.    Use fluorescent lamps and bulbs instead of incandescent. It has proven over and over again that fluorescent lamps consume lesser energy, emit more light, and have a longer life than incandescent bulbs. They can be more expensive but the cost of purchase pays off in terms of the length of its use and its energy consumption.