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If you commute to work every day, you know how much of a headache it can be. From traffic to the cost of gas, tolls and parking, just getting to the office every morning can be extremely stressful.

Fortunately, there are many ways you can reduce the cost of your daily commute, according to a report from the Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, version of the local news site Patch. One of the easiest ways to do this, for millions of people across the country, is to start relying on public transportation more often. These options are becoming very popular again because of the rising price of gas, but can also provide you even more savings because in some states, you are allowed to use a tax deduction for an annual discount of up to $500 on your federal filing. Your car insurance company might also give you a discount.

Taking public transportation will obviously not only help you save significantly on the gas you buy every month – even if you still have to drive a short distance to your nearest train station, bus stop or park and ride location – but will also give you more time to relax either before or after office hours, or even get some extra work done.

Of course, another great way to save money on your commute is to stick with an old standby: the carpool, the report said. Finding three people or more from your office who live in your area to share a ride to work sometimes or even every day can help to significantly reduce the amount you pay for fuel every month. Think of it this way: If you get four other people to drive to work with you every week, you’re only driving your car one day instead of five, saving not only on gasoline, but also on wear and tear on the vehicle. In addition, some states also have ride-sharing programs that allow consumers to find other people in their area who would want to participate in a carpool. Some states even incentivize participation by providing gas cards to consumers who enroll for the first time.

“From taking transit to carpooling, there are many ways commuters can save time and money getting to work,” Barry Seymour, executive director of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, told the site, adding that these measures also have a positive impact on the environment.

But even if those measures won’t work for you, and you still have to head to the office by yourself every day, there are still a number of ways to save, the report said. The simplest is to change your driving habits so that you’re not using as much fuel. During a commute, it can be easy to fall into aggressive driving habits like speeding, braking hard and so forth in order to get to work faster, but doing so also burns significantly more fuel. In fact, aggressive driving tactics often cost consumers as much as 33 percent of their vehicle’s fuel efficiency. Further, having a lot of junk in your car can also slow the vehicle down, with every hundred pounds reducing its efficiency by as much as 2 percent.

If you want to make sure your car is running in tip-top shape, you should also stick to the routine maintenance schedule provided by its manufacturer, as well as making sure your tires are properly inflated and using the right kind of oil, the report said.

Victor McGlothin is a financial writer for DailyMoneyTip.com, providing easy ways to save money everyday.

If you are the super sensible type of college grad who spent all of your time at school working hard to stay afloat, you might well have come out with your diploma as well as a nice pot of savings – or at least not too much debt.

If on the other hand you didn’t (like 99% of your peers, myself included) then congrats, you have just arrived at that point in life where you need to repair and rebuild and start your journey to financial stability.

Step 1: What Are Your Key Goals?

When you have lots of debt and little income you have 2 overriding goals; so these are what we will focus on:

1 – To pay off your debts, so that you can begin saving.
2 – To repair your credit rating, ready for when you need it.

So before we get started, your first task is to write down all your debts – this won’t be fun, but you need to know your starting point. So make a list of who you owe, how much and what it’s costing you (ie, interest rate).

Step 2: Paying It Off

You need to prioritise which debts are paid off first. In general store cards, then credit cards and overdrafts, loans etc come last.

Paying off the high cost debt will save you the most money, money which can then be used to pay off more debt. As soon as a card is paid off you can destroy it and cancel the account.

High Risk Strategy:

If you can take a relatively low interest loan to pay off all of your cards this might be a good idea, it will save you money and give you a much more manageable repayment. Be careful though, if you end up taking out new cards you will just get further into debt. Only take this option if you are sure you can trust yourself and if the numbers add up.

Use Your Credit Cards

Long term credit card debt is bad for your credit rating, so pay these off first. Once you have paid them off though, using your cards occasionally will help to improve your credit rating. Again, this is risky and should only be done if you trust yourself to pay off your balance in full every month.

If you can’t use a card responsibly just get rid of it, slip ups will cost you, and you can’t afford that right now.

Be Vigilant

For the time being you are going to be constantly close to your limit, because all of your income will be working hard to pay off debt. It is important to watch your finances closely and be careful to avoid dipping into your overdraft (or at least going past the limit). Set aside 10 minutes every other day to review your progress so that you always know where you are.

Step 3: Getting Them Paid Off

If you have multiple debts, keep an eye on the balances. Sometimes it is worth paying off a smaller debt as soon as you can, even if it is not a high interest one. This isn’t optimal financially, but being able to cross off a debt is great for your motivation.

In the long term you just need discipline; it can be very hard, but as long as you can see progress being made you should be able to stay motivated and keep at it.
This article about becoming financially smart was brought to you by Ricky from CurrencyConverter.co.uk, home of the currency converter widget!

There are many benefits to save money while traveling. Among them, people can often go on trips that otherwise would strain the budget, by reducing the trip’s cost. Here are seven strategies to save money on travel.

Go Off-season

Most travel destinations have two distinct seasons: the peak season and the offseason. During a destination’s peak season, prices everywhere will be much higher than the rest of the year. Hotel rates can double, even triple. Many restaurants will require reservations, and deals will be hard to find. By traveling during the off season, people will face much smaller crowds and lower costs. Prices across the board will be lower. Yet, these savings do have a cost. During the offseason, weather conditions might be harsh or major attractions might be absent.

Some people do not want to travel during the offseason, but would like to save money while traveling. For this demographic, the shoulder season can be perfect. The shoulder season is just before and after the peak season. During it, crowds start to dwindle. Prices reflect the reduced demand. At the same time, most businesses are still open during this period. The shoulder season typically lasts for a couple weeks, but varies by destination

Pack Light

Packing light, especially when flying, is essential. Airlines are continually raising rates for checked bags on both domestic and international flights. To avoid these fees, try to bring only carry-ons along for the trip. Reducing your luggage by a single checked bag will save you at least $50.00, in most cases.

While travelers who are flying will save the most by packing light, everyone will save a little money. Extra luggage in cars will reduce gas mileage. The added cost at the pump likely will not be $50.00, unless you are going on a cross-country road trip. Yet, every little bit saved helps.

Leave Room

Leaving room in your luggage for purchases will save you money on the return journey. Anything bought or received as a gift will have to come home, somehow. These items can either be added to the luggage or shipped. Whether bringing an extra suitcase along for souvenirs and gifts, or shipping everything back in a box is cheaper, varies. If there is room in a suitcase, the most cost-effective way is to pack purchases in a suitcase that needed to be brought anyway.

Fly Weekdays

Airfare is one of the major costs of many trips. It also has one of the greatest opportunities to save money. Airfares differ greatly. Some factors that determine their prices are subject to when the ticket is purchased, when the flight is and the cities being flowing between. Generally, purchasing tickets in advance and flying during the off-season will save people money.

Travelers will find that the lowest airfares are often on weekdays, specifically Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. By flying on these days, people can save anywhere from a few dollars to hundreds. The exception to this rule is holidays. When flying for a holiday, typically the holiday itself is cheapest. Outside of that, airfares will be oriented around when the holiday occurs in the week.

Call the Hotel

By calling hotels individually, people can often get the best rates on hotel rooms. These rates often beat any deals found online, and they certainly will be lower than those offered by the reservations line. Call specific hotels and ask to make a reservation with them. If you are referred to a reservations line, call the hotel back and talk with an employee of that hotel again.

Eat In

Eating out becomes expensive very quickly. The solution is simple: eat in while traveling. Sometimes, purchasing an upgraded room, which has a kitchenette, will pay for itself. The easiest meal to eat in is breakfast. Look for accommodations that offer a free breakfast. If you cannot find any with breakfast included, stop by the local grocery store for a pack of muffins or donuts.

Public Transportation

Renting a car is not always wise. In large cities, it can become a burden to find parking, and drivers can get lost easily. In addition to the rental costs, you must pay for fuel and parking. In big cities, relying on public transit can save travelers money. Become familiar with the public transportation system, before departing.

There are many ways to save money while traveling. A savvy traveler can save hundreds or thousands, depending on the extravagance of the trip, with these tips.

Author Bio: Zach Daniel writes for Morocco Tours, a travel company that provides private Morocco tours that allow people to fully experience Morocco.

Everyone would appreciate a little extra cash, especially in this troubled economy. While finding a job right now might be difficult, finding some extra dough can be done at home. Here are seven ways to earn extra money from used items around your house.

1. Books

Any college student is aware of how much books can cost. Whenever someone is paying a pretty penny for a book, they could be sending you that money. Selling unneeded books is quite easy. The best ones to sell are obscure nonfiction, but it is worth researching the price of any extra book. The most popular sites to sell old books on are Amazon.com, BN.com and Half.com. All of these walk individuals through the process of assessing, pricing and listing a book. They each will take a nominal fee and small percentage when the book sells, but this is not paid if the book goes unsold. The downside of selling books is that you must monitor the listings at least twice a week.

2. Jewelry

Selling books is profitable, but takes patience. For a quick buck, take any old jewelry to a precious metal buyer. There are many businesses now buying platinum, gold, silver and other valuable metals. In most cases, the amount you will receive is almost the same at every store, so driving around for the best offer is rarely worth the hassle. Simply find a reputable metals dealer and ask what the value of your jewelry is. If you like the offer, accept it.

3. Electronics

Everyone has old electronics, and many of them are of some value. Whether you have an old cell phone, camera, computer, CD player, DVD player or other electronic device, there is a website that wants it. For many items, these sites are willing to pay. To see if your old electronics qualify, find an appropriate site and enter your model into the form.

4. Sports Equipment

Depending on what sport you played, the equipment might be worth something. Usually, people can get a significant amount for snow skiing equipment, such as skis, bindings and boots, provided they are not too outdated. Other sports that require a lot of gear are mountain climbing, football and lacrosse. Yet, even ice skates or a tennis racket can be sold. Any sports equipment might be worth something. This can be especially helpful for families with children involved in sports.

5. Clothes

Many people occasionally take old clothes to a second-hand store. Next time you head to the thrift store, first stop by private, independent stores, before you go to the Salvation Army or Goodwill. These individual stores will usually pay for fashionable clothes that are still in great condition. If you have only worn something once, or if there is a shirt that still has the tags attached, it could pay for a new piece of clothing.

6. Furniture

The furniture in a home is often among the most expensive items in the house or apartment. As such, it also will bring in the most money if sold. The most popular ways to sell furniture is through Craigslist.com or a garage sale. However, if the item being sold is extremely valuable, then selling it on consignment at a store might be the most profitable method.

7. CDs and DVDs

Even though people are increasingly turning to digital music and streaming movies for their entertainment, CDs and DVDs can be sold. These will not bring in thousands of dollars (unless you have a houseful of them), but they should be worth a few dollars. Best of all, they can be sold very quickly. Simply take them to a local used video or music store, as this media does not resell well online.
Everyone can find some things lying around the house to sell. No matter what you have, it can bring in a little extra money. In times like these, that extra money earned from things around the house will be greatly appreciated.

Author Bio: James Zachary writes for Design 55, a U.K.-based, online, shop that sells glass dining tables and other household furniture.

It is that time of year again to start thinking about ideas of what to give your loved one for Christmas. But, what if your loved one is picky? Or, what if he or she seems to have everything? In this case, you could give him or her a gift card from their favorite store. Gift cards are handy because they save you and your loved one’s money. Not every item, though can be purchased with a gift card and some gift cards are unpopular.

Here is a list of the five gift cards that people want.

1. Clothes. Everyone needs new clothes, but everyone loves to wear clothes that make them look good. All clothing stores sell gift cards, so if your loved one’s taste in fashion is different from yours, you can purchase her a gift card from her favorite clothing store.

2. Books. Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, most people enjoy reading. Books are an ideal gift because of their importance to peoples’ literary development and to their need for information. Every bookstore sells gift cards, so if your loved one is an avid reader, you can purchase him a gift card from his favorite bookstore.
3. Electronics. Electronic devices, such as iPads, iPhones, iPods, e-readers, laptops and desktop computers are high in demand. Every person is in need of an electronic device for work and for pleasure. These items, though, are pricy. If you do not have the funds to purchase one as a gift for your loved one, you can purchase a gift card with a certain amount of money charged on it. That will cover part of the cost of the electronic device.

4. Cosmetics. Every woman likes to look beautiful and cosmetics make that possible. Certain cosmetics, such as hand cream and body lotion, help improve the texture of skin. Cosmetics are sold at salons, department stores and most drug stores. If your significant other loves to wear makeup and body lotion, you can purchase her a gift card from any store that sells these products.

5. Office supplies. These items will always be in high demand. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford them. If your loved one needs office supplies, you can purchase him or her a gift card from Staples, London Drugs or any other store where office supplies are sold.

With gift cards, you can spend as low as ten dollars and as high as a thousand dollars or more. It all depends on how much money you are able to spend. So, if you are stuck for gift ideas, give your loved on a gift card for Christmas.

Kathryn writes for discounts.ca, a company that specializes in coupons. It provides online discounts and discount codes along with promotional codes