Although things are starting to look up for the economy and spending is on the increase, times are still rough and money is still tight. Never before has making your money go further been so important and so we have put together some useful tips to ensure you're getting the most bang for your buck.

1) Before you buy, look for a voucher. You can't have missed the enormous presence of voucher sites on the internet, instead of turning your nose up at them, get involved with them.

2) Consider value range food. This is not one of my favorite pieces of advice but in some cases the cheaper, value range foods and products can be worth your time. I am not a great advocator of this because so often is the case that the quality of such products is severely compromised to achieve this price. My advice would be to check the ingredients of each product and determine whether or not its cheap for a reason!

3) Create a shopping list to follow and stick to it. The amount of people who set off to the supermarket without any concrete idea as to what they need is astonishing. By heading to the supermarket without a list, you are buying your shopping on impulse which is a free ticket to open wallet surgery. Before you head to the shops make sure get a shopping list written. Find out exactly what you need and stick to it. Don't get sucked in by their offers and make sure you go shopping on a full stomach.

4) Don't take your renewal quotes as the cheapest. Most insurance companies will try and get away with inflating your insurance premium in the hope that you will accept it and turn a blind eye. Never accept this offer, use price comparison tools to find out if it's the best deal and switch if you find something more favorable.

Incorporating a money saving philosophy into your lifestyle takes a little bit of thought and perseverance. It's something you need to actively practice as it wont happen on its own.