Saving money need not be a life changing event. Small steps done each day can be made in order that there is money left to treat yourself to a fancy dinner or for an emergency that may just need a little more money. It need not be some grandiose plan with lofty goals. That may work for some but for normal people like you and me, the suggested steps below may just be the way for you to save your hard earned money for a rainy day.

1. Keep your small change in a piggy bank at the end of the day.

This suggestion may seem like child's play. But at the end of the day, when one empties one's pockets or purse, coins or even small denominations seem pesky or trivial. But do realize that without a quarter there would be no dollar and without a dollar there would be no hundred and so on and so forth. So the dime you save today after so many dimes (and days) would be your savings. And this you can even do without thinking and planning.

2. Avoid using credit cards and/or checks for small purchases. Credit cards/checks have two pronged costs which affect your spending capacity.

• Firstly, when you use plastic or paper, you do not see money actually changing hands. Studies have indicated that people are more prone to overspend using these pseudo-monies because there is no actual exchange of legal tender. A spender does not feel the actual loss or gain of money. This is prevalent for credit card users because one does not see the actual exchange except for the credit card receipt. As for check writers, by the power of actually valuing the amount of the transaction, one is given the false ability of spending power.

• Secondly, there are hidden costs which are imposed by the credit card company or the bank for transactions using their facilities. These costs are not apparent at the outset and one will only receive the billing at month's end. These hidden costs impact your money on hand. Examples are service charges, interest, costs of transaction, etc. There are so many names for these hidden charges but the bottom line is by not using actual cash, you spend more than the value you get for the transaction.

3. When shopping, look for items you need that are on sale. This is an old wive's tale which is so very true for a shopper on a budget. It would not hurt you to look at items that are on sale, and you may even find the thing that you need on sale. When this happens, you hit two birds with one stone: you get what you need and you get to save money to buy some other item. But a word of caution. Buy only what you need. Don't be fooled into a sense of security by sales pitches such as "buy one take one" offers or bulk purchases you may end up spending more.

4. Enroll yourself in memberships for frequently shopped establishments. These memberships in supermarkets or department stores offer discounts to regular patrons. If there is no membership cost, you would eventually find out that the freebies offered or discounts given give you the added leverage to save more for each purchase one makes. This may come in the form of discounts or convertible store credit points for accumulated purchases. A little reading and inquiry would surely be money in the bank for you.

So as you can see, a little saved everyday, use of actual money and not plastic or paper, a little trip down the on sale aisle and a little reading and application would surely mean savings in the long run.