It can be daunting and overwhelming to begin making serious changes to your spending habits, especially in the face of large debts.  That’s why I think some of the best tips are often the simplest.  If you start small, and think big, your long term goals might begin to feel a bit more manageable.

1.    Cut down on take-away lattes.  Mary at Fiscally Unbound suggests investing in a thermal travel mug and making your coffee at home – this way, you get to enjoy your coffee during your commute and save a tonne a week on specialty drinks.  And if you have a weak moment and just need to sip on a double tall skinny hazelnut latte, most coffee spots will offer discounts to customers who bring their own mugs.

2.    Kelly from Almost Frugal encourages readers to do-it-themselves.  From hemming your pants to cutting your child’s hair, learning to do-it-yourself can save you a load of money.  Though it might take you a bit longer, you’re also developing a new skill – and who knows, maybe even a new hobby!

3.    Learning to embrace DIY can even mean learning how NOT to do things.  Dedicated at Dedicated to Financial Freedom claims to shave money off of her electricity bill simply by hanging up her clothes to dry instead of tumble drying.  Extra points for going green!

4.    Even the most frugal among us will have to spend money at some point during the week, so having a few simple guidelines to keep your spending in check is essential.  Natalie (aka Frugalista) suggests never settling for full price and says that there’s always a deal just around the corner – usually it’s just the shopper’s own hang ups that prevent them from taking advantage of an unconventional bargain.

5.    Use your spare change!  This tip might seem a bit obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people treat spare change as though it’s garbage.  If you stop to count all the spare change jingling around in your pocket or your purse, you might be able to buy the stamp you need without having to break another fiver.  Sometimes I’ll even limit my spending in an impromptu grocery shop to the contents of my change purse.  In the days since the credit crunch, there really is no such thing as spare change.

6.    Who doesn’t love lists?  Ugly Debty incorporates her love for lists and listing into her money saving strategies; creating a shopping list means never forgetting an item and never being tempted to make spontaneous purchases.  As long as you don’t get obsessive about it (listing your lists, for example), listing can be a great way to feel organized and stay organized.

7.    Years of being indoctrinated by catchy jingles and funny mascots made me a devoted brand name shopper for as long as I can remember – hook, line, and sinker.  Learning to give up my infatuation with name brand products at the grocery store was a revelation.  Whether it’s a Sainsbury’s Basics or a Morrison’s Betta Buy, own-brands offer products nearly identical to those of their competitors and at a fraction of the cost.

8.    Megan at Counting My Pennies suggests listing your purchases after you’ve been shopping in order to assess where you’re spending too much and where your money is going.  You’d be surprised how much little purchases can add up!  And it’s always these little purchases which we tend to forget about.

9.    This tip might get me in trouble with some of my journalist/publishing friends:  Lose your newspaper subscription.  I know, I know – a daily broadsheet has an appeal far beyond convenience or portability; I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to wrangle the Sunday Times from FruGuy’s hands, but I never buy papers during the week anymore.  You’d be amazed how much you can save simply by reading your favourite newspapers online – even local papers are making the shift from print to digital.

10.    The final tip might be the simplest of them all, but also the one that we can tend to take for granted the most: learn to share!  Sharing doesn’t just mean saving money on a dress for the holiday party or renting that DVD.  At the risk of intoning my inner Oprah, sharing also means involving yourself in a conversation with someone and receiving book, music, or style suggestions in return.  Hosting a book exchange party can be a cheap and sociable alternative to rushing to the book store, for instance.

Thanks again to everyone who contributed their top tip!  Any others you wish to share?