Tips from the Diva!

The increased costs of necessities have reduced the amount of cash we have to available to save. It's important to build an emergency savings account to help cover unexpected expenses, so you don’t have to rely on your credit cards. It's o.k. to start small. Recycle an old jar or milk carton or take over your child’s piggy bank and begin to collect your loose change. Once you’ve collected enough money – about $100, you should open a savings account at a local bank. Commit to making a deposit every other month with the loose change you collect in your homemade bank – no matter how small the amount. You should set a goal to save a certain amount of money each month, even if it's $5-$20.

The easiest area of your budget to reduce spending is entertainment. Skip the same old routine of dining out with friends or watching a movie at the theater, and take advantage of the many free community activities, exhibits and performances available in your home town. Look for community festivals, gallery openings, special events at museums or concerts in the park. You can also look for opportunities to give back to your community by finding volunteer activities you and your friends can participate in together.

Just because you are keeping your spending in check doesn't mean you can't live stylishly within your means. By simplifying your spending, you can focus on those financial goals you really want to accomplish and ensure the big purchases you make are not ones you will regret.

The right levels of fluid, such as coolant and automatic transmission fluid, ensures that your car can run efficiently. This will help you keep repairs to a minimum and may also save you money at the pump. It's also true that keeping car fluids at appropriate levels could save you the expense of having to replace car parts more often than necessary because there's more strain on those parts when fluid levels are extremely low.

If you drive to work every day, spend a little time to figure out the smartest route to your destination. Did you know that you can burn gallons of gas on rush-hour highways that seem more like parking lots? Choose a route with less traveled side roads, and you won’t waste gas in stop-and-go traffic. You'll keep moving and end up saving on gas money even though you may travel a few miles further.