These days, everyone's feeling a financial pinch. Gas prices are increasing at an unprecedented rate. Food costs more with every visit to the grocery store. Vacations have become prohibitive. Foreclosures are on the rise. Every dollar counts. Here are some tips on how to ease the pressure on your wallet.

It seems like every time you fill up your gas tank, it's cause for agita. How is it possible that prices can continue to rise so quickly, so often? And it's not just at the pumps. The prices for food and travel have all increased in recent days, and it's costing more and more just to survive. When prices rise, but salaries stay the same, it's often difficult to keep up and make ends meet. Here are several suggestions to help anyone-whether you're living on a shoestring, or well-heeled.

Take cost cutting measures

There are several ways to shave dollars off your bills every month. Review your cable package and determine if you can choose a less expensive plan. Call your home and cell phone providers and review your monthly plan for ways to reduce costs. Check into refinancing possibilities for your car and home. Have a home energy audit conducted to determine if there are ways to save electricity. There are many techniques for saving a few dollars without feeling deprived.

Become a smart shopper

Just because someone wants to charge you the highest price, doesn't mean you have to pay it. Buy generic instead of name brands. Maybe you'll save $10 each shopping trip. However, that's $40 to $50 in savings in a month, and more than $500 a year. Say hello to coupons. You can find them in the paper, on the Internet, or exchange them with friends. Then use them on 2-for-1 days. If your child wants a new toy, check online for bargains. Buying a slightly used toy online could save you more than half the retail price. By spending some time researching prices, you could find significant savings.

Pay Yourself Back

With all the money that you're saving, don't blow it on yet another iced coffee on the way to the office. Instead, open a mutual fund or money market, or make additional contributions into your retirement funds. Another way to pay yourself back is to send a few extra dollars toward your mortgage each month. This pre-payment of your principal will shave years off your loan, and thousands of dollars off your total payments. All the money that you save by thinking of yourself first will pay dividends for many years in the future.

One day, hopefully soon, the financial pressures will ease, and you'll be able to breathe a little easier. Until then, pay more attention to the prices that you're being charged. Pay less for the items that you purchase every day, and pay yourself back by planning for the future. By making a few smart choices, you can turn surviving into living once again.