Automatic banking is great for paying regular, necessary expenses like a mortgage or your car payment, and is unbeatbable for socking away savings. But the process of automation makes it too easy to foget about what you're buying. Some bills you need to see.  It's that tangible act of getting a bill and taking the time to pay it that makes the spending register.  Also, automatic renewals can hurt you when it comes to paying for something you don't use enough to make it worth having.   There's nothing worse than seeing a renewal charge on your bank account for something you signed up for a year before and haven't used since.
 

Cold weather for many of us means spending more on the gasoline budget.  Why?  Because if you are one to let the car run for a while to warm up, you are wasting gas.  Avoid excessive idling when warming up your car. It takes more gas to idle your car for a minute than to turn it off and start it again. While we are discussing cars, now may be the time to clean out the trunk.  An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle reduces mpg by about 2 percent.

Where is it cheaper to food shop, at the grocery store or big box store?  It depends on what you're buying. Wine, liquor and beer can be 35% cheaper at Sam's and BJ's. Milk, butter and eggs are  about 20% cheaper at the warehouse stores. But, paper products tend to be cheaper at your local grocery stores. Part of the reason warehouses can sell at lower prices, is Sam's Club, Costco and BJs Wholesale Club make most of their money with membership fees. If you are going to shop at the warehouse, make sure you can eat everything you buy. It's not such a great deal if you throw some of it out.

I know right now you biggest concern may very well be getting through the holidays. But right now is also a good time to think about your income taxes. That's because this is the last year of some deductions.  The above-the-line deduction of up to $4,000 for qualified higher education expenses won't be available after 2011, so you might want to consider prepaying elegible expenses for 2012 if you haven't already reached the cap for this year. 

 While we're on the topic of savings, you may want to consider a savings plan for a big ticket items rather than simply charging it.

According to smartaboutmoney.org they gave some smart suggestions:

-Open an interest-earning savings account .

-Save money every month by cutting down on household energy use.

-Don't spend unexpected cash!  Bonuses, raises and even your tax refund can be put away.

-Consider selling or trading in another big household item to help cut the price of your new purchase.  

I read a great article on SmartMoney.com about buying a used car for a teenager. 

The types of cars that safety experts usually recommend for new teenage drivers are four door sedans. These types tend to be inexpensive in the used market, especially if they are more than five years old.   No matter what used car you are looking for, whether it be your teenager or yourself, have a mechanic look over any vehicle you are seriously considering.
 

More than ever, people are joining loyalty programs at their grocery stores to get a discount on their gasoline.  Restaurants use them as well.  According to Smartmoney.com, don't forget about the drug store. 

Consumers on average pay $29 in co-pays for each prescription, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. That's up 76% over the last decade. That money should get you something, and in limited instances it can: at Rite Aid and CVS, members of the stores' loyalty programs earn points for all purchases including prescriptions, which can then be applied to discounts on non-prescription goods. Beware, some drugstores exclude prescriptions from their in-store loyalty programs. .

Scammers already are trying to profit off the tragedy and devastation that continues to unfold in the aftermath of Japan's massive earthquake and tsunami.

That means, if you're eager to donate to the victims in Japan, it's best to proceed carefully.  The FBI says Already, a scam email is circulating that purports to be from the British Red Cross, asking that donations be wired.

In the days and weeks after Hurricane Katrina, more than 4,000 new websites related to the hurricane were created, and while some were legitimate, "fraudulent ones are popping up faster than we can pound them down," the FBI said in a press release at the time.

Whether you plan to text your donation or mail a check, make sure the charity is an established organization. Go to sites such as Charity Navigator.org  and the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance http://www.bbb.org/charity to vet the charity.

 I  would probably eat out 5 nights a week if it didn't wreak such havoc on our budget! Truthfully, it's no good for your waistline either, so cook at home as often as you can.
If you know you'll be short on time, you can block off a day each weekend and cook ahead of time for the week. Or simplify your dinners and eat things that are quick and easy. No matter what you do, eating home is almost always healthier and cheaper than eating out.  That advise comes from  a website called family friendly frugality .com which makes all kinds of suggestions on how to get through the recession. 

Qualifying for a tax refund means you've overpaid the federal government in taxes for the previous tax year. With each paycheck, too much of your hard-earned money was withheld for federal taxes and not enough cash made it home to your wallet.

Would you rather get more throughout the year with a slightly larger paycheck? Adjust your federal tax withholding so the money taken out of your paychecks more closely matches your federal tax obligation.

On your Form W-4 , you may make allowances for yourself, your spouse and your dependents. For every allowance you take, less money gets withheld for federal taxes and more money gets added to your paycheck. To ensure you withhold just the right amount, use the IRS Withholding Calculator and submit a new W-4 to your employer.
 

Tax season is upon us.  If you think you owe taxes, there's a pretty good chance you haven't even started preparing your return.  But, if you are one of the lucky ones and you have money coming back, you may have already filed.  If that's the case, what will you do with your refund?  Sure it's fun to think big, like a flat screen or iPad, but why not take care of some of your other debts?

Pay down credit card debt. Is high-interest credit card debt weighing you down? Use your tax refund to pay off a nice chunk of that frightening balance. First, attack the card with the highest interest rate.

Build up an emergency fund. Tuck some of that tax refund into savings. Even a modest amount - as little as $500 - can help soften the blow of the typical unexpected expenses. If you already have an emergency fund, give yourself an extra boost toward reaching that three-to-six-month-living-expenses recommendation.