A few easy ways to save money

Making small adjustments to your finances consistently throughout the year can dramatically improve your financial picture.

Mechel Glass, vice president of community outreach for Atlanta-based nonprofit CredAbility, offers a few simple things you can do to help keep the momentum going.

First, track every dollar you spend for 30 days. Use the budget calculator from Cred­Ability to help you track your expenses, or use the free Pocket Tracker app available for iPhone.

Once you know where the money's going, you can put these tips to use:

Eliminate your home phone. If you only use your cellphone, consider turning off your land line or at least reducing your services to the bare minimum.

Have coffee at home. Skipping the trip to Starbucks can add up to quick savings.

Bring your lunch and snacks to work. Limit lunch out to once or twice a week.

Avoid unnecessary trips and carpool when possible. This will result in gas savings.

Ask for lower rates on your bills. You can often reduce your auto insurance costs and bills for your cable, cellphone and credit cards with a simple phone call.

Take your savings from the 30 days of scrimping and open a CD or an IRA. Putting the money in a regular online savings account won't work; it's too easy to reach in an emergency.

As the economy improves, investment returns may improve. Instead of spending more money, consider investing an additional 1 percent of your income in your 401(k). For a person earning $50,000 annually, 1 percent is $500 —about $10 per week.