Have you seen the Wal-Mart ads on television that say how much you can save if you buy something at Wal-Mart versus going out to get it like saving so much by making breakfast at home versus going out to buy it? There is truth to that, but you have to remember that many of us don’t end up needing to go out for breakfast and in most multi-child households, cereal is the norm.

We all have to decipher between needs and wants in order to save money at the grocery store. Deciding to buy a box of cereal or going out every morning to buy breakfast is easy to decipher between.

Then there are times when we have to try really hard to decipher between the two. The easiest way to separate the two is to make a list to take to the store. This way you can see what you need and you can sit back and look at the list and get rid of anything that you might not need or that you can tell you simply want.

Sometimes we turn wants into needs at the grocery store and we can’t fall into that budget busting habit. If you go without a grocery list and say you want cookies, then you’ll need milk to go with them (This isn’t the best example, but you can understand what I mean). When you end up turning wants into needs, you will always leave the store paying more than you ever intended.

The only person who can tell you what is a need and what is a want is ultimately up to you. You can’t expect anyone else to tell you what you need, as we all have different needs with the exception of basics like water, food and shelter.

None of this means that you have to give up the things you want to save money, just cut back.

Sometimes we all have to make the decision as to what is more important: Our time or our money. A lot of times these two don’t exactly go hand-in-hand. As a matter of fact, the examples I will give will only talk about choosing one or the other.

Saving money has gotten extremely important to those who have lost their jobs or who have suffered through a reduction in income since the beginning of the recession. One of the best examples I can give as to a trade off between time and money is supper time in most households.

Cooking supper at home will typically save you money in opposition to going out to eat, however going and picking something up will always be more of a time saver. Say you’re on your way home from work and you call your local [insert restaurant name here] and pick it up; you’re going to spend more money than if you would have cooked all the food at home, but you now just get to pick up the food and take it home to your hungry, waiting family. After they finish eating, the garbage gets recycled or thrown away and there isn’t any mess to clean up (or if there is, it is usually minimal if your kids didn’t get into a huge food fight or something during dinner time).

Time and money also come into play when you’re thinking about things such as thrifty shopping. Many shoppers who are out there shopping to save money will visit many different stores and spend a lot of time clipping coupons just to save money. Time conscious shoppers are more willing to shop at the same store for everything, or just venture to a couple of grocery stores.

For anyone the answer will likely be different. Some will feel as though their time is more valuable than the savings they will get from shopping at different stores and spending time clipping coupons while others will feel as though their money is more valuable than the time they spend doing all the things that save them money.

As for me, I find myself in the middle (as I imagine most would). I won’t go out of my way to save $1 on groceries, but I will shop at different stores if it means I can use my favorite coupons. I also try not to go out to eat too often, not for the cost but simply for the nutritional value or lack there of. I really enjoy saving money, but I also value my time.

What do you do? Are you a time saver or a money saver? Or do you fall somewhere in the middle?

The magazine Marie Clarie had an article on its website I bookmarked and wanted to share. It is all about saving money on your daily commute to and from work. I can’t say that I agree with all the tips (such as driving to work with a stranger) but overall the tips are pretty good if you’re willing to try them out.

1. Save money through carpooling. This is the tip where the author suggested a site called erideshare.com where you can find someone to ride to work with. It just seems dangerous to me to ride to work (or anywhere) with someone I don’t know. But carpooling can end up saving you big time on the cost of traveling.

2. Seasonal or monthly bus or train passes can help also. However, you need to make sure you know when you’ll be taking your vacation so you’re not paying for something you won’t use.

3. If you’re job can be done over the phone a.k.a. telecommuting, then it wouldn’t hurt to ask your boss if you could work from home once a week.

4. Keep your heater or air conditioner on long enough to make your car comfortable then turn them off. You can also roll your windows down in the car if it’s nice outside, but you will be wasting money if you’re going over 45 mph.

5. You can talk to Human Resources to see if your company offers any benefits that might help offset your commuting costs. Some companies offer a “car service” if you work past a stated time at night.

6. If you drive over 75 mph and rapidly accelerate or slam on your brakes, you’re reducing your car’s fuel efficiency.

7. Make sure you’re car is properly maintained. This means make sure that your tire pressure is good and that you keep your oil changes up to date.

8. Keep an eye out for gas prices to and from work. If you can, don’t get gas right off the highway because it is usually the most expensive in the area. Use GasBuddy.com to try go find out cheaper prices on your route.