Ten easy ways to save $10 a week

Saving money is a financial priority for most people, even in the best of times. During times of economic downturn, however, it is essential to have a rainy day or emergency fund. You don't have to save hundreds of dollars at a time; starting small is often the easiest way to get into the saving habit. Here are 10 easy (and relatively painless) ways to save $10 per week. That's almost $500 a year, folks.

1. Borrow books from the library instead of buying them. Most libraries also carry DVDs, even current and popular choices, which you can "rent" for free.
2. Avoid eating out when possible. If you can't (or don't want to) avoid it altogether, brown bag your lunch at least twice per week.
3. Drink water instead of soda, tea, milk or alcoholic beverages when you do go out to eat. Water from the tap costs you nothing and is healthier for you, too.
4. Speaking of soda, consider giving up that habit or drastically reducing your soda intake. Sodas from machines and convenience stores cost anywhere from $1.25 - $1.99 or more. They're also unhealthy, even the diet ones.
5. Use cash. It's a little cliched and an oft-touted way to spend less money, but it actually works. When you use cash, you can see your money disappearing. That visual is more effective when using cash instead of debit or credit cards.
6. Set up an automatic deposit of $10 per week into a savings account. Many of us can afford to put away $10 but never do it. Having that money automatically withdrawn from your checking account and put into a savings account ensures that it gets put away. You'll probably never miss it.
7. Make a shopping list before you shop. It is easy to overspend when you don't have a clear direction as to what you need. Write down the essentials and stick to your list.
8. Save your change. Saving change can really add up. A friend saved her change for a year and had over $500 when she cashed it in before going on vacation. You can still do this even if you never use cash. Simply "deduct" the change from your transactions over the week from your checking account and transfer it to savings.
9. Go meatless for a few meals. Meat is becoming increasingly expensive and is not a necessity at every meal (or any, for that matter).
10. Use only your bank's ATMs. While it may be convenient to use the ATM closest to you, those fees, usually $2.50 or more, can be better spent (or saved) elsewhere.

Do you have any money saving tips you'd like to share? We'd love to hear your ideas in the comments.

Image courtesy of morgueFile user mcconnors.