Of all the pressures that we face in life, financial difficulties rank among the most debilitating.

Not only can money problems affect your day-to-day existence, but also take a severe toll on your relationships and even your self-concept.

Below are a few creative saving strategies to put aside a few extra dollars every week without going to extremes – well, mostly!

Coke can coins

Instead of recycling the next soft drink can you empty, wash it out and turn it into a makeshift money box. But, rather than collecting all of your small change, reserve the can for $2 coins only. You won’t notice these small amounts of money going missing day to day – but by the time you have filled the can you will have over $600 saved!

Envelope budgeting

Create a detailed budget that breaks down how much money you aim to spend weekly in each aspect of your life. Grab yourself some envelopes and label each one according to an area of your budget: eg. “groceries”,  “social”, “transport”, etc..

Then, withdraw some cash and place the relevant amount of money in its designated envelope. As the week progresses you will be able to see clearly where you are over-spending, and limit your outlay to ensure that you stay within your goal.

Receipt coupons

Whenever you buy from a major supermarket you have the opportunity to save money, simply by turning your receipt over. Free meals, driving lessons, discounted family activities and cheaper car repairs are just some of the offers that often end up in the bin!

Most of us forget that the coupons on the back of receipts exist, but if you play your cards right they can actually generate some major savings.

Don’t get receipts anymore? Shop A Docket now have thousands of deals available online that you can access any time.

Frugal fruit and veg

How many times have you found yourself throwing out fruit or vegetables that have gone off?

Fresh fruit and veges actually account for around 20% of food thrown away from our fridges every year – that’s a pretty decent whack when you consider the price of a bag of grapes! Combat this waste by planning out your meals in advance, and try not to buy too much more than you need.

Also make sure that you place any ripe fruit and veg in the crisper (and definitely not on the fridge door) to keep them cool and extend their life.

Creative gifts

There always seems to be someone who needs buying for. Birthdays, Christmas, Easter, engagements, weddings – forking out on presents for each of these events can really blow the budget.

Instead, consider making your own gifts from scratch to give to family and friends. Candles, cookies, preserves, cards and cakes can all be made from home fairly inexpensively – especially when you make multiple at a time!

As a bonus, home-made gifts are also incredibly thoughtful and carry a personal meaning that money can’t buy.

Still scratching your head for DIY gift ideas? Check out this collection from lilluna.com.

Pay yourself after debt

After knocking out a debt, many people leave the money that they were devoting to repayments in their everyday account, and end up burning through it every week with nothing to show for it.

Instead of wasting this added income, transfer the extra funds directly into a savings account. You won’t miss the money since you have lived without it before, and will ultimately be able to put it to better use by saving for something big!

Cheap week

If your regular saving efforts are barely making a mark on your account balance, pick a single week every month in which you scrimp on everything and save as much money as possible. This means staying in, packing lunches every day, making your own fun and living in the dark if you really want to go all out! Go wild and brainstorm as many ways as possible to save wherever you can.

The knowledge that this level of extreme saving is over in a few days will make it easier to focus your saving energy.

Do you have any savings strategies that you swear by?