If you are like most American families, you are likely looking for the best ways to save money so that you'll have more for your family. Ideally, saving money will be easy and won't result in drastic changes in your lifestyle. 

My husband and I have toyed with lots of ways to save money and we've found some great ways to save money without feeling like we are giving up on things that are important to us. 

While this isn't an exhaustive list by any means, hopefully it will help you find some easy way for your family to save some money.  

The Best Ways to Save Money:

1. Save on the things you have to have by finding lower prices. For example, shop your car and homeowner's insurance. You don't want to sacrifice quality, but you can often save hundreds of dollars a year without giving up any coverage. If you have a very low deductible - consider raising it a few hundred dollars to get monthly savings. Look over all of your monthly bills to see what items you can cut without giving up service or quality. 

2. Negotiate your credit card interest rates. If you carry a balance on your credit cards and have decent to good credit, chances one call to your credit card company can get you a lower interest rate. You may have to threaten to cancel your credit cards, but most companies will lower interest rates when faced with the possibility of losing a customer. 

3. Create a budget so you know where you are spending money. You will likely find things that you can cut completely out of your budget without missing them at all.  

4. Cut your Water & Electric Bills - Small changes in electricity and water usage can make a BIG difference. Turn lights off when you are not in a room, turn your air off in the summer when you are gone and your heat down in the winter, turn your water heater down a few degrees, etc. to cut your utility bills and save money. 

5. Make it a habit to buy things on sale. This is one of the best ways to save money that I have found. I've had to pull myself out of stores when I see something I really want that isn't on sale, but it has become almost a game to buy everything on sale. We haven't paid full price for clothing, furniture, movies, etc. in years. I don't know what this has saved me, but I'm willing to bet that it's a lot! 

6. See if you can renegotiate your mortgage or other major financed items. If you are paying more interest than current rates, or if you got stuck paying a higher rate because of your credit at the time of purchase, but you have better credit now - it might be time to see if you can refinance. 

7.  Ask this question before you buy anything, "Do I want it or do I need it?"  I'm not opposed to buying things that I want - but at least ask the question so that you know if what you are buying is a "need" or a "want"

8. Leave credit cards at home. Lately, if I'm running to the grocery store to pick up milk, I'll only take a $5 bill with me. This stops me from making all of the impulse purchases that I tend to make and when I tell my kids, "I don't have enough money with me," I'm not lying! 

9.  One of the best ways to save money I have found is to stay away from friends who are spending a lot! I'll admit it, if my friend has something new, I typically want it - even if I could have cared less about it before they bought it. I'm weak, I know.  But beyond that, if you spend a lot of time with people who overspend consistently, you're more likely to start doing it yourself. Don't feel like you have to keep up with the Jones - they are probably drowning in debt. 

10. Eat at home, drink coffee at home, make lunch at home, etc. Not only will you save a ton of money - you'll also be eating healthier food.