When Northwestern Airlines, a US airline, recently laid off dozens of workers, it didn't send them out into the world alone. Each employee was given a booklet entitled 101 Ways to Save Money. We reprint the first 50 helpful tips below.

1 Set your thermostat to 64 and turn it down to 60 at night

2 Use the phone book instead of directory assistance

3 Use coupons at the grocery store

4 Car-pool [share cars]

5 Ask for generic prescriptions instead of brand-name ones

6 Do your own nails

7 Rent out a room or garage

8 Replace 100-watt bulbs with 60-watt

9 Make long-distance calls at night and on weekends, instead of at midday in midweek

10 Throw pocket change in a jar and take it to the bank when it's full

11 Always grocery-shop with a list

12 Buy spare parts for your car at the junkyard

13 Go to museums on free days

14 Quit smoking

15 Get hand-me-down clothes and toys for your kids from family and friends

16 Meet friends for coffee instead of dinner

17 Request interest on the security deposit for your apartment

18 Take a shorter shower

19 Write letters instead of calling

20 Make a packed lunch

21 Make your own baby food

22 Use public transport

23 Drop duplicate medical insurance

24 Buy old furniture at yard sales and refinish it yourself

25 Apply for scholarships and financial aid

26 Exercise for free - walk, jog, bike, or get exercise videos from the library

27 Form a babysitting cooperative with friends and neighbours

28 Buy your clothes out of season

29 Go to a matinee instead of an evening show

30 Share housing with a friend or family member

31 Hang clothes out to dry

32 Do not use your calling card

33 Change the oil in your car yourself regularly

34 Buy "no frills" vitamins

35 Take a date for a walk along the beach or in the woods

36 Make cards and gifts for friends

37 Shop in thrift stores

38 Refinance your mortgage

39 Trade down your car for a less expensive, lower-maintenance one

40 Shop around for glasses

41 Don't be shy about pulling something you like out of the trash

42 Recycle

43 Move to a place where it's less expensive to live

44 Use low-flush toilets or water-saving devices in the tank

45 Drop unneeded telephone services such as call forwarding and caller ID

46 Buy fruits and vegetables in season

47 Avoid using your ATM card at machines that charge a fee

48 Bicycle to work

49 Borrow a dress for a big night out

50 Use old newspapers for cat litter