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With the bad economy and all, finding a job for the summer has never been tougher. While you hunt for a summer job to make some money, you’ll inevitably watch what money you do have steadily dwindle. If you’re unable to find a job or cannot work over the summer for other reasons, such as taking classes, then you’ll need to save money any way that you can.

Here are a few ways to keep your wallet thick with money:

• Drive smarter. Gas prices are climbing again, so driving has become more expensive. When you can, carpool with friends. Combine trips. Drive smart to make the most out of your gas, and you can seriously cut back on how much you spend on gas.
• Avoid eating out. If your friends are going out to get fast food, eat at home beforehand so you’re not tempted to buy something. You can still go out with your friends of course, just don’t buy food. Spending $10 a week on fast food adds up very fast.
• Avoid frivolous spending. Choose things you’re going to buy carefully. Don’t buy expensive items like video games, clothes, etc. on an impulse.
• Pick and choose what you want to do. If your friends are going to theme parks and expensive concerts left and right, you’re not going to be able to come for all of them. Prioritize what you really want to do and turn down the ones that you don’t care as much about.
• Keep an eye out for discounts. When you find sales or coupons, take advantage of them to save money. Catch the matinee showings of movies to avoid shelling out $10 for a movie.
• Don’t use your credit card. With a credit card, it’s tempting to just make the minimum payment each month, but this is a bad practice and puts you in even more debt. Using your card is fine, just make sure that you pay the balance every month.