This week, we mainly talked about debt, debt assistance, and finance-related problems. Well, for today’s post, we will take a break from all of that. Everyone can take a breather from their financial troubles. Instead, we’ll provide a list of blogs that can help you save money. Some blogs are witty; some are very informative, while there are others that even give out promotional codes. Hopefully, you’ll gain something from reading these blogs. So below are this Friday’s rundown of recommended blog reads:

Kathryn @ Promotional Codes compiled a list of coupons, deals, and discount codes you can take advantage of. Some of the things you can save on include airfare, gift products, beauty supplies, and pet products among others. There are a lot of fun things you can buy at rock bottom prices.

The Save Money Blog featured a post titled “Is Your Online Time Wasted?” The article basically revolved around the title because it talked about making productive use of your internet time. For example, you can use it for comparative shopping for health insurance and other deals. A good site that provides comparison shopping for credit report, online travel, and even DVD rentals is ComparedForMe.com.

The Not Made of Money blog provided very helpful money saving tips for this week with the article “Five Tips for Tightening Your Budget”. It gives very practical advice about getting your spending under control. You can slash your entertainment expenses, look into your utility bills, learn to do house chores instead of hiring someone, and avoid new purchases.

Bill Shrink Guy recorded his observation about the recession with his article “10 Behaviors that the Recession made more acceptable.” It is a witty blog post that talked about how frugal people rule during the time of recession, while they are dismissed as penny-pinchers during more prosperous times. Frugal behaviors that can be observed today include brown-bagging leftovers, growing your own food, and even bartering.

Many people might take it for granted but identity theft is a real risk for everyone with a bank account, social security number, and other financial information. It is something you don’t think about until it happens to you. Well, it is important to start taking precautions now by looking at identity theft comparisons because its consequences may be more than you ever bargained for.

There are stories of victims losing everything simply because another person used their identity to make purchases, rack up debts, and mislead other people. The blog posts outlined here talks about identity theft, its consequences, and tips on how to prevent it. Hopefully, these stories and guidance will guard you against identity theft:

Tom @ Truston wrote a post titled “Close a Huge Loophole for Credit Card Fraud”. The premise of this article is that criminals will find a way to take advantage of the loopholes on your credit card. Simply by getting your home address, contact number, and account number, they can commit fraud and you’ll be left with a mountain of debt. He advises you to choose paperless account statement over the mailed ones to avoid certain risks.

Michelle @ Identity Theft Blog said in her article “Online Credit Card Theft Affects 130 Million: Learn to Protect Yourself” that as much as 130 million people can actually be victims of identity theft. Recently, two men were indicted in connected to their activity. They stole 130 million debit and credit card numbers in what was called the biggest identity theft case in United States history. This incident serves as a wake-up call for individuals who are still laid back on identity protection.

The Fight Identity Theft Blog featured a story about Fed Chief Ben Bernanke in the post titled “Ben Bernanke – Identity Theft Victim”. Technically, it was his wife who was the victim because her purse was stolen at Starbucks. Later, they discovered that the thieves tried to steal $9,000 using Bernanke’s checks.

Though a lot of economic indicators reveal that the US economy might be on the road to recovery, its effects are still not being felt by the ordinary American. The unemployment rate is still rising, foreclosures are occurring in almost every state, and the amount of credit available in the market is still limited.

Given all these challenges, what can a struggling person do? Well, we have compiled a list of blogs that can help you during the tough times. Everything from how you can save on your grocery bill to how you can lower the operating cost of a business is discussed here.

Billshrink Guy posted one of the best money saving blog post for this week. His post, “16 Depression Era Money Saving Tips” provided comprehensive recommendations from buying used stuff to moving to a more prosperous location. The blogger also puts a lot of things in perspective when it comes to money management.

BloggyBiz has a recent post about effective small business management. The article entitled, “Saving Tips into Business Management” is very helpful. It looks at the major operating costs of running a business including marketing and staffing. The tips are mostly commonsense stuff that is nevertheless beneficial to anyone with a small business.

If you’re looking for ways to save on food, then the blog Not Made of Money is the right one for you. The just-posted article titled “Family Food – Easy Ways to Keep the Budget in Check” provides useful tips that can help American households save on food. For example, it advises readers to eat at home rather than go out and to make meals in bulk for time and cost considerations.

Madison @ My Dollar Plan blogs about consistently good bank deals. Posting whatever bank bonus, generous interest rate, and other great deals, people who are having trouble with their current bank should consider looking into this site for alternatives. The most recent post, “Bank of American $25 Bonus” is just an example of the kind of article she regularly features.

There’s no denying that the economic doom-and-gloom from the media got really bad a few months back. Fortunately, the nation seemed to have gotten past all that and now there’s talk of economic recovery. The US is still in recession but Obama administration had said that economic recovery will happen…slowly. So if you’re in a tight bind, what should you do? There are a few smart techniques that can help you improve your personal finance.

· Learn How to Tract Spending – most people know what their income streams are but they lose track of their spending. Be aware of the things you buy here and there because its costs can quickly add up. In addition, take note of your credit card usage. If you’re using it too much, chances are, you’re spending more than you can afford. Use a spending plan as a tool to motivate you.

· Identify Your Buying Pattern – are you an impulsive buyer? Do you look for deals all the time? Or do you have a soft spot for certain products? Know what your weaknesses are and then identify the reasons why. Make an effort to stop spending on unnecessary items.

· Save Some Money – every financial guru will tell you this: you really need to save. You might not be able to save as much money with the situation right now, but set aside as much money as you can. Also, remember that having an emergency fund is a must, not an option.

· Don’t Dig Yourself Deeper in Debt – many people try to pay their previous debs by refinancing or borrowing from a new source. Eventually though, this technique may no longer be feasible. It is also becoming harder to find sources of financing so you will eventually need to face up to your obligations.

· Diversify Your Income – now, this is the best solution to your problem. But this requires a lot of planning, effort, and strategizing on your part. Some ways to get multiple income streams include starting a small business, offering your services online and offline, selling some unused stuff, or going into dividend investments.

What you should learn from all this is the fact that your financial future is actually in your hands. The economic climate might have an impact but it is up to you to change your situation.