Seeking ideas on how to improve your personal finances? Money expert Clark Howard's "Guide to Living Large in Lean Times" is a resource filled with 250+ tips on how to stretch your money.

Here are six of his ideas on how to keep more money through making smarter choices:

1) Get your coupons in the weekend paper.
Grocery stores offer coupons in your Sunday edition newspaper. Look in the lifestyle or funnies or local section for coupons on items you know you'll purchase. Choose coupons for daily needs like pet food and groceries to bigger-budget items like shoes, electronics, and specialty goods.

2) Go to community college.
I believe education is a huge part of your success, and Howards suggests that you do receive your final degree at a "name-brand" university. However, to save on your college spending and to reduce your overall student debt, he suggests you receive the first two years of your college education at your local community college. You can get personalized attention and focus on your general education during freshman and sophomore years, then move to your desired college to graduate.

3) Move to an internet-based phone service.
Choose a provider like Ooma.com to get phone calls through the Internet. Reduce the cost of your existing phone service and get quality sound through an entirely digital service.

4) Check your ink cartridge before you throw it out.
The material in your printer ink cartridge settles to the bottom over time, so it might display as being on "empty" when it fact it's still up to 60% full. Remember to shake the entire cartridge really well, and then see if you can get some more prints off it.

5) Purchase your eyeglasses online.
The Zennioptical service offers prescription sunglasses and regular glasses online. Type in your prescription (needed from an optician first), then choose from the available frames and have your glasses shipped to you.

6) Dry off your razor blades after use.
Howard claims the razor blade gets degraded through leftover water, which starts the rusting process. In between uses, wipe the blade off and keep it dry so it lasts longer.

More ideas on how to extend usage and be smarter about your money choices? Tweet me your idea on how you save.

photo by quinn.anya