Secrets to saving

Ever wonder where your friends and colleagues pinch pennies during tough times? Chances are brand names are the first to bite the dust, according to a Harris Poll.

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of US adults surveyed in October said they bought more generic brands over the previous six months in an attempt to save money, while 47% brown bagged their lunch and 43% went to the hairdresser or barber less often.

Money-saving methods used by at least one-third of respondents include drinking tap instead of bottled water (36%) and cancelling magazine subscriptions (34%). Others cut down on dry cleaning, cut back or cancelled cable TV or newspaper subscriptions, stopped buying their morning coffee, changed or cancelled their cellphone service and increased their use of car-pooling or mass transit.