I've always been a good saver. I've got the whole delayed gratification thing down to a science. I'm no hardcore cheapskate, though. You know the type -- somehow these people walk out of the grocery store with $150 worth of goodies for $1.32. Yeah, I don't know how they do that either. I'm not interested in spending my precious free time cutting coupons I'm not going to use anyway. So here are some easy, painless ways to save hundreds of dollars every year by slightly adjusting the things you're already doing.

Use Credit Wisely.
I don't just mean paying off your bill every month. I'm talking about matching the credit card to the purchase. For example, American Express offers a True Earnings® Card from Costco and American Express that gives for gasoline, for annual gasoline purchases of up to $3,000 (1% thereafter), 3% for restaurants, 2% for travel, 1% everywhere else, including Costco.

Discover also offers 5% cashback on gas and auto maintenance with the Discover Open Road Card. Sometimes I shop through ShopDiscover to get more bonus cash back. Chase offers a similar type program called Chase Rewards Plus. In both cases you have to login to your credit card account to access these shopping sites. Chase offers a 9% cash back bonus at Target.

Speaking of TJ Maxx and Marshalls, I'd wager at least 85% of my wardrobe comes from these two stores. They also offer a credit card that earns 5% back toward gift certificates good at either, (plus HomeGoods, an excellent home decorating store). I rarely spend more than $20 for a pair of jeans, yet I'll still get a compliment or two!

Lastly, I decided to get an Amazon credit card (you get $30 off your first purchase and 3% towards Amazon gift certificates) because I found I was spending quite a bit there every year.

Keeping track of all these cards might sound confusing, but it's really not. My Amazon card is only used at Amazon, and likewise for my TJ Maxx card. So the majority of the time I'm really just using my American Express Card. Make your credit cards work for you! By the way, none of these cards charges an annual fee.

Join a Cash Back Shopping Portal.
Cashback shopping portals like Live Search, FatWallet or ebates will split their commission with you if you buy through their links. It's a true win/win situation. Not only that, but there are gobs of information and advice waiting for you in the Fatwallet forums. (You don't receive your cashback immediately; there is usually a 60-90 day waiting period before you can cash out.)

I've been more careful with using Live Search. If you use a coupon, or if they suspect your purchase will be resold, they may deny your request to withdraw your available cashback, which has happened to me. They have also gone into my account and cancelled purchases indiscriminately even though the purchases complied with the Microsoft Live Cashback Terms of Service (scroll down to #17.)

So here's how I do my online shopping. First, I'll do a little research by reading reviews at Amazon and cnet.com. Once I know what I want, I'll check a coupon site like DealHunting, TechBargains or Retail Me Not to see if there are any deals floating around. Lastly, I head over to Live Search (they usually have the highest cash back), FatWallet or ebates to see if they have a cashback link. These three sites have saved me thousands of dollars, in exchange for an extra thirty seconds of my time. Some offer a $5 sign up bonus.

And don't forget to check eBay! I bought a lot of great North Face stuff on eBay last year. Recently, I joined Big Crumbs, which will give you cash back for shopping on eBay.

Open an Online Savings Account.
Dollar Savings Direct, a new online division of Emigrant Bank, offers an online savings account that pays 2.00% APY on your balance. That's the highest rate I've seen so far. Click the banner above to open your account now.

TIP: For setting up direct deposit or ACH links with Dollar Savings Direct, the routing number is 226070403.

These accounts are great -- there are no fees and no minimums (although Dollar Savings Direct requires a $1,000 average daily balance to earn interest at the advertised rate, if your balance falls below $1,000 you earn 1.00% APY), and they link to a checking account that you already have. I effortlessly transfer money between my online savings and checking account when I'm paying my bills online. Since moving my cash from a money market account to an online savings account, I'm receiving ten times as much in interest dividends! I recommend transferring 10% of every paycheck into one of these online savings accounts. It's an easy way to "pay yourself first" and you won't even miss the money. Plus you'll be pleasantly surprised at what a tidy sum will have accumulated before you know it!

That's it for now. I'll be updating with more tips so stay tuned!