50 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR MONEY; LEARN HOW TO GET AHEAD BY TAKING SMALL STEPS TOWARD FINANCIAL WISDOM.

Byline: Chris Sieroty Staff Writer

As the new millennium approaches, we offer 1,000 ways to save money. Wait, that's too many.

As the new century dawns, we offer 100 ways to save money.

Oh, forget it. Here's 50 ways to save money in the coming year:

HOLIDAY SHOPPING: Here's what to do next year (now that you've completely blown this year's budget).

1. Establish a budget for your holiday spending. Included in your budget should be home decorations, travel expenses and how much you plan to spend on each item.

2. Make a list of people on your gift list. The more thought you give to purchasing a gift, the less likely you will overpay for a gift they may not like.

3. Use cash if you can. Pat Veretto, editor of About.com's Guide to Frugal Living, says if you have to use a credit card, use a low-interest card and plan on paying it off in six months.

4. Get a head start on next year by opening and contributing to a separate bank account just for Christmas purchases.

INVESTMENTS: Let Wall Street make money for you.

5. Maximize your 401K or IRA contributions.

6. Pay attention to mutual fund expenses.

7. Negotiate wrap fees on some mutual funds.

8. Hold your investments for a long period of time.

9. Give the gift of stock to your favorite charity and take a tax deduction.

10. Collect coins.

11. Buy U.S. Savings Bonds.

12. Start a hyper-saving program, even if it's just for two months. In other words, save every penny you can for two months, then return to your normal savings routine.

13. Join a credit union, which usually has smaller fees and pays higher interest.

14. Buy into the Golden State ScholarShare College Savings Trust. The program, introduced two months ago, is designed to offer California families an opportunity to invest and save for college or other higher education expenses on a federal and state tax-deferred basis.

SHOPPING: You can save money if you shop smart.

15. Get a credit card that gives rebates, airline miles or other perks but make sure you pay off the balance every month. Otherwise, the higher- than-normal interest you're paying on that credit card will offset any perks you might be earning.

16. Shop clearance racks and outlet stores for your clothes. It may be last year's fashions but the prices are usually, though not always, better.

17. Buy a slightly used car. New cars depreciate 20percent after purchase.

18. Buy energy efficient appliances.

19. Use basic cleaners, like vinegar, baking soda, bar soap and ammonia. There's no reason to have a dozen expensive cleaners to do a dozen jobs.

20. Don't buy or cook food you won't eat. Just as important, don't shop hungry, she said. Buy in bulk from discount warehouses like Costco and Sam's Club. Many grocery stores and department stores such as Vons and Target now offer bulk products as well.

22. Buy generic brands.

23. Use coupons at grocery stores and other retailers.

24. See movies at an afternoon matinee screening and save one-third or more off the ticket price.

HOUSE: Turn your money pit into a solid investment.

25. Turn the lights off! Veretto said, Insulate your home properly to retain heat.

27. Make an extra payment a year on your mortgage. Many mortgage lenders will allow borrowers to set up their accounts so they're paying every two weeks instead of monthly. By the end of the year, that's an extra payment.

28. Lower your homeowners insurance premium by buying a car or life insurance from the same company.

TAX DEDUCTIONS: Make sure you take advantage of the following tax deductions on your 1999 tax filings.

29. Student loan interest.

30. Traditional IRAs.

31. Moving expenses.

32. Home mortgage.

33. Charitable contributions.

34. State and local taxes.

35. Real estate and personal property taxes.

36. Education expenses.

37. Medical expenses.

38. Gambling losses.

39. Research all the companies in your area, including the small companies. Often they are buying bulk rates from the larger companies and will pass the savings on to consumers.

40. Beware of Nothing is truly free.

41. Read the fine print. Make sure you understand every part of the contract. Also read the contract without the sales staff explaining anything.

42. Don't shop alone. Many times another pair of eyes on the contract or someone's skeptical ears may notice something that you don't.

43. Distinguish between want and need. Consumers are offered many features and accessories that may be a waste of money. Consider what items are really necessary, such as a battery, and which are vanity items, such as a leather carrying case.

After you have purchased your celluar phone, there are still several ways to save money.

44. Check bills for wrong charges. The cell phone companies are large and they make mistakes. If you find a mistake, call the company immediately and ask for a credit.

45. Access your voice mail from a land line. Spending time listening to your voice mail messages from your cell phone is a waste of money. Very often the messages can wait until you reach a regular phone.

46. Reevaluate your usage every few months. Go over three months of your cellular bill. If you find the package you are paying for includes too many, or worse, not enough minutes, call and change to a different plan.

TRAVEL: Planning ahead can save a lot of money.

47. Sign up to receive airline e-mail. The e-mail arrives every Wednesday with special discounts of up to $700 available on flights through the weekend.

48. If you don't have a computer, Randy Peterson, editor of WebFlyer.com, says many online sites including Priceline.com and Cheapticket.com have 800-numbers that will allow consumers to purchase plane tickets at Internet prices over the phone.

49. Travel off-season.

50. Keep your car tuned up so it gets the best miles per gallon possible. Also jumping from stop to 20 miles an hour in a couple of seconds may be fun, but it's expensive fun. Take off slowly, slow down before you need to apply the brakes.