Arthur Frommer’s 1957 bestseller,  “Europe on  5 Dollars a  Day,” has evolved into $25 daily in the latest edition. But the on-the-cheap strategy that most of us need is how to get by on less right here at home in everyday life. Personal financial consultants like Brendan Vigorito of Money Management International in Roanoke call such tactics “stepping down.” Vigorito and others offer suggestions.

1.) Cut out your fancy morning coffee, not to mention the sweet roll — if applicable. At $3 to $5 a day, you’ll save $60 to more than $100 by the end of the month.

2.) Make your lunch. Rediscover the skill of brown-bagging. Conservatively assuming $5 per workday, your savings can easily add up to $100 per month.

3.) Borrow DVDs for free at the library. They’re only a few months behind Blockbuster.

4.) Cut down on seeing new movies at the theater. There, the typical expense for one person, including ticket, popcorn and drink, is about $15.

5.) Unplug your home computer when it’s not in use. Vigorito estimates that can save more than $20 per month. And unplug chargers for cell phones, music players and other devices when not in use; that’s about $10 per month each.

6.) Shop sales only for new clothes. Before you buy, see if Goodwill has something you like almost as much for a fraction of the expense.

7.) Buy store brands at the supermarket. A family of four can save about $20 a month this way on cereal alone.

8.) As President-elect Barack Obama advised during the election campaign, check your car’s tire pressure to increase your gas mileage.

9.) Reduce the water used in flushing your toilet. Insert a half-gallon milk container, weighted with sand or pebbles, in the tank. For details visit www.wikihow.com/Convert-Any-Toilet-to-a-Low-Flush-Toilet.

10.) Stay well to reduce trips to the doctor: Wash your hands frequently, eat right, sleep well and don’t smoke. Good health is money in the bank.