TIMES are getting tougher, making people think hard about budgeting and saving money. With money getting tight, bargain hunters are set to come out in force.

Discount retailers like Aldi and Lidl are seeing a surge in business, but here are some other ways to get by with rising costs and falling incomes.

Claim your entitlements

Make sure there is no money from the taxman that is going unclaimed; you could be entitled to a rebate from the Revenue Commissioners on any money spent on medical or dental bills, bin charges, trade union subscriptions, employment and rental allowances.

Ensure you are getting your full entitlement to mortgage interest tax relief. A married, first-time buyer couple can get €4,000 a year from the State in tax relief on their mortgage. For those couples with older mortgages, relief of up to €1,200 a year is possible. Check out www.revenue.ie.

Medical costs are most frequently overlooked, even though relief is available at the top rate of tax for expenditure on GP visits, prescribed drugs, physiotherapy and many other health-related expenses.

Many PAYE taxpayers do not realise they are entitled to claim job-related expenses.

For example, a bus driver can can claim flat-rate expenses of €160 a year against tax, and nurses can claim up to €733. The relief is given at the taxpayer's top rate.

Private sector people should also make the most of their pay-related social insurance (PRSI) entitlements: they cover most routine dental and eyesight checks -- once taxpayers have paid PRSI for five years.

Don't let your cash sit doing nothing

Consumers have responded to the tougher economic times by saving more. A recent survey by Standard Life found that those who are saving are putting aside an extra €50 a month.

The problem is that half the money that households have on deposit is earning little or nothing in interest.

Inertia means that 47pc of consumers' money is earning average interest rates of less than 2pc, according to calculations by the Central Bank.

This is at a time when a slew of banks are offering in excess of 5pc, even for demand deposit accounts. Anglo Irish offers 5.30pc on the first €20,000, Halifax pays 5.15pc up to €10,000, and Leeds pays 5.10pc for a minimum deposit of €2,500 for traditional branch accounts or postal accounts.

In the case of online accounts, you can get €5.22pc from First Active for amounts up to €15,000, and 5pc on demand from Northern Rock.

So it is worth getting better bang for your buck.

Switch your mortgage

If you mortgage is a standard variable rate one you were probably clobbered by your lender recently. Lenders have been increasing rates on standard variables in excess of European Central Bank rate rises while withdrawing trackers.

Trackers for new customers, which includes those coming out of fixed rates, have also risen. Despite that, they are still good value and offer certainty.

Generally, the best rates are available by going directly to the banks rather than going through mortgage brokers, as more lenders restrict their best rates to their branches.

However, this is not the case for some of the fixed rates. For example, AIB is offering a great value three-year fixed rate of 5.45pc, which is available through brokers.

Karl Deeter, of Irish Mortgage Brokers, said those worried that the credit crunch would mean another three years of uncertainty would be wise to snap up the AIB rate.

Insure for less

Massive savings can be made by savvy consumers who put a bit of effort into sourcing the lowest quotes for home, motor and mortgage protection insurance.

Insurance costs have been falling for years now, but if you stick with your existing insurer without forcing it to match lower premiums in the market you are likely to get poor value.

Go online, ring around and then come back to your existing provider and see if your lowest quote will be matched.

Tax-free tickets

There are not many things in life that you can get tax free. But public transport tickets are one of those. The TaxSaver Commuter Ticket scheme, operated by Dublin Bus and Iarnrod Eireann, involves employers providing their staff with bus and rail tickets while saving on employer PRSI payments.

Staff taking up the scheme benefit from reduced tax and PRSI payments of up to 47pc if you are a higher earner.

For example, if the ticket costs €1,000 and your employer is prepared to join the scheme you can get the ticket for a net €530, saving you €470 (assuming you are a higher rate taxpayer).

Shop and save

Shops are designed to make you buy too much, so fight back by taking a shopping list and sticking to it.

Do not do the shopping hungry, or you are likely to buy more than you need. Go shopping just before the shop closes to get marked down goods on their last sell-by date.

Big, deep shopping trolleys tend to make you want to fill them to the top. If you can, use a shallow one instead so you can't overbuy.

Buy the supermarket's own brands as they are usually cheaper. It is usually cheaper to buy fruit and vegetables that are in season, while loose vegetables cost less then pre-packed ones.

And use your loyalty card.