According to a study conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, many Americans do not collect unemployment benefits for which they are eligible. In fact, the unclaimed benefits on average are much larger than any overpayments. By not collecting unemployment benefits, Americans are essentially saving the U.S. government money.

Whether or not collecting unemployment benefits is good or bad is obviously based on the individual. However, the fact that Americans aren’t using the resources they are eligible for, despite bad times, generates an even bigger idea: What are some other ways Americans can pull the U.S. government out of a slump by seemingly small acts? Here are a few to note: 

Acknowledge climate change
With Superstorm Sandy came the reignition of the climate change debate. Many leaders, such as New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, openly stressed the need to take action. Apart from the emotional devastation, Sandy is blamed for about $62 billion in damage, a number which is likely to increase. Although much has been said, acknowledgement of the problem can lead to real action from Americans. Future disasters may be mitigated with our help.

For instance, small moves such as recycling, being energy-efficient, and carpooling are all things we can do to improve our environment by shrinking our carbon footprint. And if we talk with others about our efforts, we can inspire each other to lessen our collective impact. When we do so, we are also showing our resolve to lessen climate-related disasters and doing what we can to save our government money in the long-run.

Use Medicare Efficiently
Much like unemployment benefits, only collecting medicare and medicaid benefits when you need to can save the government resources. A great example is to exercise and keep your weight under control to stay fit and healthy.  And if you start to get sick, keep a diary of your symptoms to help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis.  If you can help avoid unnecessary medical procedures, it’s in the best interest of every party involved to do so. From the hospital, to the bill collectors, all the way up the government, you can save multiple groups time and money instead of using up resources others could be taking advantage of.

Be smart with finances
According to a new report, U.S. shoppers actually spent more cautiously this holiday season than last. Although this may have disappointed business owners, being wary of finances is actually a step in the right direction, both for the people and for the U.S. government.

We must never forget events such as the sub-prime mortgage crisis, which lead to the recent financial disaster. Although much of the blame should be placed on banks for handing out loans to the ineligible, many Americans actively wanted homes they could not afford. In addition, being smart with finances — such as businesses being strategic with their money — assists the U.S. government with future problems, including our burgeoning debt and our image in the international space. Keeping Americans financially healthy is a great way to help the economy and in turn, our government.

Vocalize your opinion
We all need to do a better job at vocalizing our opinion in a constructive and bipartisan way. How can political leaders understand the wants and needs of their constituents if the conversation is not two-sided? This is why resouces like PeopleCount.org are needed. We need to state our opinions when it comes to the country’s finances, or our leaders will be stuck thinking we want the status quo, including waging wars without raising taxes. We need our leaders to understand why we spend and why we chose to save. We need to have a better conversation about our finances, what we can do to solve our debt problem, and what every American can do to get ourselves back on track.

The above are only are few ways Americans can save the U.S. government money. In the end, it’s all about finding solutions that will work in the long-run, not quick fixes. We should first comprehend the role the U.S. government plays in money, and then how we can all be working towards optimizing that role for ourselves and others.

What do you think? What are some other ways Americans can save the U.S. government money?