Quieter bike nights or fewer motorcycles on the road may not be from riders losing interest in the two-wheeled past time, but just bikers feeling the effect of a lighter wallet.

A recently released study found a lingering recession continues to have a tight grip is on workers' wallets. According to a new nationwide survey of more than 4,400 workers by CareerBuilder nearly eight-in-ten (77 percent) workers report that they live paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet. This is compared to sixty-one percent of workers said that they felt they lived paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet in 2009.

The survey, which was conducted from May 18 to June 3, 2010 states workers went on to say that sometimes they are unable to make ends meet at all, with one-in-five (22 percent) saying they have missed payments on bills in the last year.

With twenty-three percent of workers saying they started living paycheck to paycheck in 2009, a variety of changes to their living and spending habits have been made to help them get by:

They include;

Cutting back on leisure activities - 54 percent

Using coupons or shopping at discount stores - 48 percent

Driving less to save on gas - 37 percent

Cancelling cable and other subscriptions - 12 percent

Using public transportation - 5 percent

Some workers are making ends meet by dipping into their long-term savings. More than one-in-five (21 percent) workers say they have reduced their 401(k) contributions or personal savings in the last year to get by.

Saving money is not an option for some workers, as one-third (33 percent) state that they do not participate in any programs such as 401(k), IRAs or retirement plans. One-in-three (30 percent) report that they don't put any money aside into their savings each month, while 28 percent set aside $100 or less per month for savings and 14 percent save less than $50.

Further helpful tips for surviving these skinny times and preparing for the future comes from Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder Haefner:

Cut back where you can - Takeout coffee, lunches out and other common everyday expenses can make quite a dent in your checking account. Create a spreadsheet to analyze what you spend each month, and once you can see where your money goes, you can more easily see where you can cut back.

Be saving savvy - Even if it is a small amount, set aside money each month for your long-term savings. If you have trouble remembering or fitting into your budget, try setting up an automatic deposit into a savings account.

Maximize your benefits - Talk to your HR department about how you can make the most of the benefits at your organization. Find out if your company offers discounts to stores or for other services, and ask about how you can make sure you've selected the right benefits plans for your budget.

For riders, packing a lunch or drinks for the shortest of rides will save opening the wallet while out on the road and it’s time to quench the thirst or feed the hunger.

"The last 18 months have required some workers to tighten their day-to-day spending and make some adjustments to their financial futures," notes Haefner, "Our survey found that six-in-ten workers say that the recession has made them more fiscally responsible. Maintaining a budget is not only important now, but will better position workers - both personally and professionally - for the long run."