When calculating values or data drains resources, cache them if the values remain unchanged, in order to avoid repeating such operations.

The data type used to manipulate and store data has a significant impact on memory consumption, the processor power needed to manipulate the database — both at the application server and browser (manipulation using JavaScript) level — and on the storage space needed.
Picking the wrong data type:
- wastes memory (e.g. if you store all small data in a column designed to store large amounts of data) - causes performance issues (it will be quicker to search for a number than a character string)

Ideally, you should analyze a representative data sample and use this information to decide the data type and sizing.