diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/options.py b/django/contrib/admin/options.py
index a599fec83ec..b72eed62103 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/options.py
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/options.py
@@ -437,12 +437,18 @@ class ModelAdmin(BaseModelAdmin):
         the object is being changed, and False if it's being added.
         """
         return form.save(commit=False)
+    
+    def save_model(self, request, obj, form, change):
+        """
+        Given a model instance save it to the database.
+        """
+        obj.save()
 
     def save_formset(self, request, form, formset, change):
         """
-        Given an inline formset return unsaved instances.
+        Given an inline formset save it to the database.
         """
-        return formset.save(commit=False)
+        formset.save()
 
     def render_change_form(self, request, context, add=False, change=False, form_url='', obj=None):
         opts = self.model._meta
@@ -562,13 +568,10 @@ class ModelAdmin(BaseModelAdmin):
                                   save_as_new=request.POST.has_key("_saveasnew"))
                 formsets.append(formset)
             if all_valid(formsets) and form_validated:
-                new_object.save()
+                self.save_model(request, new_object, form, change=False)
                 form.save_m2m()
                 for formset in formsets:
-                    instances = self.save_formset(request, form, formset, change=False)
-                    for instance in instances:
-                        instance.save()
-                    formset.save_m2m()
+                    self.save_formset(request, form, formset, change=False)
                 
                 self.log_addition(request, new_object)
                 return self.response_add(request, new_object)
@@ -642,13 +645,10 @@ class ModelAdmin(BaseModelAdmin):
                 formsets.append(formset)
 
             if all_valid(formsets) and form_validated:
-                new_object.save()
+                self.save_model(request, new_object, form, change=True)
                 form.save_m2m()
                 for formset in formsets:
-                    instances = self.save_formset(request, form, formset, change=True)
-                    for instance in instances:
-                        instance.save()
-                    formset.save_m2m()
+                    self.save_formset(request, form, formset, change=True)
                 
                 change_message = self.construct_change_message(request, form, formsets)
                 self.log_change(request, new_object, change_message)
diff --git a/docs/admin.txt b/docs/admin.txt
index dcff894c51b..0e8eff374bc 100644
--- a/docs/admin.txt
+++ b/docs/admin.txt
@@ -524,21 +524,19 @@ with an operator:
 ``ModelAdmin`` methods
 ----------------------
 
-``save_form(self, request, form, change)``
+``save_model(self, request, obj, form, change)``
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
-The ``save_form`` method is given the ``HttpRequest``, a ``ModelForm``
-instance and a boolean value based on whether it is adding or changing the
-object.
+The ``save_model`` method is given the ``HttpRequest``, a model instance,
+a ``ModelForm`` instance and a boolean value based on whether it is adding or
+changing the object. Here you can do any pre- or post-save operations.
 
-This method should return an unsaved instance. For example to attach
-``request.user`` to the object prior to saving::
+For example to attach ``request.user`` to the object prior to saving::
 
     class ArticleAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
-        def save_form(self, request, form, change):
-            instance = form.save(commit=False)
-            instance.user = request.user
-            return instance
+        def save_model(self, request, obj, form, change):
+            obj.user = request.user
+            obj.save()
 
 ``save_formset(self, request, form, formset, change)``
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@@ -547,9 +545,7 @@ The ``save_formset`` method is given the ``HttpRequest``, the parent
 ``ModelForm`` instance and a boolean value baesed on whether it is adding or
 changing the parent object.
 
-This method should return unsaved instances. These instances will later be
-saved to the database. By default the formset will only return instances that
-have changed. For example to attach ``request.user`` to each changed formset
+For example to attach ``request.user`` to each changed formset
 model instance::
 
     class ArticleAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
@@ -557,7 +553,8 @@ model instance::
             instances = formset.save(commit=False)
             for instance in instances:
                 instance.user = request.user
-            return instances
+                instance.save()
+            formset.save_m2m()
 
 ``ModelAdmin`` media definitions
 --------------------------------