Print to pdf format too big

Hi,

when I want to create pdf file (from different applications, mostly from word), it creat the pdf file way too larger than the original file. For example, my master thesis in .doc is about 10Mb, however the .pdf file is about 17Mb and when re-saved it in preview and cmpressed the size, it saved it as 11 Mb.

Is there any way how to save/print it to pdf and create smaller file and be able to send it via mail for example? I mean, is it possible to do that with the basic Mac OS X feature, not with some app.

Thanks:)

P.S.: I've found few questions about the same problem here on forum and somewhere else, but the questions were asked in previous versions of Mac OS X. I'm using latest version of everything...