Best way to uninstall; backup programs on Mac Macbook laptop has a few programs .. in which I'd like to uninstall 
and then keep the programs on a disc or external hd. 

Should I clone the program? (best suggested freeware? eg. Clonezilla or ..) 
or use a software such as Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner?

What are other best tips on speeding up Mac OS settings? (tuning particular features, functions on control panel?)
To uninstall programs, just delete them. 

To back them up, the best idea is to keep the installer. In most cases, this is the .dmg the app came in. If it came from the App Store, there's nothing to keep. Other programs can come with installer packages (.pkg) or apps; these are what you'd keep in this case.