I am always curious how people find Northern Cheapskate, so I love looking at the statistics for this blog.
About a week ago, I noticed something that saddened me. Someone had found my blog by searching “I can’t save any money right now.”
It seemed so helpless. It seemed so sad. And I know that this person is NOT the only one who feels this way.
Well, I am just one of many, many people who will tell you, that YES. You can can save money right now! And in this economy you MUST save money right now!
So how can you save when you are flat-out broke?
The first step is to document every single penny you spend for a week. Tracking your spending for a month is even better. This will give you a very good idea of what your strengths and weaknesses are when it comes to how you spend your money.
The second step is to think small. It’s overwhelming to think “I need to save $500 now.” Instead, think about saving 50-cents here and $1 there. That money will add up. And once you get caught by the savings bug, you will discover that it gets easier to find money to save.
I have also been thinking about what changes we could make right now if our situation required us to cut our expenses.
Here are things we could cut:
Satellite Television. ($69/month) We could watch television online, or not at all.
Unlimited Long-Distance on our landline ($19.95/month) We could use calling cards or find other internet-based alternatives.
Cell phones ($49/month) This would be tough, but we lived for 20+ years without cell phones. We could do it again if we had to.
Eating Out ($150/month) Once again, tough, but healthier for us.
Newspapers and Magazines ($25/month). We could use the library or read articles online.
Extra trips to town ($24/month) We could plan our shopping trips better so that we would make less trips.
Note: I would not eliminate our internet. There are so many things you can do on the internet that can contribute to saving money. From finding deals and printing coupons to getting information on DIY projects, to working from home, there are just too many benefits to it to eliminate it from the budget.
Then, I would take a good look around my house for things I could sell. Books, CDs, DVDs, and electronics would be the first to go. Clothes could go on consignment. Other household items could be listed on eBay. I would be on the hunt for any spare change I could find. I would also think about holding a garage sale.
I would start looking at other ways to earn a little extra money. I could baby-sit, pet-sit, or house-sit. I could mow lawns or cook meals for a house-bound senior citizen. I could freelance. I could teach a community ed class.
There are always ways to find money. But you have to take a good hard look at your personal situation. What are you willing to give up? What are you willing to do? 
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