For These Desperate Times: A Few Measures You Could Take

On spending:

1. Use coupons when you shop.

2. Never pay full price for an item.

3. Always prepare a list of things you need to buy before going shopping.

4. Go for what's on sale. Be ready to try other brands.

5. Stay away from mail-in ads and mail-in shopping mags.

On saving:

1. Live below your means.

2. Save at least 20% of your pre-tax earnings.

3. Limit use of credit cards and if you have to, always pay the full amount due each month.

4. Go on a budget and stick to it.

5. Shop less often; shop in bulk.

Earn a little extra on the side:

1. Get a little extra hour of job at snagajob.com.

2. You probably have some stuff you can sell at online sites like amazon.com, ebay.com, etsy.com, half.com.

3. Consider getting a home-based job or business that will cut costs.

4. Ever heard about dropshipping? If you like to do online business without the inventory, this may be a business for you.

5. Are you an authority on a subject? There's a lot of opportunities online, e.g., blogging that may give you a few bucks each month.

Meanwhile the other worthwhile things you can do:

1. Perform CPE (Continuing Professional Education) or get an A+ Certification. There's an ample resource of free study materials online that can help elevate your career.

2. Take care of your health by exercising and dieting. You'll save on medical bills.

3. Support a cause or volunteer for a group. Check out dosomething.org or freerice.org.

4. Spend more time bonding with the family. We could all use a good circle of support in these stressful times.

5. Enjoy the free things in life. Go back to nature and the bounty it offers.