I hope things have gotten better for you. I have been there myself!
I`m there again now...
I have cut back on alot of spending due to economy...My hours getting cut etc....
A good way to start is:
1. Make your own laundry soap, and cleaning products....It`s cheap and Eco friendly!
2. We grill out alot using a charcoal grill with little charcoal and lots of old branches from the yard....
3. Check price per unit on all items and compare with sales adds...Before stocking up at Costco or Sam`s check sales add and do the math..Don`t forget your coupons...
4. Old torn towels and torn bed sheets are great! Washable as well. Stop buying paper towels......
5. Go to bed 1hr. earlier. Saves electric....
6. Gas up your car at night. More bang for your buck. The gas thickens in cooler weather.
7. Car pool when possible...( bike it in the nice weather!)
8. Turn the heat way down at night....We have an electric heater fan from Walmart that we use in one of the bedrooms. During the gas crunch it was a big help!
9. Save rain water to water plants. I put plastic storage bins under the drain pipes and pour the water into a(clean) garbage can with a tight lid.....(put a drop of bleach in to kill larve before it can grow)
10. Thrift stores, and garage sales vs. New. Most of us can live with used! You would be surprised at what you can find at these places.....
11. Grow your own veges and fruit...Get some of your neighbors involved. One grows the tomatoes and peppers, and another pumpkins and squash, I have one type of fruit tree and next door they have another..I also grow strawberries....Do some canning and freezing!
12. Crockpots and electric appliances are great cost cutters too... I have done a 10lb. Turkey in a 7qt. oval crockpot for Thanksgiving! Came out awesome! We have also done the turkey out on the grill...
13. Hang your clothes up to dry. I do this in winter as well when my kids are at school. I bought clothes line that I run from one bunkbed to another...
I started looking up things on the internet on how people lived during The Great Depression....You would be surprised what people did and they made it through! | 
