By now you don't need to be told about the state of this country, right? It's peppered into many conversations, it's on YOUR mind, and the news is having a field day with it......heck, ask some people, and they'll tell you the End of Days are coming......

I'm not here to dwell on some of the more obvious aspects of the economic and moral compass of this country. Nope, instead I am here to talk to you about LIVING and living through these interesting times. Since so much is technically out of our control, let us celebrate those things we can control and work to better ourselves in smaller and simpler ways. Since I am a big advocate of the "simple lifestyle" anyway, this stuff is right up my alley. So here are some practical, maybe even fun and funny, ways to "make do" with what you have:

Budget--yeah, this sort of sounds like a cop-out, but you'd be amazed at how many people don't keep track of their finances. Yes, we're all used to those free-wheeling 90's where money came easily (well, to many of us, anyway)--and why worry when there's surplus? Well, wouldn't YOU like to know what you do with your money?
Get an old notebook and write down every measly thing you might buy, have bought, or need to buy. Groceries, toiletries, light bills. See what you can cut down on, if anything...and find new ways to save money such as:

Coupons --again, this sounds pretty obvious, but I get the sense, from the younger generation, that there's something sort of embarrassing in cutting out, and using coupons. Pshaw! No such thing. Of course, the argument is, how much can be saved, but even $5 or $10 adds up. Trust me on this. The only downside to this is that the quality of some of the food on sale isn't that great (in my opinion).

BARGAINS: Thrift stores are great. As are garage sales and moving sales. Check your local paper or Craigslist for good bargains!

Make Ebay and Etsy your friend --another great source of less inexpensive items is either Ebay.com or Etsy.com. Ebay allows you to get new, antique or creative goodies for a fraction of the cost, usually. My recent find was a cast iron cornbread mold in the shape of little corn ears--$6 instead of the $15 I found in the fancy cooking store. Yes, it doesn't take much to keep me happy.
Etsy is great in that you can buy unique handcrafted items, thereby ALSO supporting an artist..and you know I'm ALL about handcrafted stuff, and supporting items...so go ahead, kill two birds with one stone (err, not literally, though!)

Wholesale Clubs --Ok, I'll be honest here. I'm not a fan of this sort of thing because it supports massive conglomerations, and lots of the products in wholesale places (Costco, Sam's, etc) are made in foreign countries. But you're desperate and need to save money, right? So maybe an occasional run to these stores makes sense. Plus, you can use the money you saved to buy something from Etsy. And support handcrafted stuff and artists!

Food Pantries --again, some people think this is beneath them, but if you really need to, lots of churches and non-profits have, or are, food pantries. Go ahead and see if you qualify for canned or boxed goods. There are also food co-ops that have lower priced, tasty and organic food.

Grow Your Own -- well, you KNOW the farmgirl in me is all about growing your own food, anyway, but it actually saves money. And gardening reduces stress (since I live in NYC, I'm gardening. A LOT), gets you into the fresh air, attracts bees and other wildlife...and all that other good stuff.

I've gardened for 3 years and THIS year, I might help set up gardens elsewhere---but more on that later---grab yourself some seeds and start planting. Or a bunch of big pots and buckets, if you live in the city. Gardening doesn't require much land, and is simpler than you think! You can recycle old paint buckets (make sure the paint is removed and the paint remover is thoroughly scrubbed and washed off), and you can even get FREE SOIL! Some city municipalities offer recycled and free soil--ask your town hall/ag extension office/city hall to see if such progrms exist.

You can also get free or low cost seeds through seed swaps online or, again, at your ag extension office--there are more and more seed sharing programs starting online all of the time--so take the time to research....You'll know EXACTLY where your food comes from, too. And there is nothing so satisfying as going to your own kitchen garden and picking the veggies that you will cook for dinner. Or making canned tomato sauce. Yum!

Better yet, instead of growing food for yourself, why not share some of your bounty with neighbors and others that might need it? You will feel better and your little garden will have much more purpose!

HOUSE:
Cut down on your electric bill--Sure, you know you should turn off all the lights when not in use, right. Well, not only THAT, but you should also UNPLUG everything that is plugged, when not in use.
Yes, kids--see, electricity still comes through anything plugged in..I believe the term is "ghost load"--in which the metal of the plug still acts as a conductor to the electricity. It obviously is not going to generate as much electricity as when the machine/object that is plugged in is in USE, but it does add to your light bill. So unplug those puppies--you should see a difference (unless, of course, your electric company is some horrible monopolizing monster--but that's another story).

EXTREME Extreme Frugalism
Outdoor Cooking--I've witnessed it myself. I friend who lives in the middle of the downtown area, and fed up with his gas bill--decided to cook everything on his fire escape. He got a hibachi griller, a smaller "fire pit" wok and a little pancake/waffle cast iron griddle maker that sits right on the fire. And he made veggies, meats...all sorts of things...and would invite us to dinner. It was great. He became really inventive at creating all sorts of recipes...and best of all, he saved $40 to $50 a month! Which adds up.

Use no electricity for one day-- yes, you read that correctly. Well, I DID warn you that this was going to be extreme, right? So, we're talking extreme self-sufficiency..and maybe a little adventure! Live like your ancestors did! Light some candles, tell ghost stories! Read by candlelight! It should cut down on your lighting bill, plus, you get to buy some wicked cool candles...or even cheap candles from the dollar store. I personally like beeswax candles, but that's a whole 'nother post.
And yes, for your information, I HAVE tried the no-electricity thing several times before. I rather like it and it seems more peaceful in the house. I wouldn't recommend it unless I did--what kind of madwoman do you think I am?

And those, my friends, are just some of the inventive things you can do to live an Frugal Life!