There are lots of small things you can do to cut your spending, and many of them are relatively painless. Here are just a few things you can examine:

I - Housing - If you rent, can you move to a place a little smaller and cheaper (no, moving isn't painless, but we have to start somewhere)?If you're renting a house, can you move to a duplex? If you're renting a three bedroom place, can you move to a two bedroom? This saves more than just the difference in rent. If the quality of insulation and weatherproofing and AC/furnace are roughly equal, a smaller place costs less in utilities too. You might be surprised at just HOW much difference it can make. Can you downscale neighborhood (without sacrificing safety, of course)? If you like your rental too much to move, is there some weatherproofing you can do yourself cheaply? Or make a deal with the landlord to split the cost?

If you own, have you overextended yourself on mortgage and utilities? If so, and you've been in the place long enough to appreciate some equity, it may be worth selling and moving "down" a bit in size and neighborhood. Again, you'll also save on utilities, but you'll also save on mortgage payment, taxes, and insurance. And when you own, that weatherproofing and other improvements will make a longer-term payback. If you can move closer to your workplace, you'll also save in commuting costs (and time!)

As a note for weatherproofing, many cities have programs to assist with this. Look in to it!

2 - utilities - first thing, see #1. Evaluate weatherproofing and AC/Furnace. Turn off lights and electronics when you aren't in the room. Change the filter for your furnace/AC regularly. Turn down the thermostat in winter and put on socks and a sweater. Turn it down a little more at night in winter and during daytime periods when no one is home. During the summer, set the temperature a degree or two higher each week until you find the warmest you can stand and still do anything. Wear as few clothes as possible at home in the summer. Use fans to make the warmer temps more comfortable. If your bill seems high, have your AC and thermostat inspected. Set the thermostat slightly higher during the day, to whatever amount the AC can cool your home back down within 30 minutes of getting home. Avoid the use of the oven during the summer. Unplug items you don't use regularly. During nice weather, hang clothes outside to dry and limit dryer use, particularly in hot weather.

3 - Food - Some people have a lot of room to save on this, some don't. We've fed 3 people (two of them teens) on $40 a week without feeling deprived (and we could have taken it to less), but it's work-intensive. There are lots of ways to get this under control, our favorites are

• Plan a menu a week ahead, based on what you have in the freezer or is on sale
• Shop for groceries once a week, with a list
• Alternate more expensive meals with simple, cheap ones
• Cook from scratch (avoid most convenience foods)
• Eliminate sodas! (if you replace soda with milk and fruit juice, you also really improve your nutrition)
• Cook in quantity and freeze
• Buy in bulk when it's a good deal and won't go bad
• Use a list to evaluate which stores have the best prices on which items
• Check out day-old bread stores
• Reduce the amount of meat
• Garden, or make friends with a gardener
• Take lunch to work
• Strictly limit eating out
• Balance quality with value

There are lots of other ideas, but these are our favorites. These days, we don't HAVE to feed ourselves on $40 a week, but our average is around $60 for three people, and that includes an occasional pork tenderloin or steak, and many organic vegetables. I don't count meals out in that amount, BTW, I consider that entertainment, which keeps it in perspective.

4 - Transportation - Get rid of the gas guzzler. Period. Whatever you're being told, gas prices are not likely to ever go back down much, other than briefly. It's called China. They want gas, and they're buying it, at any cost. And there are a whole lot more of them than us, if they want to motorize even a tiny fraction of their population, they need a lot more gas. The gas guzzling high status SUVs are shortly going to be a perogative of the rich and the mathematically stupid. Also, if at all possible, either move close to your job, or look for a job close to home. I have friends who spend something like $800 a month just on gas to commute, and it's killing them (not to mention the travel time). If your family has two cars, consider getting rid of one. If you need a replacement car, consider buying a used car, preferably in cash. If there's a decent bus service, consider using the bus for some things (in my city, you can get an unlimited pass for a month for $10, if it went anywhere near where I work, I'd take it). Have the routine maintenance done - oil changes, check air pressure in tires, etc. Those things not only protect your gas milage, they reduce maintenance costs. When it's practical, walk or bike places.