It's all about the Benjamins.

As I'm sure many of you know, our economy is in the toilet.

(That's what I've heard, anyway. I choose to never watch the news and instead think of shiny rainbows, unicorns, and fuzzy bunnies.)

(Just kidding.)

(But I do like bunnies, rainbows, and unicorns. Clearly.)

I'm making jokes about something that isn't really funny. The last couple years have been hard on a lot of people. Mortgages unpaid, jobs lost, stocks plummeting. It's Crazytown.

Since I work in what is basically a customer service industry, if there are no customers, there is no industry. As a hairstylist, I don't see quite as much revenue lost as estheticians (facialists) and manicurists, but times are tough. For everyone.

This is unfortunate for me, because I am a spender. But in light of the current state of affairs, and the fact that saving a buck never killed anyone, I present you with Tia's Top Five Little Ideas on being Frugal and Fabulous (not necessarily in that order).

It's not for everyone, saving money. It's certainly not for me. But what can you do? "A rainy day" might be coming faster than you think.

(Seriously.)

1. You can't stop going out to dinner. Think about the poor servers! They need money too! But maybe you can cut down to one night a week. And, you can just order an appetizer with an iced tea. Portions are huge these days, and iced tea refills are free. You still get all the ambiance and the going-out-ness of a restaurant, but your bill will be at least 25% less than if you ordered an entree. And if you're still hungry on the way home? Jack-in-the-Box has $0.99 tacos, and they are GOOD.



2. It's really nice to donate to charity. More people should do it. However, before you pack up the bag of your castoffs, consider a garage sale. JenBun and I had one a couple weeks ago, and we each made $50 on the stuff we sold. Everything that was left over, we donated. People got our great junk for cheap, we made a little money, and we still gave to charity. Everyone wins.



3. Pre-purchase a gift card to your favorite coffeehouse. I hate the idea of spending $5 on a cup of coffee, but I do it all the time, so last month I gave myself a coffee limit. I bought a gift card for $50, because I decided that was my coffee limit for the month. If I wanted a coffee, I only used the card. When it ran out, I knew that meant I had to make my coffee at home. I THOUGHT before I BOUGHT, so I ended up spending probably half the amount I'd usually spend in a month. I drank less coffee, which is better for me, and spent less money, which is better for Hubs' blood pressure.



4. Buy a reusable water bottle. Disposable ones are so last season. I recently bought this bottle (in pink, clearly), and I love it. I carry it with me every day, and I refill it wherever I go. It's amazing how many places have water fountains or water coolers. I took it to the movies the other day, and I was really proud of myself because they charge $4.50 for a bottle of water there. Can we say "highway robbery"? Plus, a reusable bottle is better for you and the environment because most of them are now BPA-free.



5. Consolidate your bills. This is SO important. I just recently transferred the balances of all of my credit cards onto a low-interest card, and now I feel like I'm really making a dent in my debt. Instead of paying 3 minimum payments with high interest rates, I'm now paying a sizable chunk towards one balance. I really recommend calling your credit card company/companies to see which one will give you the best balance transfer offer. Usually, there are offers available that you don't even know about. It's worth finding out!

I realize that some of these things are probably silly, or obvious, but I think any little way that you can save some money is worth it.

(And when I say "save", I might or might not mean "set aside for shoes.")

We are about to experience a major change in the world. Whichever way it goes, I think it's important to know where you stand, finances included. Trying to avoid the uncertainty of the economy should be a top priority, and that might mean cutting back on a few things here and there.

(Like buying more clothes for the dog. Even though that makes me cry inside.)

But seriously. If you are lucky enough to be financially stable, be grateful but alert. And if you are feeling the strain, it's time to tighten the straps.

Eating at home, movies on TV, and happy hour instead of $10 martinis are good ways to start. Letting things get out of control leads to Top Ramen, polyester, and no internet access.

And really, that's just no way to live.