Yet again, i'm out of work. I hate that feeling where you're broke and can't afford anything because you have no money coming in. Here are some of my frugal tips for surviving on almost nothing:
* find an apartment that is all inclusive. My rent covers my apartment, my electricity, and my water, which makes it that much easier than having a stack of bills and trying to rob Peter to pay Paul.
* grow your own food. I have a north facing balcony that still gets the afternoon light. I used containers that I had on hand, and potting soil the Boy bought for me last summer. Luckily for me, he got a HUGE bag, and I still have lots even after i've planted. If you don't have a balcony, your plants will still grow in windows.
* learn to cook. Even if it's only basic things you can make, it's still better for you than buying pre-made or convenience foods that aren't very tasty and are full of chemicals. I bake my own bread, make my own sauces (with the exception of gravy, but it's still good). I haven't much storage, but I have a bookcase in my kitchen that holds a lot of dry goods stored in containers. I'm trying to go completely 'no plastic', but that will have to wait until I can afford more glass containers. It's almost canning season, and large jars hold a lot.
* learn to wash your clothes in the bathtub. I like to use a pail and a clean plunger (from the dollar store) to clean, then rinse in the tub in cold water. If you're not sure, start small with socks and underwear then move on to larger items like tshirts and jeans. It's hard to squeeze all the water out, but hanging to dry actually makes your clothes last longer. Also, you don't need as much soap as you think you do. There are a lot of recipes for laundry soap on the internet, and they clean better (I find) than the commercial stuff.
* have an interview outfit clean and mended, ironed if possible. If you don't have a good interview outfit, check Value Village or other second hand stores. You can almost always find a nice 'suit' jacket or a nice blouse in relatively good shape there. If your funds are really low, just buy a piece at a time. Interviewers are usually more interested in you, not that your clothes are fashionable. Clean, neat and tidy are essential, though.
* learn to sew, or at least mend. Replacing buttons is easy, sewing seams just as easy. It just takes time and practice. Ditto ironing. It's a lot cheaper than sending it out to be cleaned! Just be careful of the settings - the more synthetic a fabric is, the lighter the setting. Natural fibres (wool, cotton, linen) can handle a higher setting, but don't leave the iron on the fabric or it will burn. Silk requires a lower setting.
* the library is your friend. You can borrow books to read, or learn how to effectively job search. You can also borrow music, videos, and access your internet there if you can't afford it at home. You can often find books with more hints on frugality (the Tightwad Gazette for one), or basic cookbooks to teach yourself how to cook.
* ask people you know to teach you things. You have friends, and they probably know things you don't. Talk to them, talk to older people (awesome if you can find someone who lived through the Great Depression!), they know a lot!
* if you can buy it, you can make it. Remember that everything had to start out somewhere, being made by someone by hand. I've made my own pillows, nightgowns, bathrobes, menstrual pads. There are free patterns for just about anything on the internet. All you have to do is search it out.
* find alternative uses for things around the house. Real Simple magazine has a lot of hints on this, and a lot of things you might think only have one use can be used in other ways as well. Reuse is easy and awesome.
You might read some of this stuff and think 'yuck! how can she do that', and really, it's out of necessity. I've not suggested dumpster diving, but that is also a 'poor skill'. You have to work with what is comfortable for you. Maybe you'll surprise yourself.
