Good luck to ya! My income is fixed (the old one must have broke, or was that me?) And I watch every penny as carefully as I can.

Here is a tip, write out a month by month "list" of all income and all expenses. Cut to the bone and then try to cut another 10 or 20 percent past that.

Seek the cheapest source of food possible.

Become cheery and enjoyable (I suspect you already are) so you get invited over for supper.

The food thing is the worst. It is the one area where you have a good deal of leeway but it is also dangerous to cut too much. Here in Missouri we have some very cheap sources of food in out local Save A Lot store. Bluebonnet margarine for 49 cents a pound, coffee for$2 a pound. Oatmeal, grits and bran flakes are cheap and good for you too.

If you live in a city, though, costs are higher, no matter what but there are food pantries and the USDA surplus stuff. Canned stuff isn't so good because of the high sodium content but it certainly is cheap. Buy some stuff (like oatmeal) in bulk. I live alone so I have some problems buying food in small enough quantities so it won't spoil while I'm waiting to use it up. Seek out the bakery outlet stores, day-old bread is just fine and it can be frozen.

I don't have cable and my internet bill is as low as possible. I would give it up except I have actually saved money at times and it costs no more to communicate with my family

CB