One media source says we are still experiencing a recession. Another says we are on the way up. Yet another says we are completely out of the recession. And, my favorite: Christmas spending will pull us out of the recession. Not any spending from my house!

Despite, or maybe because of, the fact that I have an advanced degree, I am feeling the economic belt tighten every day. Considering my level of education and my professional training, I am not what the local convenient store sees as appropriate hiring material. They believe - understandably and justifiably - that, as soon as the economy turns around, I will turn in my notice, return to my higher paying position, and leave them with wasted training expenditures. You might think this would make me become a creative money-manager. As there is little or no extra monies to manage, I was forced to take a different approach.

Because I am in a position to group all my work together on given days, and I am not tied to answering a phone from 9a-5p, I was able, and did, complete the application and orientation process for being a substitute teacher. To date, I have served as a substitute twice, making $70 a day. I can increase the number of opportunities I have to work every month by agreeing to substitute at the high school level, but I have not as yet worked up the courage to tackle this frightening environment.

A little about myself: I am a late-forties, post-graduate educated single female, paying a mortgage, car payment, student loan, and all the other necessaries that come with being alive and functioning in 2009. Following are a few of the steps I have taken to considerably decrease my monthly expenditures.

First, obviously, I checked with my lender about re-financing my FHA mortgage. She researched it and returned to me with the information that it would only save me about $50 a month and, therefore, she did not think it was feasible, due to closing costs. We got creative, added the closing costs in as a borrow against my equity, and my not only did my mortgage reduce by $70 a month, but I also got to skip a month of payments. In the long run, I basically re-financed about $1500 back into my mortgage. Financially wise in the long run? Maybe not. Did I go into foreclosure? No. For this particular situation I decided to live by the rule that I will take care of me today and I’ll worry about tomorrow when it gets here.

I also contacted the financial institution that services my student loan who kindly offered to lower my monthly amount due for 12 months based on my history of consistent and timely payments. Again, I am well aware that I am accruing unnecessary interest for the future, but this allows me to rest assured that I will be able to make those payments for the next 12 months. And, after doing some ciphering, we decided that I was costing myself about $30 overall. I will pay $30 for peace of mind and a good night’s sleep any day.

The easiest method for decreasing monthly expenses was to evaluate my utility expenses and minimize or eliminate those that were totally unnecessary. Naturally, I discontinued my land-line phone service. All it was ever used for was to hang up on unwanted solicitors anyway. Then, I also discontinued the fax line. I feared that my business might suffer, but it has actually - strangely - helped. When people cannot get a fax through to me, they naturally call me. I explain that I have "gone green" and have completely converted to using paperless email written communication. Not only are they sometimes impressed with the idea, and state that they are going to do the same, but I also get the opportunity to reconnect with an office with whom I may not have talked personally in quite some time. More than a little extra business has come from these conversations. Total monthly amount saved by discontinuing land lines: approximately $140 per month.

Next: television. I am a serious television junky. This was the most difficult for me, but I did it. I discontinued my cable service. I have found almost everything I want to see at fancast.com, but it has been quite an adjustment - a positive one. For the first time in my life, really, not kidding here, thoughts of what comes on TV and at what time do not haunt me incessantly. For the first time, I am free from what I did not realize to be a life-restricting ball-and-chain. If I want to go for a walk, I go for a walk. It does not matter what is on television because I know I can see it on-line any time I want. Caveat: If you are a sports fan, do some research before disconnecting your sports habit lifeline. This is not an issue for me, but for, say, my boyfriend . . . well, let’s just say, he’s still paying for monthly cable service. Thank god he is ‘cause where else would I catch up on the latest got-to-haves on the commercials. I do miss the commercials.

I also discontinued my internet service and, instead, both the wi-fi portable gadget from my wireless provider. Now I only pay one fee for the portable gadget as opposed to a fee for internet service to my residence and an additional fee for separate internet service to my office. This works for me because I live alone. If you have a multi-unit household, check into the deals for multiple wi-fi devices. Previously, I was paying approximately $100 per month for internet service. Now I pay approximately $40. And, I am confident this amount will decrease as the competition for this service increases among providers.

I also closely examined my cell phone (one personal and one business) monthly statements and on-line information about other providers for ways to reduce expenses. You may think I live in the dark ages, or under a rock, but I just recently realized that I needed to add a $5 expense to my wireless bill to cover those unsolicited text messages received from those who are unaware that I do not like to use text messaging. Since I was getting far more than 20 incoming text messages a month, this $5 addition to my bill actually saves me between $5 and $20 per month. My particular plan recently added a Fav 5 plan, and utilizing this new feature allowed me to decrease my plan minutes, more than making up for the $5 spent on covering text messages. On average, I am going to guess that my wireless expense leaves the $200 range and begins visiting the $150 range on my next bill.

Obviously, I have adjusted the thermostat, opening the windows when warm, and putting on layers when chilly. When I do get a chill, since I am no longer tied to my television, I take my dog out for a walk, and I have discovered that my body temperature (and consequent need for external warming) remains elevated for quite a period of time following even the shortest of quick walks outside. The other benefits to this suggestion are more than obvious and I will not insult you by critiquing them here. My utility bills have decreased approximately $10 per month over the past three months compared to last year’s bills for the same months.

Medically, I did some on-line research, educated myself, and then checked with my pharmacist about the positive and negative benefits to switching two of my monthly prescriptions to generic. One has worked out fine; the other returned to brand name very quickly. Remember, not all generics are created equally. Do some investigation and some research, or talk with you doctor at your next visit. Friends of mine order their prescriptions from Canada and swear that they would do it no other way because the savings are so tremendous. I am a little bit leery of this due to my complex difficulty with hormone imbalance and sleep difficulties. If this one ain’t broke, I ain’t gonna fix it. Sleep is too wonderful of a thing to gamble with it.

The most surprising thing to me that has saved me money is shopping. Historically, I have tended to be an impulsive clothes and accessories shopper. This year, at the beginning of the fall season, I carefully inventoried what I owned and exactly what I needed minimally to have a presentable fashionable 2009 fall/winter wardrobe. I made a list, and I have stuck strictly by that list, buying only the items on the list. In the past, I might have spent up to $200-$300 a month on impulsive buying, usually sale items that were out of season anyway, and still found myself with nothing to wear. So far this year, I have spent less than $150, and am happy every day leaving the house in a combination of my basic classics and a few inexpensive items that make me appear to be up-to-date and in style for the fall 2009 season. If you try this one, the secret is to be honest with yourself about what you need versus what you want, and then do not allow yourself to be de-railed and distracted when shopping. On-line shopping has helped me greatly with this difficulty. I go on-line for a particular item, I find it, order it and pay for it, without ever having to walk by that killer pair of boots on sale at an unbelievably low cost, and that, of course, are just like 3 other pairs I have at home, but, also of course, that I just have to have!

Shopping or spending money has saved me money in other ways, as well. I hate the smell of chemicals, and at times I have an allergic reaction to them. Two years ago I bought a hand-held steamer, and have done all my cleaning with that ever since. I have not bought any cleaning products (other than laundry products) in two years. Healthier me. Healthier wallet.

Finally, the biggest change I have made is in my transportation. Previously, I was paying a monthly car payment for a car that said "I am successful." The routine maintenance on this car was starving me out of money for food and other basics. I know that trading cars does not sound like a way to save money, but please carefully examine your options. Here’s my story: My car needed completely new rear brakes, down to the rotors (approximately $400) and front brake liners (approximately $50). In the next three months or so I was going to have to buy new tires. Honestly, I could not even price these tires as I was so terrified about how expensive they might be. My boyfriend said that I could expect at least $800. Ouch! I had a car payment due next week of $500, and the insurance on two vehicles was $150 a month. (It may sound high, but I keep very high coverage on my vehicles.) I also had an older small convertible that was just my fun-in-the-sun car, but this cost me in routine maintenance and monthly insurance somewhere in the neighborhood of about $100 on average per month.

Two weeks ago I did an even trade of both my cars for a 2004 Mustang Convertible with no money down. The car may not say "I am a successful professional" but it does not need to anymore because I am well-enough respected for my professional capabilities within my professional circle. It does, however, say other things about me, according to those who have stopped to talk, like I’m hip, I’m young at heart, I’m educated about automobiles since I purchased the 40^th anniversary addition. Who knew? And my clients seem to be less intimidated by me. My colleagues think it fits my personality. Good news all around so far.

Even better, my boyfriend can and wants to do all the routine maintenance, and fix most major difficulties. He grew up with Mustangs, has owned four, and will probably never even consider leaving me as long as I own one. My monthly insurance decreased to approximately $50 per month and my car payment bottomed out at $350; and the first payment is not due until December. I still have a reliable automobile, safe on the interstate going to work, and a fun-in-the-sun car that allows me to enjoy the 7-8 months of beautiful weather in the area where I live.

Overall savings on the car(s): October and November car payments: $1000. Front and rear brake work needed: approximately $450. Insurance savings for November: $100. Possible tire expenditure: $800. That is certainly $1550 I do not have to spend immediately and approximately $800 I do not have to spend any time in the very near future. Amazing that making a purchase/trade could save so much money. Of course, others will look at you when you do this and think you must be doing well financially if you can afford a new car. They never have to know the real truth.

Finally, omitting the large expenses on the car and just considering the monthly payment and insurance, I estimate that I have reduced my monthly expenses about $800 a month. Hard to believe. And, if I continue to substitute teach, I can conceivably increase my monthly earnings by approximately $200.

If this does not seem much of a difference to you, then, good for you, you obviously are not feeling the financial crunch that many of us are. I used to be one of you. I routinely had every light in the house on, two or three TVs going at a time, the computer never got shut down, a door or window might be open with the air running, etc. Now, I am what I would call "aware," but I would not call myself a fanatic. I have met a fanatic. I date him. He unplugs every electrical device after use (except the stove because that can be dangerous). He even unplugs his cell phone charger after use. He swears this eliminates some ghost of a thing called "phantom" energy. I am in no position to argue with him.

He will not use two large appliances at the same time. For instance, if he is cooking, the washer cannot be running. He says it draws more energy. I don’t know. After he cooks, he leaves the oven door open to warm the house. During warm months, he only cooks on the gas grill so as not to warm the house. His daughter goes to her mother’s for 48 hours a week, during which time he seals off her room and closes all of her air vents. He collects every piece of metal he can lay his hands on for recycling for money. Many a time we have come to a screeching halt so that he could get out and throw something from the side of the road into the back of his truck for future recycling money. Good for him! Being an environmentalist is paying off for him.

He cringes at spending every cent. I used to drop $20 at the local convenient mart many times a week without a thought. Not since meeting him. Most important lesson he taught me: stay away from the convenient mart. If you need gas, get gas. If you need food items, go to the grocery store. And never the two should meet. Lesson for you: Find a penny-pincher like this, spend some time with them, and pick up those good habits that fit in with your lifestyle. His influence has probably saved me at least $100 a month during our 3 year relationship, simply by making me aware of what I am spending and where. Please don’t tell him. Penny-pincher will want his cut. :)

Finally, read all the articles and information you can find on the subject. Practice some or all of their ideas, and, if they work for you, enjoy the padding in your wallet. If they are not for you, not to worry, there will be another article published on the subject any minute. I don’t care what the media says about the nation’s recession; all I know is that my home is financially recessed, if not absolutely depressed, and I am open to all ideas about increasing earnings and decreasing spending. Good luck.