being broke...tips to survive.

I'm broke broke..

 

I used to just be broke.  But now I've officially put myself in the "broke broke" catergory.  As sometimes I wonder whether or not i'll be able to feed myself for the week.

 

 

 

You honestly don't know how you can survive on NOTHING until you're forced to do it.

 

Being that I'm single, living alone, and "broke broke", I thought I would let the other "single, living alone, and broke" girls in on my money saving secrets that I've learned over the past few months.

 

These are real. 

 

And much like the disappointment of my dating life, this will help you realize that you are lucky that you aren't me.

 

1. Thermostat Savings

 

I live in a small 1BR/1BA apartment.  During the summer I kept my thermostat at 78 degrees.  I never got hot and the AC rarely ran. 

 

Currently, it's cooler during the days/nights so I've turned the AC completely off.  If it gets semi sweaty I'll turn it on to 78.  At night I sleep with a fan.  I've become dependent on it mostly to lull me to sleep, but it helps not get my sheets all sweaty at night.

 

My last power bill was $36.

 

2. Gas

 

Gas is high.  Luckily, I live in South Carolina where gas prices average the lowest in America.  But just because our prices are low doesn't mean I can afford to fill my car up for $45/week.

 

 

 

I usually go home for lunch everyday which is about an 8 mile drive both ways.  Not that much of a gas guzzler, but only going home like 2 or 3 times out of 5 for lunch really help. 

 

Luckily, I work downtown, so I can go walk up and down Main Street (hasn't happened yet) or I can peruse the CVS downtown and start a wish list of useless crap I want to buy next time I have $$.

 

I also only fill my tank up with about $20-$25.  I have a thing about it not ending with .00's so until I get to that .00 mark on a cost then I stop.

 

Doing this has saved me about $20/week.  And I only fill up my tank about every week and a half.

 

3. Grocery Shopping at Wal-Mart

 

I realize Wal-Mart is like hell on earth for some people.  But believe in those commercials you might see where the customers are comparing their bills from another grocery chain to Wal-Mart.  My grocery bill is always lower. 

 

 

 

I just spent $48 on groceries that will last me two weeks.

 

And who knows...you might run into someone like this?

 

 

 

You could probably also use coupons.  But I'm too lazy to do coupons.

 

4. Dollar Tree

 

 

 

The Dollar Tree is the shit.  I don't care who you are.  Everything is a f*cking dollar.  I don't get my tampons there, but if I need to stock up on toilet paper, paper towels, and trash bags I go there.  Toilet paper doesn't need to be glamourous, you wipe your butt with it.  Paper towels end up going in the trash and trash bags are FOR trash.  They aren't as strong, but just don't fill it up.  Be conservative if you must.

 

Recently, I've made some really cute "birthday baskets" from Dollar Tree.  They were pretty impressive and under $5. 

 

I usually average about $100-$200 left in my checking account (if I'm lucky) after I pay all my bills.  So next time you're like "woe is me, I have no money except $1,000 in my checking" think of me who's still able to survive on nothing.  I used to be one of those girls.  Now I'm like "What the f*ck old me?  Why didn't you save that shizz?"