Once upon a time when I was struggling, I would pay all my bills and lived off the remainder. It was a hard life ans I didn't save any money but I survived and paid off my debts. Last year I was driving a p/u truck that got 18 miles to the gallon and it was a struggle since I had moved to the country and now drive 40 miles a day instead of the 5 miles I once drove when I purchased the vehicle.

Gas had risen from just over a $1.00 a gallon to just a little over $4.00 a gallon so I sold the truck, bought my wife a new car and drove her little ECHO to work. Even at 41 mpg hwy, I was still spending $40.00 a week for gas.

I tried alternative routes to work until I found the shortest one, started running my errands on the way to or from work instead of on my lunch hour to reduce mileage and car expenses (like tires and oil changes) and now spend $12.00 to $15.00 a week on gas.

Each payday I stop at the bank, withdraw my weekly allowance of $100.00. When I get home, I drop $10.00 into a jug and whatever I had left over from the week before. I've saved $244.00 in eight weeks doing this.

Don't suggest I need to invest that money. In the last four weeks I've lost $1300 from my retirement account and so far I'm down $7100.00 since June. I'm not worried about that part of my financies. The less stocks are worth the more my dollars will buy and when the stock market recoveries (and it will) I'll make up for the loss. That's the audacity of hope.