Keep a spending journal to identify unnecessary expenses. Record everything you spend money on and label it essential or non-essential to determine what you may be able to eliminate. Identify the amount of money that you can spend each month, and budget that money among your essential categories. Decide what you can live without (even if only for a few months). Food, shelter, and basic utilities are essential expenses. Going to the movies, having a gym membership, and buying luxury items are not necessary and can be labeled as non-essential expenses. Record all of your expenditures in your spending journal to make sure that you stay on track. Monthly subscriptions and membership fees can add up quickly, so these are good places to start trimming your expenses. Review your subscriptions and memberships to see what you can live without for a while. Things like cell phones and internet may be necessary expenses. However, you can use the internet for free at your local library, so you may be able to cancel it for a few months. Cancel cable service because cable be expensive. Consider cutting your cable and just keeping your Internet service. You can watch many of your favorite shows and sports programs online. Consider switching to a cheaper cell phone provider. You can get your cell phone bill under $20 per line per month if you are willing to switch to a value provider like Ting, RingPlus, Zact, Republic Wireless, or FreedomPop. If you have a smart phone, you may consider going to a cheaper plan with no data. Keep in mind that there are catches to these services. Sometimes you have to buy a phone from the providers and the call service may not be as good. Read the fine print and shop around before you decide to switch. Consolidate your errands so that you don't have to make individual trips. Use public transportation, ride your bike or walk whenever possible to save money on gas. Get regular maintenance on your car. Oil changes and other basic maintenance will help keep your vehicle running and may even help prevent more expensive problems down the line. Schedule regular oil changes for all of your vehicles. If your home or apartment is too expensive for you right now, look for a new place to live that is more suited to your current financial situation. You might even consider asking a friend or family member if you can live with them until your situation improves. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) can help you find affordable housing and can even provide housing vouchers if you are unable to pay your rent. It may seem like an expense you can't afford, but you will be glad that you have health insurance if someone in your family gets sick or needs medical attention. Emergency room visits and other medical expenses without health insurance are extremely expensive and may put you into long-term debt. Government programs may help with the cost of insurance. Your options will vary by state, but see if you can apply for reduced-cost insurance programs. If you have insurance for your car or home, you may consider modifying your plan to a higher deductible to help save on monthly premium expenses. Keep in mind that if you need to file a claim, you will have to pay that higher deductible.This strategy is not a good long-term solution for saving money, but it can help you out for a short time. Another way to cut your monthly expenses is to purchase your essential items when they are on sale, when you have a coupon or when you can save money over time by buying in bulk. Watch local ads, clip coupons, and compare prices on your essential items to make sure that you get the best possible prices on the items that you buy. Consider shopping at bulk retail stores, like Sam's Club or Costco. If you have a friend or family member with a membership, see if they will take you so you don't have to purchase your own membership. Some things can be purchased cheaply at these retailers. Make sure to consider unit price, however, because not all items sold at these stores are cheaper. Buy generic brands. Most grocery stores carry their own brand of products that sell for significantly less than other brands. This can be a way to reduce your grocery expenses. Give up certain things. Since you are cutting corners, you can't buy everything you usually do. Items like sodas, expensive meats, and snack foods are unnecessary expenses. Instead, buy what you need to feed you and your family. The extraneous items can be skipped for now. Plan ahead before you go grocery shopping. Make a meal plan so that you can cook all of your meals at home. Doing this will take a bit of extra planning and work, but it will save you money in the long run. Pack a lunch and snacks if you will be away from home for the day. Lunch at a restaurant plus the cost of little snacks here and there adds up. Bring a cooler with sandwiches, snacks, and drinks from home if you expect to be out of the house for the day. Skip your daily trip to the coffee shop and start brewing coffee at home. This can save a significant amount of money weekly. Think carefully about things that you do. Keep your air conditioner or heater off to conserve energy. Use candles or battery-powered lamps instead of electricity. Only use water when it's necessary. These small changes can add up to big savings on your utility bills. Be frugal with your food. Food is an expensive part of life, even if you buy generic and shop at discount stores. Don't eat because you're depressed or bored. Only eat because you have to. Due to your financial situation, there may be bills you cannot pay. You need to prioritize the bills that must get paid first. Bills dealing with your living situation, such as house payment, utilities, and food, should be your top priority. Medical expenses come after that. Credit cards and other loans come after living expenses.
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One-sentence summary -- Make a spending plan. Cancel subscriptions and memberships. Drive less. Consider moving. Make sure you and your family members have health insurance. Shop sales and use coupons. Cook meals at home. Conserve what you have. Prioritize your bills.

Have at least 10 printed wallet size photos, 10 blank 3x5 index cards, a ribbon or binding material, a felt tip pen marker, and a hole puncher. Turn the blank index card so that it is on its longest side in landscape position. The wallet sized photos will be placed portrait style on the cards. Stick the photo to the right sides of your blank index cards. Use this space to write about the people in the photo, the date of the event, or just a title for the photo. Decorate the front with markers or keep the look sleek and clean by placing a simple monogram on it by using stencils for lettering. Place the hole at about an inch from the very bottom and very top of the book. Through those holes, thread a ribbon and tie it into a bow.
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One-sentence summary --
Gather your materials. Apply rubber cement glue on the back of the photos. Write details depicting the photo on the left side of the card. Place a blank index card in the immediate front and back to act as covers for the album. Punch holes at the top and bottom of your booklet.