Don't drink

Shop at Aldi.
Pause or end subscriptions for any streaming service. I am always pausing Netflix or fubo or Peloton and then restarting when I want I actually need it.
Sell whatever you have that you are not using. Clothes, furniture, kids toys, etc
Join a BN group on Facebook to get things for free.
Use Upside app to find cheap gas
ALWAYS search for coupons/promo codes for whatever you buy online

Anonymous wrote:Drink tea made at home instead of coffee.

If I could do this, and if DH could eliminate beer, we'd clear $200-$300 a month.

Envelope method -- Put a set amount of money in envelopes for each of your expected expenses and only use that. No credit, no debit. Just cash.

Three weeks is short and difficult to make an impact in your overall budget. Cutting the streaming services is a good one as well as the food and gas suggestions because otherwise bigger expenses are more long term, like housing, car payments, taxes, insurance, etc.

Work brunches on weekends. We need help Saturday/Sunday day time. You can make anywhere between $200-$400 for 8-9 hour shift.

Anonymous wrote:Drive for Uber/UberEats. Have a garage sale. Get a roommate. Substitute teach. Make meals from budgetbytes.com

Yup, I was going to suggest Uber/Lyft/Instacart/DoorDash. These are jobs that you can start and a day or two later, you can actually start to collect your wages. Plus, you can manage how much or how little you work based on your needs. And you don't even have to quit when you start your new job, but you just stop working. But it will always be there if you need a boost for anything.

If you aren't comfortable taking passengers (especially women), then Instacart, UberEats/DoorDash/Grubhub are a bit of a better gig for you. It is still self managed, but you don't have to take passengers, you just pick up orders or shop for people and deliver what you've picked up. No or minimal interaction.

Agree with finding ways to bring in money - I would ask around to see if anyone you know knows of any short term work (I used to do a lot of this type of work when I was younger - worked at conferences and events, dog walking, house sitting etc - all through word of mouth, but there are also sites now like Rover that I would explore).

I would also do a closet cleanout and see some stuff on Poshmark, maybe home stuff on Facebook marketplace.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Use a credit card for a month, and borrow from your 401(k) if you forecast being out of cash for more than a month.


Once you get over the hump, start saving money and stop spending your entire paycheck.

Sign up to work doordash/Uber/etc

The borrowing from your 401k bit is a HORRIBLE idea! Don’t do this OP! If you’re really crunched, consider opening a 0% APR credit card to float some expenses, and then pay it off immediately when you start your job. Do this now - look at the Chase Freedom Flex. I did this (and had lots of friends who did, too) when we graduated from business school - there was ~4 months between graduation and when we started our jobs, we all paid off those expenses with our signing bonuses. Much cheaper than taking out a loan!!!

Agree. I have done this. Paying it off was annoying, but no long-term damage.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did a no spend January - look into it. If you google no spend months there are a lot of tips.

I also like the idea of picking up some short term easy work.

So no fresh vegetable fruit eggs bread or milk for a month??

No - there are ground rules and you are allowed to buy food.

Are you in the DC area? When I was between jobs, I called my dad up and we toured the Capitol with my little girl.

After, we visited the US Botanic Gardens.

Other free things:

All the museums
Rock Creek Park hiking
Movies under the stars in various areas
Hike Old Rag
Visit monuments at night
Picnic along Ohio Drive in DC near the river at sunset.
Visit Arlington National Cemetery for changing of the guard.
Bike on the C&O.

Some colleges around here offer free lectures and literary readings.

Sell plasma

Live off of what you already own. If you get organized, you find things (like hotel shampoos/soaps, foods you need to use up). If you have craft supplies and old clothes, you can make things. It gives you the feeling of abundance. There are also items for every budget. If you run out of something, look on the bottom shelf in stores for the cheap products, buy small travel sized items, or shop at the dollar store. Often you think you need something, and if you delay buying it, you decide later you don't need it after all. Also use less of consumable products (less toothpaste and shampoo, use a rag instead of papertowels).

Drive for Uber/UberEats. Have a garage sale. Get a roommate. Substitute teach. Make meals from budgetbytes.com

Babysit/dog sit. Go onto your neighborhood list serve and say you are available for date nights etc. people are always looking for babysitters.