by Inside The Chrysalis

Created on: May 08, 2009   Last Updated: May 19, 2009

Our financial pocketbooks have all been squeezed shut in the past , whether by changes in economic climate or by a personal lack of financial freedom. We've been here before and know that bulls become bears, milk becomes an option instead of necessity and gas prices become the hot new water-cooler gossip, replacing Idol.

So should we just grin and bear it while sipping our four-dollar lattes and seventy-dollar cell phone bills? I think not. Navigating through this financial foray can be loathsome and make us want to jump in and "go green," which is not an easy task with one eye open. We may want to join an MLM (multi-level-marketing) program to offset otherwise dismal savings, or quit our Crossfit membership to endure the pinch. There are easier ways to make the burden a little less intense.

One of the easiest, and simultaneously, hardest places to begin is with our pastimes. We love our flat-screen television sets with the HD upgrade and top 200 channels, but with technology the way it is, we can now hook up our laptops and stream in free TV programming. Take a leave of absence from your expensive satellite bill for a month, and tiptoe into the world of Hulu. Hulu is a free on-line television service that has almost every popular TV show, and if you're willing to wait, you can view episodes from last week. So you'll be behind on The Office during lunchroom banter, so what? My husband discovered the show Lost after we ditched our satellite and watched every episode from every season in two weeks. Savings, $75/month.

After you quit gasping for breath upon disconnecting your television service, you will no doubt miss the plethora of movie options you once enjoyed. Enter in Netflix. With Netflix you can have movies delivered right to your mailbox without having to go into the movie store and be bummed when your new release is rented out. You can also watch movies instantly on your laptop or stream them through a special cable onto your large television set. Cost, $10/month.

Another confusing area of duplicity is land lines and cell phones. We basically had our land line connected in case we needed to call 911. Once I found out that you can still call 911 even if you don't have actual service, I decided that since my cell phone was a) portable, b) contains wireless Internet and c) has the capability for a unique ring-tone, I said good-bye to my land line carrier. Now, of course I can't fax documents, but I can scan and email. Welcome to the age of technology.

And of course, there's the coffee. Starbucks looks pretty busy to me, probably because I'm there everyday, but what are we to do, when for some of us, it's our only vice? Allow me to introduce you to the Misto. It is half coffee and half milk with some foam. It's not made with espresso, but it is about two dollars cheaper than my usual four-buck investment in sanity, and I can add a flavor and still have money in my pocket. An Americano is espresso diluted with hot water and is so much cheaper, and when you consider that Starbucks will add whatever sweetener you want, you're walking out or driving off spending less than two bucks. Who knew?

So don't despair...just change a few habits and take advantage of trying new things this recession may teach you. Discover new movies and tv shows, without playing the "500-channels-and-nothing-on" game. Find a way to get your morning buzz with a new favorite coffee drink. Just don't resort to dieing your hair with beet juice or letting your kids squeeze the dog's ear to hear it squeal just for fun. Let them watch your husband when you disconnect the satellite...there's some real entertainment.

Learn more about this author, Inside The Chrysalis.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.