I got my haircut today, which means my budget is shot for the month. I’ll maintain my lifestyle of coffee made by over educated Etsy vendors with the plethora of rewards cards I’ve accumulated.

If it wasn’t weeks before Christmas surviving on a $14 a day budget for a month would be a challenge but not undoable. Alas, I have upwards of 10 gifts to buy still and my DSW rewards can only carry me so far.

This isn’t my first rodeo, this year my rent is paid before the budget was set, and that is an epic feeling. But skimping is exhausting.

If you are in a position similar to mine I have a few ideas on how to make it work. See them below .

• Eat from your pantry- and remember the expiration date on canned foods is nearly always just a suggestion.
• Walk to work- the savings in gas will be enough to get you home for the holidays and the 13 mile journey each way will save you from any extra holiday weight.
• Let your bills pile up- if you normally pay all of your bills on time your electricity won’t be cut off right away, and Comcast forgot you were their customer so you may be good to go for more than a month.
• Busk- sharing your talents on the streets may get you a nickel or two to rub together. If you lack (buskable) talent go for it anyway. Look how well William Hung did with his American Idol stint!
• Sell stuff- clothes and books can be consigned, plasma can fetch you a pretty penny, a hand job will bet you something, and your soul will get you a fiddle made of gold. Have you seen the price of gold lately?
• Beg- if the street isn’t your style beg for overtime at work. Just be sure to not call out for a hangover the next day.