Months before writing this, I came across the blog of Daniel Suelo whose personal commitment is to limit the use of money in the world to zero. He started doing this by becoming a positive role model in his own defense, and the image I see in him is surprisingly interesting. Imagine living in a cave with so few possessions somewhere in Moab, Utah, for nine years, getting by on whatever comes your way while deliberately spending “zero” dollars. He even has a blog, writes for public libraries, and has been interviewed about his quirky (but increasingly relevant) lifestyle.

Being frugal myself, I have wondered if I can do something like that. But I’ve certainly learned a thing or two about living on a shoestring, since I got here to the US (which is ironic, considering that this country is still among the richest in the world, even during this economic downturn) . times) and have lived here in New York City (NYC) ever since. Consider these tips and come up with something according to your personal circumstances.

1) “Budget, budget, budget.” Prepare your monthly budget. Calculate the elements of your daily expenses compared to the money you earn. As our moms have been telling us, “live within your budget,” which, of course, is easier said than done. Just think of something that works for you, so you know how much money you spend each month and how much money you earn to pay for your expenses.

2) Join support groups (it’s hard to do it alone; it’s quite stressful). Make friends with and date people known for their thrifty habits. You can always learn a thing or two from your habits and then design something that might work for you.

3) With the little money you have now, it is better that you start doing only those things that you personally want to do. Dedicate your time only to activities that respond to the deep desires of your heart. Time is the greatest measure of money, and wasting your own time on activities you don’t really care deeply about is throwing away your money (or what little money you have in your pocket).

4) If you are going to have to buy something for your personal use or that of your family, buy “quality” and not quantity. For example, if you are going to buy a pair of shoes, buy the pair that you know to be of the best quality. Or if you don’t have the budget yet, wait for the sale period, or just save until you have enough money to spare. At least you’re getting what you personally want, plus you’re saving in the long run by using quality products.

5) Learn to get rid of all the other extra stuff you have in your home. Give away the goods that consume precious space in your living space, both literally and figuratively. Make a dirty garage. Trade them for something more useful to you.

6) Learn to cook, and learn to market the ingredients at the best prices for the food you love to eat. Host your own parties or events and invite friends and acquaintances, and ask them to bring new friends as well.

7) Give up personal services that you can do yourself. Some examples: if you like massages, exchange massages with others who know the art. Do your own manicure and pedicure if you can. Trim your own hair. Do your own house cleaning. Trade babysitting services with others.

8) Continue to build and expand your network by making sure you attend and show up at events just to meet new people, or join those you’ve met to reconnect with them in different social settings. It is still very important to build relationships by being the “social animals” that we are, even if we have little money. We learn to better ourselves better simply by exposing ourselves to others. Just stay away from spending unnecessarily during these events (or going over your budget). A favorite tip I do myself: “Eat at home first before going to these events, or bring your own food if that works. If you need to buy a drink, get basic drinks or just water, or whatever you can afford or in of your budget.”

9) Give up your credit card (or just keep one for emergencies, which you won’t bring with you every time you leave home). I know a good friend who never had a credit card in her life. She’s not stingy at all (she loved spending on good food and fabulous clothes, lady that she was), she would only spend cash and be “spending” some of her money in her savings account. When she died unexpectedly in a terrible car accident, all of us, her friends, were very surprised at the amount of money she had saved. And since then I have given her credit for my decision to give up all my credit cards, learning from her memory when I saw her cringe when I proudly told her that she had 12 credit cards; she didn’t tell me to give up. my cards, I soon discovered that one of her secrets to spending content with what she had was that she never had to use a credit card to spend.

10) “start learning to be hungry” – yes, like learning to be hungry, even if there is food around. This may be considered outrageously crazy, but I’d say this is an effective tip for keeping a limit on the portion of your budget spent on food. It’s also a good way to go on a diet, which is “simply limiting your food intake by starving yourself.”

11) Maximize what you can get by shopping at thrift stores or discount stores. Or, preferably, shop as much as possible in second-hand stores: try to gradually change your wardrobe by wearing second-hand clothes, or even make do with those clothes that have been inherited from some friends or relatives. Actually, you can buy many other things in second-hand stores, besides clothes or shoes. You can buy gifts, furniture, accessories, appliances, many types of equipment, electronics, books, and a few other valuable items worth selling to any willing buyer at the best discount prices. Visit the nearest thrift store in your area and check out what they have.

12) Exchange your services or goods that you have left over for other services or goods that you need. There are a variety of ways to do this depending on your circumstances. I have been trading my services for food and lodging; I have done it and so far it has worked for me. I looked for a part-time job with a homeowner who is willing to let me live in his house, as well as feed me, along with his sick son and our other roommates.

13) Learn to love walking, or take other means of transportation than owning and driving your own car to get to your daily destinations: When you live in big cities like New York, transportation systems are in place. I’ve learned to walk most of the time, whenever I can, unless I get really tired. I just bought the $89 monthly ticket for the bus and the subway, which I use to go to the places to be on time. As soon as I realize that I have free time, I only walk part of the distance to go home or to my destination.

14) If you can avoid not having pets, start now. Or maybe you prefer to work as a pet sitter if you love being around animals or if you like to have pets. Pets cost money to keep, and to cut down on spending your money on them, consider not having one.

15) Give up the communication devices that you have left over. Or downgrade the plan you have. Or consider simply using the public phone system to communicate with others. Or just use the internet if that works for you.

16) Go only to the free events that are taking place in the place where you live. Or even host one with your friends and everyone else in your network. If you’ll have to go to events to help you network and build your connection, only show up at parties where food or drinks are available for free (or at prices you can afford). This will help you greatly minimize spending the little money you still have left.

17) Keep reading about other people who have lived with very little money. Some of them have even written and published books about their experiences and lifestyle. Some have even made money spending little or no money. Some of the titles include: “The Cheap Bastard” series, Barbara O’Neill’s “Saving on a Shoestring” among others. Do a Google search on the subject and you’ll get a list of pages you might want to read and consider implementing in your life.

Try the tips now. Or better yet, create your own list and then share it here (we need all the help we can get!)