Squeeking By

Without letting my story out, I have been faced with some traumatic events, causing me to be somewhat financially strapped...managing for a while as a single mother paying all the bills, but really having a tough time now being faced with the possiblity of losing my job. My salary is good and if I do lose my job, I will have to get very creative to make ends meet...in this economy I wont be able to continue to make this kind of salary anywhere...so I will have to be very resourceful......every dollar counts right now...today I brought some canned sodas to a party at the bowling alley so when my daughter asked to buy something from the vending machine at the birthday party she was at, I would have something available to her, learned to have extra candy in my bag too...little things help a lot..I dont do trash bags....use recycled ones..and dont spend the money on paper towels either, use a few washclothes and just wash them with the laundry each day...I pack my lunch everyday and even take the can home with me now...cut and color my own hair and make my own birthday presents for my daughters friends when she is invited to a party....make my own cards too...dont know what else I can do....little cuts here and there and selling crafts on the side have kept me going for quite sometime....then I am hit with an excise tax bill..dont really have an extra 350 laying around..time to sell more stuff on ebay, and get the bags ready for thrift shops....any creative ideas out there?? could really use some tips! With First Holy Communions coming around, I am going to handmake some cards and invitations and chocolate cross favors and spread the word.....Kayla is making hers this year and last year I made the neighbors favors and invitations...really can use some great ideas....not simple ones like dont go out to eat (we dont)..the only time I go out to eat is to Moes and Kayla has something for 3.00 and I dont eat.....I tell her I am not hungry....I do it for her....the shoes I am wearing were from a thrift store and I have worn the same ones for a year and a half..so I dont splurge on myself at all....I have traded babysitting with cleaning houses when I am in dire straits too....I have reached out to the govt...no assistance for me! I make too much money! Ideas??