Dolly didn't work quite enough...

Hello all,
I get paid on the 28th of each month, and three days later, I am left with very, very little of my wages once all my outgoings have been taken out. At the start of the new year, I took some of Frugal Queen's advice (check out her blog in the list on the right there) and wrote out all of our income and outgoings as they happen for each month, and calculated what was left for us to have as disposable income. The result? Pretty depressing.
This month, like every other, is tight. I have now put in place the food menu for each week, and two weeks in I'm definitely a fan. I love the fact that I know what we're eating each night - it eliminates choice for me, which is a good thing, because if left to it I definitely go for the more calorific version of dinner. This way, I'm eating meals that have already been thought about. It also means that we've wasted NO FOOD whatsoever, and when we went shopping we bought only what was needed to make the meals we wanted for the following week. All good.
But even with that measure in place, I am still ridiculously poor this month, and have had to turn down several social events, have "no spend" days in at home, and generally try and watch every pound.
It's got to a point, however, where I feel that it's no good just watching what goes out, I need to start putting back into my finances too.

So on Saturday last weekend, I updated my CV and took it into Hemel town centre, and flung it at everyone who would take it! A few online applications later, and I have a job offer to consider for weekend work in a Pizza Express, some work on Saturday lined up in a cafe in Ashridge, and my mum has even said she'll give me more regular shifts at the pub too. Sorted - extra work, in a flash!
It's when I achieve stuff like that that makes me start to wonder about this whole unemployment problem in this country. The fact is that in one afternoon, I have managed to secure extra work, therefore extra income, for myself with very little effort. There are no excuses! Some people make things, other people sell things they don't need - which reminds me, it's nearly bootsale season again - and supplement their monies in whatever way they can, if they're desperate enough. You've just gotta be inventive, willing to try something new or different to what you're used to, and keen to work damn hard. This'll mean I'll be working a 7-day week from now on until things drastically improve.

What have you done when financial times are hard to improve things?? Clean suggestions only!!

BB xx