What can we do when things just seem to turn against us? It definitely isn’t lay down and die and accept that we are in ruination. If we are sick we go to the doctor and try to find a cure. If we are broke we try to find more income. Sometimes that takes a while and a bit of creativity.

In the meantime though, we can’t keep sinking deeper until things change. We have to take some kind of action. If there is nothing you can do at this moment, and want to keep your good credit rating and honor your contracts with vendors, you may try to reduce expenses.

They seriously are not as ‘hard-nosed’ as you probably imagine. They really want to keep your business and appreciate that you are not just kicking them to the curb. So ask for the Loyalty department or even ask for the department where you cancel and of course don’t, but just let them talk you out of it. It may represent only $5 to $25 here and there for a few months, but it all adds up at the end of the day.

Just saying – do you need the latest, greatest television programs on your cable if you don’t think you can pay your rent? Of course you don’t. Could you take a 500 MB reduction in speed on the Internet if it saved you a few dollars? Of course you could (*if it is decent in the first place).

There is a lot to be said about perception and feelings. You know it may be after you make a bunch of phone calls in desperation you only saved a total $50 a month. That doesn’t help much with the rent but you know what? You will feel better – you will feel like you are going to work it out and $50 might pay the utility bill or something necessary. They will still get their pound of flesh, but you will feel like you are a valued customer because someone negotiated with you and treated you kindly when you were feeling like dirt.

This of course brings us to a good reason to start an online home business right now. Make your computer pay you; make your utilities and your rent pay you back. If you have a business running at home you will see how they will pay you back a percentage of what you spend for them. Check out the US Government (IRS.gov) website on small businesses and see all the expenses you might deduct if you have a business in your home. This is not even to mention how you might have a little savings account generated by your home business to get you through tough times.