Raiding the Piggy Bank

It's been in the news lately that the state individual tax income rate in Illinois is going to be raised from 3% to 5%. So apparently the state of Illinois believes that I am being paid too much and is going to take even MORE money out of my paycheck. When I heard the news, I had the urge to start shrieking, "Why, Illinois, why?" I also had the urge to take all of my money out of my tiny checking account, hide it under my bed and then stand guard over it 24/7, snapping my teeth at anyone who tried to take it from me.

In a way, I can understand why they're raising taxes. Illinois has a LOT of financial problems, and it's been this way for years now. Hopefully the money from the increase in taxes will be put to good use. But it's still hard not to feel angry, frustrated, and...worried.

It's difficult to work full-time because of my graduate course work and my teaching responsibilities, so I've earned extra money from working part-time jobs, including teaching at other schools, my website job, and working in retail. Every penny counts, and I do what I can to save money.

I only go to movies twice a year. I don't buy new clothes or shoes unless they have holes in them that can't be repaired, or unless people start pointing and laughing and saying, "You do realize those things went out of style in the nineties, right? Hahahaha!" And then I do a bunch of karate kicks, bellowing, "Do you DARE to laugh at ME, weaklings?" until they run away in terror and then I point and laugh, saying, "Who's laughing now?"

I clip coupons. I buy stuff on sale. I don't go into the designer boutiques on Michigan Avenue or Oak Street, since I've always had this fear that the exquisitely dressed salesladies are going to take one look at my clothes and start shielding their eyes, sobbing, "I can't look! It's too awful!"

I rarely eat in restaurants. I don't buy alcohol, but that's partly because when I drink it I become really neurotic. I work extra hours at my website job so I can earn more money. My biggest splurge is a Frappuccino from Starbucks once a week.

I also read personal finance blogs for tips on saving money. My favorite one is written by Donna Freedman, Surviving and Thriving.  She also writes for Smart Spending. (Side note: I recently entered a giveaway on her Surviving and Thriving blog, and I won six kinds of Godiva chocolate! Woohoo! Thank you, Donna!)

Now that I'm going to be losing more money to taxes, I'm trying to figure out what else I can do to save money. I could cancel my gym membership (which I have a student discount on), but I view exercise as a necessity because it not only helps me burn calories and strengthen my muscles, it is also a great stress reliever.

I could just jog outside, but more often than not it's always so slushy or icy outside. I'd probably develop a reputation as The Girl Who Keeps Falling Down and Brings Everyone Down with Her, so that whenever people saw me running on the sidewalk, they'd start running too, screaming, "Look out! She's coming! RUN AWAY! Don't let her get you!"

I'm also thinking about moving to a cheaper apartment, which will be necessary anyway if I don't find a better-paying job for next year. Hopefully at the new apartment I'll have less annoying neighbors, so that I won't have to say stuff like, "Could you leave your old mattress in the dumpster and not outside my door?" and "Just because the postal worker accidentally put my mail in your mailbox does NOT mean it's okay for you to open it!" and "Hey. Are you awake? Are you alive? You probably shouldn't just lie in the hallway like that." That last question is often asked in the morning after my neighbors come home after a long night of partying/barhopping.

What do you do to save money?