chloe I go to dinner with friends from AA and that is about it...sort of nothing else...not out to movies much do not rent movies....but I will go see some on rare occasions....

I keep directv on at about $65 month and the internet is about $25 month....I like the directv because I tivo things I cannot see while working like leno...I have huge backlogs of stuff in tivo though and instead of watching it during day when I am home alone I sleep....;(

Same here. I have managed, thank God, to keep the internet which is bundled with my landline for "life", guess that means until I "kick the bucket", so long as the bill's paid each month. Do have DishNetwork, but have the cheap package and added "Heartland package because it has inspirational and old family movies like the Waltons, Little House of the Prairie, you get the picture, and added Encore because of the western channel and it has, I believe, 7 additional movie channels included, but not the biggies like HBO, Showtime, etc., which I call the "trash" channels) get the Heatland and Encore added to my basic dish package for $5 each bringing my dish bill to a little over $65 mo. That's all the movie entertainment I get. Sometimes Dish will allow us viewers to "preview" other channels for a few days, that's a treat. Like to read, have lots of books I've accumulated over the years from discount book stores or clearance racks, and love to get outside and walk in the woods or along the creek behind my house. Chat with Mom every day to keep tabs on her wellbeing, and chat with my brothers when they aren't working. Other than loving and cuddling with my horses, dogs and cats, and cows, and my husband, who jokes the animals get more attention than he does, I don't really have any social contacts. Don't really go anywhere to save my gas, except if need groceries or run out of pet food. See people I know what few times I'm out shopping for these essentials. It's really pitiful. Since I've been out of work, seems I've lost contact with others. Well, when there's not much money to spare in a household, there's no dining out, or "dinners" with friends except for occasional BBQ that everybody adds to via pot luck. Most of my friends are in the same boat and struggling, or still are working but struggling to make ends meet because every thing keeps going up, except their pay. It's really sad and humbling. But, tell you what, have learned what is important and not important. Discovered can live without more that thought I could. Adapting to the simple life ain't so bad. An elderly friend once told all us that "Nothing wrong with being poor, just mighty inconvenient". That's the truth. He was a very smart man when he was alive.
Any tips from anyone else? I'm listening.
I also enjoy browzing my savings sights that I posted in the Financial Challenges support group here. Lots of tips and its interesting to me and fun to discover ways to stretch that dollar. I don't think after the experience with being out of work so long that I will ever see things the same as before.