You can live in a lesser shelter, get the $12/month local only phone service (no cell), do without cable television altogether (haven’t had TV around my place since 1976), get a clunker or a scooter and liability-only insurance, etc. But the costs are rising fast enough than this will be fully middle class before another year’s out!

Check into the freelance writing world (search on that word, go from there). People do make money writing pieces (articles, X-number words) for blogs, websites, magazines, e-zines, etc. It’s sometimes hard work, but the publishing industry – ANY technology – has always needed copy writers. Once you make some contacts and do some piece-work, opportunities will begin to open up.

Best of luck to you, Nadia!