Don't go it alone

In these troubled economic times, free movies and cheap beer alone will not bring you financial stability (although it may make it temporarily easier to forget about). There's a ton of advice flurrying around out there, but if you don't have plans to buy a house any time soon and you're decades from retirement a lot of it isn't terribly relevant. Ramit Sethi's Save $1000 in 30 Days Challenge on the other hand is geared towards trimming everyday expenses but does "not include [outdated term for learning disabled] suggestions like 'Start a garden' or 'Buy day-old food from bakeries.'" So far he's only gotten through 5 tips but I think number 4 is one of the most helpful for young people: "Involve Your Friends in Your Savings Challenge." It's easy enough to say you'll save money on going out, but if you're the only one you know trying to do so you'll be pretty lonely. On the other hand, trying to get your friends on board will make it a lot easier to socialize without drinking away your budget, and you might even get people to rethink the dreaded group birthday dinner.