How to get by, get fed, get abortions, and keep it all together in one of the most expensive cities in the country.

"No, you can't afford cable, new-release video rentals, or a subscription to The New York Times. But things aren't as balls-out bad as they seem--you just have to exercise the greatest benefit poverty has to offer: abandoning preconceived notions of immediate gratification.

If you don't have a library card yet, put down this paper and go get one. The property taxes for the luxurious house that annoys you each day as you catch the bus pays for a rich selection of videos, DVDs, CDs, and books that are yours for the borrowing. If you have a reasonable appreciation for media and culture, you probably have a running list of movies, music, and literature that you keep meaning to digest. A visit to any of the Seattle Public Library's 30 local branches will garner you a library card in less than five minutes and give you access to all sorts of fabulous stuff."

A good article. Lots of useful tips for those of us who are...uhm...poor.