There's no sugarcoating that these economic times are tough and are creating the need to be resourceful with the money we have. That’s why we want to be your source for reSOURCEful spending.

Our FWW financial experts know how to stretch a dollar like salt water taffy and how to devise money-saving tips that won't leave a saccharine aftertaste in your wallet. The sweet life can still exist, as long as you’re smart and nimble with insurance, stocks, cars, your work, your home and your life.

Below we have gathered the best "nougats" from our experts. They provide nudges, hints, and suggestions for actions you can take to put the power back into your hands — where it belongs. And it's written in ways that anyone can understand. While it’s not a cure-all, it may be the needed spoonful of sugar in the castor oil of recession.

1. Save Money Wisely. Yes, we know it’s easier said than done. But with a little creativity, you can trim your budget with a scalpel, not a hatchet. First, try out 10 Painless Financial Slimmers to cut out your financial fat with very little pain and lots of gain. Next, spend a weekend Winterizing Your Home — we promise it works, whether you’re in Walla Walla or Williamsburg. Last but not least, Turn Off Your Financial Leaks — you know, the little things like ATM fees, insurance deductibles, and hidden airline costs. If you know the right tips, you can make like Moses and stop the flow before your pocketbook is drained.

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As men set their sights on women’s earnings, their entrepreneurial spirits, and sometimes, their celebrity value, women are increasingly finding the picture of so-called equality looking very strange. How is it that women increasingly are paying alimony?

Almost one in three married women makes more money than their spouses do. This economic statistic is certainly a factor why women increasingly are paying alimony.
However, in our society, women seem surprised to have to pay alimony even if they earn more.

This is because it is a fairly recent phenomenon in our legal courts. Secondly, for many women who are breadwinners (in a failed marriage), it’s not as if they ever expected to out earn their husbands, or do all of the heavy lifting in the family, or end up giving him spending money as you would do with a child. Women often feel cheated by the legal system because it is possible that they have to reward a sit at home bum.

The wife’s sense of being the victim is intensified when children are involved. Women share disproportionately the burden of money making, household chores, and child rearing. This is usually compounded by the lack of gratitude, appreciation, and emotional support a breadwinner is typically afforded by the household.

I have assisted many divorcing women who face the prospect of paying alimony. Our financial strategy is predicated upon her entire contribution to the family, including her spouse. Most importantly, they realize they are not an anomaly. They are freed of social stigma and part of a trend that is growing in ranks.

Click the following to return to the Divorce Resource Directory.

A job search can be intimidating for even the most confident person. It's all the more daunting after an emotional set back like divorce.

Perhaps you want to start a whole new life direction for yourself. Or maybe you're re-entering the job market after a long absence.

Are your skills current? How you will handle an interview? How you will measure up against other job-seekers? Here's how to brush yourself off and make your job search pay off:

Fill in the blanks. Is there a gap in your resume staring you in the face? Find a way to fill it. Even if you weren't working outside the home, you still developed and maintained many skills that translate to the workplace. Present them in a way that shows off your strengths and demonstrates that you're qualified to handle ANYTHING that comes your way. Chances you did something that called for business skills. Did you:

• •Organize the Scout cookie drive, food bank collection, wreath sales?
• •Work as a teacher's aid, or in the office of your local school?
• •Volunteer to support of a political candidate or environmental cause?
• •Write, edit or publish your school/church newsletter?

These types of experience are just as important as those used in a paying job, so list them. If you haven't done any volunteer work, address the gap in your cover letter. Add a few sentences to say after being out of the workforce for several years to raise a family (certainly no small feat in itself!) you are ready and eager to return.

Get current. It may be time to hit the books. If you're looking for office work but your computer experience begins and ends with Solitaire, get busy and take some classes. Here's how you can get started:

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If you are a divorced single Mother one of the biggest challenges you will face is the issue of childcare. Whether you are a working mother with multiple young children or a stay at home mom who needs a hand, you are probably asking the question "How can I go about finding quality childcare"?

There are several options, however the two most common methods would be using a placement Agency, or using an online resource.

Using a placement Agency has many advantages, for instance, if money is not an issue one should do the research and consider a good reputable Agency. An Agency simply does all the work involved in vigorously screening candidates before they are presented to a prospective employer, providing clients with support, trial and guarantee periods. In addition, the Agency runs all the necessary background checks involved. Agency Fee's are usually based on a percentage of the employee's annual salary which is usually several thousand dollars. This can be a tremendous disadvantage for a divorced Mother on a fixed budget!

Using an online service offers advantages too at a fraction of the cost. Of course, you must do all the screening, interviewing, emailing, phone calling and background checks yourself. However, the nice thing is that this can all be done in the convenience of your home or office at anytime, during or after business hours. You have the control as opposed to having to go through or reach an Agency representative.

As a nanny expert in the field I suggest that you evaluate your situation (i.e., finances, and time frame) If you have the luxury of using both methods you should do so. Remember, these are your children!
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Five years ago, one of my best friends got divorced. Her husband met another woman and left her and their two small boys. Heartbroken and alone, she and her kids moved in with my family while she tried to get her bearings. Oh, did I mention the jerk who left her was my brother?

Until then, I had never seen divorce up close and personal. Most of the people I knew were in seemingly healthy marriages. When my sister-in-law moved in, I honestly imagined that home-cooked meals, some pretty new clothes, a bedroom makeover in feminine florals and oodles of babysitting would get her right back up on her feet. After all, “she’d be better off without him after what he did to her.” She was smart, young and pretty. Why was she moping around? “Shake it off.” I thought. “Get over it and move on.”

But for months, she couldn’t eat, sleep or digest what was happening to her. Not only had she lost her husband, she had lost her home, her role as a stay-at-home mom and her confidence.

As the months passed, I grew impatient with her. I wanted her to face life with more courage. When she took a job with a local school district and moved into a new condo with my nephews, I thought, “Wow, it’s been almost a year. I hope she snaps out of this soon.” But now that I’m divorced, I finally understand how wrong I’d been all along.

Here are some of the stupid things I said, and things that people have said to me that serve no purpose to the newly broken-hearted:

1. “Get over it and move on!” I shamefully admit that I said this to people who were in the “first trimester” of the divorce process. As I’ve since learned, it takes time to adjust to divorce. “Getting over it” is a lot easier said than done. Divorce is not the common cold, the symptoms don’t clear up in a week or two.

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Getting your career back on track after going through a divorce is not easy, particularly if you have been out of the workforce for some period of time. Because it's an emotional time, recent divorcees are often not in the best position to make the right decisions.

Too often, due to fear or financial exigencies, or simply because they are relying on bad advice, divorcees fail to take the right steps to get back on track and simply take the first job that they find. The labor market is very open to women returning to the workforce after time off. A recent survey by the Center for Work/Life Policy found that of women with college degrees, 74% who took time off to raise families were able to return to work when they decided to go back. The key is to know how to go about it.

Here are some common mistakes that women make regarding their careers when they are going through a divorce:

FAILURE TO GET EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER ASSISTANCE AS PART OF THE DIVORCE SETTLEMENT — For a variety of reasons, including not recognizing its importance or fear that it might affect the amount of their alimony or child support, women fail to include provisions in their divorce settlements to get their spouses to pay for education and training to improve or update their job skills. Similarly they fail to include provisions to pay for professional career coaching to make them more marketable and help them return to the work force. Both types of support are actually relatively easy to gain agreement on.

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Do you have a life plan? If not, why not? If you think you're too busy to sit down and create your own life plan, consider the following:

In a 1953 study conducted at Yale University, students in the graduating class were interviewed and asked whether they had a life plan, with a set of written goals. Less than 3% had a clear plan of action and written goals. Twenty years later, researchers re-interviewed the students. The 3% that had written goals had a net worth greater than the other 97% combined! As well, 3% reported a higher level of life satisfaction than their counterparts who had no action plan or written goals.

A higher level of life satisfaction seems like a good reason to finally sit down and come up with a life plan don't you think? It isn't difficult, but it will require some time and effort on your part. You will need to mark off a time slot in your busy schedule. Supply yourself with a favorite pen, some paper or a journal and then follow these helpful steps:

Step 1: Deciding What is Important:

I would suggest a life plan based on a 6-month, 1 year or 5-year period. Once you have decided how far out you want to plan, start your list.

Define the important aspects of your life. For example, you may value health, family, friends, spiritual growth, and career advancement (not necessarily in that order). If possible, prioritize what you feel is important and put them into categories. You can then break them down into subcategories.

Step 2: Define What You Want:

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