How to Live Large in Lean Times.(economizing)

Don't let the up-and-down economy cramp your style. Keep your princess perks even on a punt paycheck with Cosmo's moola-multiplying tricks.

If everyone's recession obsession has you worrying that you'll have to survive on mac-and-cheese, relax. Cosmo has a plan to end your fiscal freak-out without feeling a thing. After all, completely cutting out luxuries to save money is as destructive as crash dieting when you want to lose weight, says Susannah Blake Goodman, author of Girls Just Want to Have Funds. "You'll only feel deprived, which will make you more likely to splurge on things you really can't afford." So try our suffer-free strategies for making the most of your income and go back to being blissfully oblivious to the seesawing economy.

LIVE-LARGE LESSON 1

Don't Fire Your Massage Therapist

"I need my weekly pedicure!" says Lia [*], 28. "Sure, I have to skimp somewhere else to make up for it, but it's worth it to have pretty feet." Lia, an accountant, understands an important principle of money management: Spend on what truly makes you happy and eliminate take-it-or-leave-it cash-suckers. To do that, Jason Anthony and Karl Cluck, authors of Debt-Free by 30, recommend recording your purchases for two weeks--everything from an ice-cream cone to your monthly massage. Review the list and cut needless expenses in order to budget for your must-have luxury. Think of it this way: You're going to indulge anyway, so why not plan for it?

LIVE-LARGE LESSON 2

Steal From Yourself