Is it just me or are men getting a little bit more polite? Jaded New Yorker that I am, I tend to assume anyone close to me on the subway is trying to steal my wallet or feel me up. Though the “accidental” ass-grab still happens about once a week, it’s becoming less frequent. I choose to view the lack of groping phenomenon not as a sign of my decreasing desirability, but as a sign of increasing old fashioned manners. In my semi-scientific survey I have discovered that at least three other women agree that men these days are more likely to offer gals their seat on the bus, carry heavy bags, open doors and pay compliments, even when there is no hope of sex. I have a theory: the recession. Maybe I am just searching for the silver lining on the dreary financial cloud, but I do think the economic woes have made us slightly more civilized. Before I conclusively decide exactly what factor is making dudes walking examples of Emily Post etiquette, I will postulate my three main theories.

This is your mother speaking. You really shouldn’t be getting takeout for lunch every day. Not only are you throwing all of your money away, but you’re not eating all of your food groups! Why don’t you make something yummy for dinner and then pack it in a cute, reusable bag and take it to work? Martha Stewart even suggests a packable lunch recipe every day on her site, so you won’t need to waste a minute thinking about what to eat. You (and your wallet) will thank me when you’re older.

So now that you know five tips for staying chic for cheap and how to throw a kick-ass clothing swap, you can’t just expect to stop lusting after those Frye riding boots you’ve had your eye on forever, or that your longtime trusted hair stylist is going to suddenly start cutting her prices. The fact is no matter how frugally you learn to live, there are still going to be some things you’ll want to splurge on, and that’s okay. I mean, this is a recession, after all, not a potato famine. You don’t have to give up all your luxuries or switch to low-cost everything; you just have to get savvier about making extra money for those treats you enjoy. But I’m not talking about getting a second job or really working that much harder; a true recessionista knows how to make extra cash for little luxuries while leaving plenty of free time to enjoy them, too. After the jump, seven ways to make more money without taking a second job…