Finding Funds to Prepare on a Limited Budget

I am just an average Joe.  I work a full-time job making less money than I should be paid.  Don't get me wrong, I am thankful to have a job in this terrible economy.  I just know that I am being paid less than what others are being paid in the same industry with the same job title.  I am also attending graduate school part-time in an effort to pursue the career path that I have been dreaming of for years.  I enjoy spending time in the beautiful outdoors of the Pacific Northwest and I rather enjoy discussing life and love among my close-knit group of friends over a great cup of coffee or a microbrewed beer.  The first major challenge I face as a prepper in this situation is having a limited budget.  I am looking for ways to prepare without having to go out and take another job to supplement my income.

There are certain components of my budget that are non-negotiable.  I have to pay my rent (I live in an apartment, another challenge I will blog about in the future); I have to pay utilities; I have to pay insurance; I have to pay tuition for grad school; I have to pay down the few debts I hold.  I also have a specialized diet I eat as I am in the process of losing weight and building a large quantity of muscle.  These are non-negotiable.  How can I find funds to prepare in my already tight budget?  I have some ideas.

1. Move or get a roommate.  If I downsize from the apartment I am living in, or get a roommate for the spare bedroom (my old roommate moved out of state), I can save anywhere from $200-$400 a month, of which I would dedicate half to paying down debts and the other half toward preparedness.  I will not buy a house because the market is bad and may get worse for housing and I do not know where I will be on this earth in five years.  I am in Cascadia for now and enjoy living here.
2. Alter my tobacco fund.  I currently budget $30 a week to buy and smoke cigars.  I really enjoy smoking them, but $120 a month is a lot of money.  If I can go back to smoking my pipe instead of cigars, I can get by on $20 a month for tobacco.  That will save me $110 per month to buy preparedness supplies.
3. Stop buying beer.  Notice I did not say "stop drinking beer".  I said "stop buying beer".  I like to make my own beer as do some of my friends.  If I continue to make my own beer at the rate I do (usually once a month) and only drink mine and my friends' beer, I can save approximately $40 a month and put it toward preparedness.  My specialized diet allows me to drink up to 6 beers per week if you are wondering. 

According to my calculations, by just altering my extracurricular activities, I should be able to put around $150 a month toward preparedness.  That is not much, but it is a start.  If you have any other ideas, please let me know.  I am willing to give logical ideas a try.