Here’s a situation. The month is coming to an end and you are eagerly awaiting your paycheck. This is when your boss walks in and says that all the company’s paychecks will be delayed for a week due to some God-only-knows reason. How would you react?

 What the fish? Why the fish?

I know how that feels because I’ve been there and done that.

But, seriously, what would you do apart from cussing about the delay? Or, rather, what should you do?

 A paycheck delay could mean disaster for many people. Many people live paycheck to paycheck. There are bills to be paid on time to avoid late payment charges and a you-are-in- deep- s**t situation. When I was single in the big city, I wasn’t in great control of my money and been in that situation many times. But I became more responsible after I got married and became a mom. I didn’t have a choice but to become more responsible. And that is how I came up with my 10 Cindimandments (read Cindy’s Commandments) that can used universally.

 Here are some of the things that you could do, till that paycheck comes by. What I mean to say is here are the 10 Cindimandments that will deliver you from being flat broke.

1. Pack your lunch for a week. You could save some money by not eating outside. Besides binging on all those big mac burgers and oily French fries is not really great for health anyway. Pack a chicken salad and a peanut butter sandwich. For all that you know, after a week, you might get too comfortable with this and might want to continue this new self-imposed healthier diet regimen.

2. Tell your landlord that your paycheck is going to be delayed and so will be the rent. Tell your bank, tell everyone if needed. Telling the truth might actually help than sneaking out of your house before the landlord wakes up from his beauty sleep.

3. Volunteer to do some extra work outside that might earn you some money. Mow your friend’s lawn, have a car-wash Saturday, work in a neighborhood grocery store for a couple of hours. Are you getting the drift? There are a million tiny ways to make some extra money during that tight week.

4. Don’t take your car out for a week. Ask your husband/wife/mom/dad/brother/friend/anyone to give you a lift. Of course do be so blatant and be up on their faces. Be polite is asking them and be ready to take no as answer too. Better still take the bus or the subway if your office is only a couple of blocks away from your home.

5. Think twice before buying anything. Stick only to the absolute essentials for that week.

6. Switch off everything that you can switch off before leaving your home. We take everything for granted these day, especially when we are quite aware about the global warming threat. Switch off your laptop, your TV, your DVD player, if nothing is inside your refrigerator, switch that off and before I forget, switch off that damn bathroom light. On a more serious note, you could end up saving a lot of money on electricity this way.

7. Curb that thought of pubbing with generous amount beer on Saturday nights. Just hold your horses till you get your money into your account. But if you must, try and go there only during the happy hours.

8. If you have a baby sitter, give her/him a week off. Invite your mom over to take care of the baby. But you have to be sure that your spouse is absolutely OK with having his/her mother-in-law in the house. Make sure that this doesn’t blow into a ‘Monster-in-law’ situation.

9. If you have children and you drive them to school every morning, you might want to consider car-pooling with other kids’ parents. However, I wouldn’t strongly recommend this because having someone driving your kids to school is a matter of trust. Do so, only if you are 110% sure that your kids are in safe and capable hands.

10. Stay positive. Keep smiling. And stop frowning because that is no way to live.