If The Airlines Can Raise Cash, So Can You

Last week the Wall Street Journal reported that United Airlines and Delta were able to raise billions of dollars in cash. Guess where they found it - under millions of airline seat cushions. Well, not exactly. They simply upped their game and played some well-known airline tricks such as selling and leasing-back airplanes and launching frequent-flyer programs. No brain surgery, no rocket science. They were just holding out.

Now before you go raiding your friends' couches take a moment to let this sink in.
No doubt you also have have a few cost-cutting, cash-raising tricks up your sleeve that would come in real handy right now. 2009 is a fresh, new year. People are wise to the value of a dollar these days and think better of those who spend wisely. Now is an excellent time to adjust to a lifestyle that is more in tune with your goals.

Maybe you've got a few things you wouldn't mind selling or trading. Perhaps you've been meaning to start new healthy habits and need a little competition to get going.

Well, Delta's beating you by about a billion dollars.

But all is not lost. After all, how can one person compete with a whole airline? Level the playing field, find a friend and make a bet: whoever saves the most in three months buys dinner. And not a dinner that comes in a paper bag, either. A little competition goes a long way. After all, it made the airlines billions of dollars.