The last thing you can imagine doing when you're drowning in debt is saving money. "Saving money? Where am I supposed to find money to save when I don't even have enough to pay my bills?" But consider this: When you're trying to get out of debt, the number one thing you can do to help your situation is to not take on any other debt. That means don't use your charge cards. Period. But what about the inevitable emergency? The car repair, the medical bill, the unexpected plane trip to see a sick relative--these things will happen, you can bet your last dollar.

If you aren't going to use your credit cards for emergencies, you need to stock up on a bit of cash as soon as possible. Having a $1,000 cushion for life's inevitable occurrences can keep you from reaching for the credit cards when things crop up.

Here are some tips for building your $1,000 cushion even when it seems impossible:

1. Pay yourself first. You can arrange to have a portion of your paycheck, even $10, put in a separate savings account when you have direct deposit into your checking. If you set it up to happen automatically, you'll never miss it.

2. Be vigilant for unnecessary fees. Avoid overdrafts and late payments like the plague.

3. Give up just one vice. Or slow down a bit. Cut out a few packs of cigarettes or a couple trips to the coffee shop every week.

4. Clean out your wallet every night. Put a buck or two in a jar and when you've been doing it a month, put the money in your savings account.

5. Eat at home. Limit restaurant visits to a few times a month. When fixing dinner, fix extra for the next day's lunch rather than eating lunch out every day.

6. Review your bills and do a bit of research to see if you can save money on cable, insurance, and other services.