Yes, times are tough. I know you’re thinking about your pocketbook, the bottom-line, and all that frugal stuff. It’s no wonder that arts leaders are starting to get freaked out. In times of fiscal crisis, people cut back on spending. And when they cut down on spending, the first things sliced are those considered optional. Like arts and culture.

But I’ve got a solution. There are plenty of things we spend money on that are less important than a good book, play or concert. When times are good, I have no problem with you throwing down a few greenbacks for these items. But if you have to make choices, these are the items that should be cut out.

Cable TV. Do you really need premium channels? Won’t basic do? HBO runs $17.95 and Showtime $16.95 a month on my system. Guess what. You can always buy the shows you need on DVD or, if you really want to save cash, borrow ‘em. Reality is, you’ll benefit from more sleep and can always catch up through a vacation power watch. Monthly savings: $34.90.

Gym membership. Are you really like all those meatheads or those geeks who lay back on the giant ball to do their sit-ups? I’m not saying it’s time to become a tub of goo. But you can get an immense workout for very little. Go to your local running store and pick up a solid pair of shoes – maybe $80 – and hit the streets. For strength, drop down every few miles and pump out 20 push-ups. The push-ups work as well as those silly machines, and you won’t have to gaze at the cheesy rock videos playing overhead. Monthly savings: $39.99.

Whole Foods. If you must go - say you really believe in wild versus farm-raised salmon - make sure not to stray off the list. (No vegetarian spring rolls or vegan peanut butter cookies. And never, ever, buy that thick chunk of chocolate that’s right at the register. What a rip off.) Same goes for non-perishable items. Buy then a “whole paycheck,” and you can kiss goodbye the new Batman flick. Monthly savings: $73 per potential visit.

Starbucks. I’m not even going to price out your pumpkin spice latte. Just a regular cup of Pike’s Peak is going to run a couple bucks a day. So brew at home, suckers. Monthly savings: $56 (at $2 a cup daily).

Dining Out. No man of sane mind would demand you stop going out to dinner. That’s mean. But when you do go out, come up with a strategy. As a rule, don’t buy the most expensive item on the menu. Keep drinking at a minimum. There’s also no reason to get dessert. It actually wasn’t until I entered college that I realized you could get dessert at the end of the meal. My parents never ordered such a thing. Monthly savings: Depends.

See. With barely any effort, I just cut at least $250 off your monthly expenses. That means you can go to a museum or two, slap down $9.99 for the new Byrne/Eno record on iTunes and have enough left over for a good play or concert.

And if things get really right, I’ll be ready with Plan B: The yard sale.

The Celebrity Series blog celebrated its one-year anniversary yesterday, and that's worth noting. There's only one thing we don't like about the CS blog - its name. Come up with a snazzier title. The blog itself is worth clicking to, for its literate tone, eclectic offerings and semi-regular updates.

It could have been a snore, another press release for an organization that presents so many performances. But Jack Wright, the man behind the blog, knows how to be playful (a recent post offering photos of everybody from Thelonious Monk to Alan Alda playing ping-pong), informative (multiple links to Elisabeth Schwarzkopf obits), and just, plain interested.

So enjoy a virtual glass of champagne, Jack, and keep typing away.

That was fast. CultureGrrl, the blogging persona of Lee Rosenbaum, is no longer a free agent. Her spunky arts news and commentary blog has been picked up by ArtsJournal.

Of particular interest in the new issue is an open letter from Rob Clifford, of the now homeless Clifford-Smith Gallery, to Rachel Gepner about her previous story complaining about Boston's SoWa art district. "We Felt Your Pain" provides a window into the gallery world, and also the strain of balancing success in a growing art community. Rob Clifford (on the right) and Jim Smith (sitting) used to run a gallery at 450 Harrison Avenue until last December.

While we're at it... New Yorker writer Alex Ross doesn't blog every day, but it's a treat when he does.

The Rest Is Noise.

Thanks to our friendly programmers at Boston.com, we now have a new feature: Links.

First up on BlogCity - Tyler Green's Modern Art Notes. He digs for news, does his research and has a 'tude.