If you haven’t seen, I’m hocking my birthday so that people in developing nations can have clean water, and I need your help in building a well.

If money is tight, I can totally relate. I thought I’d share some ways you can bootstrap it and save some cash to bring the most basic need to some of the most needy people on the planet [and then donate here].

Here are

22 ways

you can save money over the next 58 days and give to this incredible cause.

1. Rent a movie instead of going to the theatre. Movie tickets are outrageous, normally hovering between $8 and $9 a piece. And don’t tell me you go to the movies and without snagging a bag of popcorn that you need a wheelbarrow to move and a 92 oz. Coke you need an IV to get down. If you have a  family of three [or two friends] find a Redbox and get a $1 rental instead of going out.
2. Donate the money you “saved” from grocery reward programs. There are few things more thrilling in the life of a soccer mom/college student than looking at how much money you saved at the bottom of your receipt after you hit the grocery store. Next time you’re at the store, see how much you saved and donate that amount.
3. Go to Starbucks 1.5 times less a week. I’m no math major but if we assume you skip your $3.75 venti half skim/half whole, [with fat-free sugar-free hazelnut syrup] frappa-mocha-chino 1.5 times a week for a whole month, you’ll save $22.5. Boom. Clean water.
4. Drive 40 miles less a week. Stock up at the grocery store and make one trip for the whole month. Carpool to work. Walk to the corner store. Bike to soccer practice. Whatever it takes, just drive less. If you can cut out 40 miles a week and you average 20 MPG and gas is approximately $2.90 a gallon, in a month you’ll have $23.20. More. Clean. Water.
5. Get takeout instead of eating out. Four words: Applebee’s Carside To Go. No tax on takeout. No tip at the table. Eat out IN YOUR HOUSE! Save that cash.

6. Buy off brand.

   Who needs Frosted Mini Wheats when there are delights likeFrosted Mini Spooners? Think you want Count Chocula? You’re wrong. What you really want is Chocolate Marshmallow Mateys. I can’t make this stuff up. Snag the off-brand stuff, and I promise the mateys and spooners will equally satisfy you.

7. Work more hours. I know it’s not an option for everyone, but even if you make the Ohio state minimum of $7.30 an hour, an extra four hours for the month will get you over $22.
8. Listen to the music you have and stop downloading fart apps. If you actually buy your music [which I encourage, “Hey, RIAA!”], don’t buy any for a month. And you don’t need your 65th worthless iPod or iPhone application. Save your money, turn jams into water.
9. Sell something. By hocking my birthday I believe I’ve illustrated that you can sell anything. That antique hanging lamp that doesn’t work. Poker chips you haven’t used since it was cool to play poker in 2003. A designer sweater still hanging up with the tags on it. Sell it. Have a garage sale. Sell it online. You can do it. Part with it so people can drink clean water.
10. Ask 22 friends for $1. The average person on Facebook has 130 friends on the site [but to be honest, probably less in real life]. Hit up 22 of those “friends” from high school that you never talk to for a dollar a piece. 22 friends x $1 = {crunching numbers….calculating…carrying the one…} $22

11. Trade gift cards online for cash.

    There are a number of sites online where you can sell gift cards to weird restaurants that you’ll probably never use for COLD. HARD. CASH. Do it. I haven’t tried it personally, but from what I’ve seen, Plastic Jungle is legit. Yes, dust off those gift cards from Christmas 2005 and swap ’em for some Hamiltons.

12. Lower your cell phone plan. NOOOOO! Yes. Do it. Extroverts, cut your unlimited texting for a month and only call people. Introverts, lower your monthly minutes and only text people. Solutions all around. Either way, you can certainly save $22. Or just call your carrier and threaten to leave and see what they say [tell them you’ll stick around if they donate for clean water].
13. Sell your textbooks. College students, if you have a book you can’t sell at the bookstore, try hustling it online. I’ve used Half.com a number of times and had tons of success selling there. Don’t let that Sociology of Apes in 3010 textbook sit lonely at the bottom of your dirty clothes pile any more. Move it online and get some cash.
14. Stop buying bottled water. If you buy bottled water at the store or from a vending machine, stop. Snag a cheap refillable bottle and use that for the month. You drink tap water = kids in Africa drink clean water.
15. Collect and count change. You know those shiny coins with dead presidents? If you get a bunch of them they are worth some paper money. Ask your friends for change. Flip the couch over. Pick up every penny you see on the street. Then count it and take it to the bank [and don’t you dare take it to Coinstar or you’ll have to find 8.9% more of it. It costs a lot to pay that little guy inside the machine who counts the coins].

16. Donate in the name of someone.

    The holidays are coming up, and what better gift can you give then donating water in someone’s name? Birthdays, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza–give a gift that keeps on giving in the form of pure H20. Shoot, if you do that, I’ll even make up a certificate and MAIL IT TO YOU in honor of the person you’re donating for.

17. Recycle 440 aluminum cans. That’s a lot of cans, you say? Maybe contact one of your friends whose having a big “soda” party, snag the empty vessels and then take them to the nearest recycling center for 5 cents a “pop.”
18. Get thrifty. Don’t buy a new outfit for the holidays at full price. Hit up your local Goodwill or Salvation Army and get one of those stylish Christmas sweaters. Money in the bank [and bonus points for being the most fashionable one at your family gatherings].
19. Use the library instead of buying books. I understand that the average American buys one book for pleasure reading a year. If you’re one of those Americans [or if you’re a book-buying Canadian] hit up the library instead of Amazon for your next book need. Free books = cash for water.
20. Get crafty. Knit something, sew something, bake something. Use random things you have around the house, sell it on Etsy.com and give the proceeds to be a part of changing the world.

21. Live in the dark and take less showers.

    Lots of benefits in this one. Cut your electric and water consumption to save some money. Not only that, but your friends might ask if you’ve been living in a cave. If they do, tell them if they donate you’ll take a shower, making hanging out more enjoyable for everyone.

I promised 22, so I need your help. In the comments, let us know: What will you do to bring clean water to people who desperately need it?