Do you live in an apartment complex or close knit neighborhood? Start a barter bulletin board in a clubhouse or pass flyers or newsletter in the neighborhood. Times are hard and someone might have something you need in exchange for something they need.
Maybe you need a mattress and someone else needs a dresser, or a single guy would like a home cooked meal in exchange for changing the oil in your car; laundry in exchange for yard work. So many things like babysitting exchanges, car pooling exchanges, exchange rental movies for a night. Just put your mind to it and you will come up with something you can get for nearly free or the cost of your labor. Good luck!