Instead of paying for costly services, you can consider exchanging services or engaging in a barter system.  For example,  when you want tax advice you can obtain some free advice from a friend who is an accountant and in exchange for his or her advice, you can offer your services (e.g. lawn mowing, hair styling/cutting, etc.).  There are a number of online barter systems that award points among different individuals in local areas that are interested in such exchanges.  If you are wary of entering such a system, you can always find out whether there is any local interest by posting information at your local library.