Vickie has some great suggestions above.

The A-number-1 thing I'd recommend is regulating sleep. Go to bed at the same time every day, get up at the same time every day, and make sure you're getting 7-9 hours of sleep. Sleep problems are rampant among people with bipolar, and for a lot of us, it triggers hypo/mania.

There are a number of self-help books out there (check your library, my favorites so far have been "Break the Bipolar Cycle" and "Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder" - they have useful worksheets and strategies) that have great suggestions for things you can do, and there's also a bipolar workbook that I've seen on Amazon but haven't bought yet.

You may not want to hear it, but laying off intoxicants is usually a good idea. Alcohol is a depressant (delayed effect) and most other street drugs use up your brain's receptors for the chemicals that your brain naturally produces or that are in meds. So if you're using anything, try to reduce or quit. People with mental illness (and especially bipolar, 50% of us!) are so notorious for self-medicating with alcohol and drugs that it's got it's own label - "dual diagnosis."

Finally, start a mood chart. You can find a bunch of different formats online. The one I've been using is actually from Abilify, and I also like to use Moodscope as it's much more precise. Mood charts help you keep track of things like hours of sleep and alcohol/drug consumption, as well as your moods. Then it's easier to see where there are patterns of mood swings. When you do have an opportunity to see a medical professional about it, having the mood charts will be really valuable and will help with diagnosis. Plus you'll understand yourself better, and that really helps a lot.

You should also check into public mental health services. There are usually free or low-cost services available. It might not be the best option (you'll wait longer to get in and will be able to see someone less often), but it's better than nothing. If you suspect you have bipolar, I would not wait on trying to get professional help. There are also programs for free meds (check around PC, I think there's a "sticky" post in the meds forum) so although it's harder when you're broke, there are still options for proper treatment. It's hard to get this stuff set up if you're having a lot of mood swings, but it's necessary. If you have a hard time finding the right services, ask your local librarian - they specialize in helping people find information (without judging) and the library is an excellent starting point that will get you pointed in the right direction as fast as possible. The library is the perfect place to go if you're not sure what services are available in your area.