Can I recover lost files when not using Time Machine?

Hi,
I have just discovered that I apparently accidentally erased a word file which I very much would like to recover.
I know the original file name, but I am not using Time machine (about time to get a time capsule, I guess).
Are there any means of finding my file? It seems to have disappeared from the waste bin, as well!
Kind regards
Willi Sletten

You would have to buy a file recovery utility, and hope that the file's location on the hard drive had not been written over yet. If it has been written over, it's gone for good. If you plan on doing this, you need to shut your machine down now and don't turn it on again until you've got the file recovery utility in-hand.
Sorry, i can't recommend a utility... I've never needed one. Your inclination to start using Time Machine (or some backup) is correct, since good backups are why I've never needed one.

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