I used to be out going, but now I can't even talk to my neighbors.

I've lurked seddit for little over a month now and I've read the sidebar about trying to talk to everyone I see, problem is I can only do that with people I already know. I know, you're going to say "Well you had to talk to strangers to know the people you know now", and yes I know I did, but that was back in my hometown. I lived in my hometown my entire life, all the way through grade school, and now I have moved to another city far away from my old friends. I live near my cousins (they live outside of the city I live in) and I have no problem talking and hanging out with their friends even if I've just met them, but somehow I can't do that by myself. Just now I took my dog outside and saw my next door neighbor for the first time and it wasn't just brief, he got out of his car across the street and went up to his door next door, all the while I either made awkward eye contact or tried to avoid his gaze. Right now I'm looking for a job so I have no money to go to clubs or go see a movie so I'm basically stuck walking my dog for the only outside activity. How can get out of my slum and/or shell and become the person I used to be (not afraid to talk to men or women)?