Where does the $$$$ go????

Can't figure out where your hard earned cash is going?

Make a commitment to yourself to write down every dollar spent for at least one month. Two or three months is preferable.

It doesn't have to be complicated, if you aren't an Excel spreadsheet whiz, just used regular old lined paper with two columns: Necessities & Optionals.

Track EVERY SINGLE expenditure.

You will probably find that during the first month much of your outgoing cash is defined under the necessity column. Most likely, however, going into your second and third month, you will realize that many of the items that you spend your dough on aren't really necessities at all.

This is a great way to analyze your spending habits and put them in check if need be.