Money Tip #2

You may think I am crazy on my next money tip, but believe me it works! Use cash only...gasp! I'm not talking about cash to pay your bills.  I'm talking groceries, eating out, clothing, etc. You would be surprised how much closer you pay attention to what you are buying. Think about it...you have the cash in hand and when you have to hand over actual cash to the cashier, it makes the transaction more real. You don't think about it as much if you are putting it on the credit or debit card.  When you look in your wallet and see you've spent all of your cash, it really makes you think. Maybe try it on a weekly basis at first. Plan how much you can spend on groceries, if you are going to eat out, or if you are going to the mall. I'm guessing you won't be as tempted to throw in that extra bag of chips or DVD that you don't really need. A great book to read is "The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey. This book is very eye-opening. It has changed the way we spend our money and has helped us pay off our cars and credit cards.  It is not your typical "financial advice" book. It is an easy read and there are many examples of how people got out of debt and more.  Cash only....really!