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Worried About Bills, Investments and Work?
10 Ways to Make the Most of Your Money and Your Life
3. Replace Your Credit Cards with Debit Cards
"If you've had a tendency to carry debt balances month-to-month on credit cards, cut those up and instead get a VISA or MasterCard debit card, which are accepted by all merchants who take credit cards," Tyson says. "The difference is that a debit card is connected to your checking account, which prevents you from spending money that you don't have and carrying costly debt balances month-to-month." 4. Change the Way You Approach Purchases
To change your consumption habits, you must first change your mindset about shopping. Typically this involves changing shopping from a source of entertainment, a distraction from other problems and/or an impulse decision 
to a simple means to an end – acquiring a product that you feel you need and want. "To get a better handle on how you should make consumption decisions, observe friends and relatives who are thrifty and try learning some of their better spending habits," Tyson writes. "Don't shop with people who share your spending problms or who've often accompanied you on shopping sprees in the past."