1. Track everything you spend for 1 month. Write it down, review bank statements, use Mint or You Need a Budget, whatever works for you. The method doesn’t matter, but what matters is seeing the full picture on where your money is going.
2. Focus on reducing one expense per month. Easy things to cut or reduce include –
   1. Cable/Internet 
   2. Netflix/Hulu/Amazon Prime/Sirius XM Radio
   3. Electricity (UNPLUG THINGS LIKE CELL CHARGERS WHEN NOT IN USE!)
   4. Heat/AC (see if you can live with adjusting the thermostat one degree and what that does for your bill at the end of the month)
   5. Eating out
   6.  Gas
      
3. Subscribe to the following personal finance podcasts and listen on your commute or while you have your morning coffee:
   1. The Dave Ramsey Show
   2. Afford Anything with Paula Pant
   3. Bigger Pockets Money
   4. ChooseFI
4. Challenge yourself to read or listen to 1 personal finance book per month. I suggest starting with The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey and then The Millionaire Next Door. After that, I’d go to The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins.
5. Decide what you are going to focus on doing first to make progress on your situation. That might be paying off debt, or saving an emergency fund, or starting retirement investing. Pick one thing, don’t get overwhelmed by feeling like you have to do everything at once. IF you have student loans, vehicle debt, credit card or medical debt, I strongly suggest focusing on that first. Dave Ramsey’s method works incredibly well to power through paying off debt.
6. Embrace FREE fun. Do not pay for entertainment, instead find free or frugal ways to bring entertainment into your life. Try hiking, free festivals, visiting your local library, volunteering, hosting a potluck, etc.
7. What is your absolute favorite dish to order when going out to eat? Whatever it is, dedicate some time to learn to recreate it at home. Don’t get discouraged if it takes a few tries or more to get it right, eventually you will be able to make it better than your favorite restaurant can!
8. Review your car insurance. If you haven’t shopped rates in the last 12 months, get some quotes to compare what you are paying. Review your deductible and consider if it makes sense in your situation to raise it.
9. Look around your house for five things you can list on Facebook Marketplace or Poshmark. If you see a whole lot more than five things you could part with, consider a yardsale.
10. Remind yourself that any changes or cuts can be temporary. If it’s stressing you out to think about living without something like Hulu or weekly restaurant trips, remind yourself that you can always add it back. Give it a try for a few months and if you still miss it, change back! Personal finances are personal and YOU get to decide what is important in your life.