Picture this - good health, two cars, a comfortable home, an ample savings account. Then picture this - a pile of bills (and they keep coming in!) and a 10-year-old metal heap that keeps threatening to fall off its four wheels. Whichever you think best describes you right now, you are responsible. You are responsible for the amount of money you earn and for the amount of money you spend. The way you spend your money today will determine what you have six months from now or throughout your lifetime. Do you live within your means (income), or do you whip out that bit of plastic for every transaction? Have you resorted to borrowing money or using your savings (if you still have any left!) to meet your regular monthly expenses? Do you have control of the way you spend your money? Living within your means requires careful planning. It requires self-discipline and the ability to say 'No' to unnecessary spending. The ability to manage money has to be learned, developed and practiced on a daily basis. Here are eight steps to help you control your spending and squeeze that extra bit from your dollar:

Organise yourself
First of all, get organised. Where do you file your bills and important papers (like your family records)? Are they easily located? Designate a central location as your "business centre". Your business centre may be elaborate or simple. The type of system doesn't matter as long as you have some way to label and organise your financial papers. Keep stationery supplies needed, such as envelopes, stamps, pens, pencils and a calendar, within easy reach. This will help organise and speed up your monthly bill paying.

Set some goals
To help get your financial goals into perspective, set some goals. For example, what are some of the things you want to accomplish during your lifetime? Good money management begins with goal setting. Goals give you direction - they guide you. They help motivate and encourage you as you work towards things that are important to you. When setting your goals, make a list. Be specific. Your goals must be realistic, challenging and achievable. As you decide your goals, write down your short-term (things you want to get done in the next week, next month, in six months or a year), intermediate (things you want to get done in the next one to five years) and long-term (next five or more years) goals. As you list your goals, decide which goals you want to use your money for first. As you set dates for reaching your goals, ask yourself which goals are the most important and which are the least.

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