Changing Your Life

...on making money.

    Ramit from I Will Make You Rich has some very thoughtful insights here. (Skip the biz pitch at the end, though, unless you plan to take his program.)

After years of trying this and that, I've found that I must do one thing to really start getting ahead. And this mantra of financial responsibility is:
SPEND LESS THAN YOU MAKE. SAVE WHAT YOU DON'T SPEND.

Practical ways to do that? They generally boil down to three things:
*Find ways to cut back...not just on what you want, but what you need.
*Make extra income (or get stuff you can use or sell) -- a contest won, free product offers, stuff sold, quick job for someone, a freelance project. Doesn't matter if it's small or large.
*Now put the money saved away...in a bank, a CD or other investments. Don't forget other ways to invest, either -- like buying a case of your favorite soup when it's on sale.

Keep doing this, and watch your money grow, slowly but surely. Three years ago, I had $75 a month automatically drawn from my credit union account (another way to save...on fees!), and deposited in another investment account. Last month, I opened the statement...and nearly fell down, to see how much had accumulated in there.

You can do this, too -- with as little as a ten-spot. But it has to happen every week...or every month. Without fail.
   You can do it.