http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting...u%27re-Not-Rich

I just read this since I have Yahoo.com as my homepage. I have to agree there a lot of these that I need to rethink for myself personally.

I've been throwing money away with absolute abandon. Now the party is over and I need to rethink stuff out better with my finances and not use the plastic again, EVER! If I can't pay for it from my checking account, then I can't afford it is how I feel now. I can save for stuff I want but I have to be realistic about, "Will I truly use it?"

It's good to know that this has been a big massive conciousness thing with everyone now and I don't have to think I am the only one with a spending problem in these hard times.

Have you tried freezing your credit card in a block of ice? I have and it worked. It makes you think while the block of ice melting, via microwave or running hot water - do I really need to get it? Try not to memorize your account number.

Excellent article.

I live very simply and don't have any debt. The reason I'm not rich is I don't have much income and I'm too lazy to get more.

Hear, hear.

I don't have debt either and save for everything I need, but I don't have a stockpile for my old age either - that's where my weakness has been, not planning for that, but then, someone close to me just had $24,000 knocked off their saved money for their old age due to the world wide money problems. Some people have lost everything.

DH and I were doing well before Katrina messed up our finances. We had to live off our meager savings for about a year. Now the economy isn't too good.