 TITLE: How to Track Your Expenses CONTENT: How to Reach Your Financial Goals\n---------------------------------\nOnce you have a budget and know your goals, consider these two tips to help you achieve them. They are critical in the midst of a rocky economy, but can be applied during any economic situation.\n1.  Embrace frugal living. Among the moves you can make to put more money in your pocket are:\n*   Shop around for cheaper internet service.\n*   Refinance your mortgage to get a lower interest rate.\n*   Cancel unused subscriptions and memberships (like those for streaming services or the gym).\n*   Cut back on restaurant meals.\n*   Buy clothes only when they're on sale.\n*   Take on DIY home improvement projects rather than hiring pros to do them.\n2.  Spend less. Ways to trim your spending include:\n*   Consolidate your credit card debt. By swapping out higher-interest debt for lower-interest debt, you likely can chop down your annual interest payments and save more over time. You could do this by transferring a balance from a higher-interest credit card to a lower-interest card or one with a 0% introductory interest rate. You could also consider taking out a personal loan that carries an interest rate that's lower than the rate(s) you're currently paying on your credit card debt.\n*   Shop around for insurance. You might be able to lower your auto or homeowners insurance premiums if you compare rates from several insurers. You also should explore insurance discounts, such as those for maintaining a good driving record or for bundling your policies with one insurer.\n*   Take a timeout before making a big purchase. Are you coveting a new car? Have you been dying to buy new furniture for your bedroom? Before you put down your hard-earned money on a large purchase, stop and think about whether you really need it, or if you might be able to find a workable used car or second-hand furniture. If you can use the extra money in your budget to save for those purchases, you could avoid paying interest on them—and you might even realize you don't need them at all. END