 TITLE: 7 Budgeting Tips to Try After a Pay Cut CONTENT: 2\\. Track Your Spending\n-----------------------\nA budget doesn't do you any good unless you keep yourself accountable in sticking to it. Once your budget is established, take the time to look through your spending habits and adjust them as necessary. Review your recent debit and credit card statements and compare how much you spent against your budget. Doing this will identify areas where your spending could derail your budget if left unchecked. Being aware of your spending is the only way you can make sure your budget works in practice, and not just in theory. Some items to look out for include:\n*   Restaurant takeout and food delivery bills that are adding up.\n*   Fees for memberships or subscription services you could live without.\n*   Banking fees you were unaware of.\n*   Fraudulent activity.\n*   Discretionary purchases that exceed what you allowed yourself when creating your budget.\nSticking to a budget takes discipline, and you'll likely have to make some tough decisions to do it successfully. If you're trying hard but finding it impossible keep to the amounts set in your budget, adjust the numbers to create a more realistic plan and help you get back on track.\nExperian's Personal Finances tool accessible through your Experian account can help you budget, track your spending and keep everything ship shape. To access the tool, log in to your Experian.com account and click on \"Personal Finances\" at the bottom of the page. When you link your accounts, you'll see an easy-to-use rundown of your income and expenses. END