by Vanessa D. Alexander

Created on: March 05, 2010   Last Updated: March 09, 2010

To spend wisely with the goal being to save money,  we first have to recognize where the drain is coming from.  We live in a world full of conveniences. Though we have many technological and helpful devices designed to help us manage our finances from spreadsheets to virtual assistants,  personal debt is on the increase.

The skill involved to spend wisely in order to save money, is the least of what we know how to do. Wisdom comes with time and having learned from our failures. Saving money is a skill we acquire and a discipline we have to desire in order to become proficient.  

Although learning to spend wisely is primary to saving money that alone may not be the key for many. You may in fact be doing all you know how to spend wisely and still find at the end of the month, there is not a significant increase in your savings. This can be discouraging. Once discouragement sets in, it becomes a powerful obstacle distracting your efforts.  

In order to save a significant amount of money the first order of business is to assess what is draining your current income and making it difficult to save. Once you assess this the hard work begins. It is only temporary so take heart. You have to make a decision as to what you can do without in order to free up more of your finances. You have to find areas where you have become disorganized.   Every household has their own priorities when it comes to organization and expenditures.

There is no one size fits all. What works well in one household could become a disaster in another.  Therefore, spending wisely in order to save a significant amount has to be a unique plan based on how your household functions day to day.   For many this can feel like we're being deprived of pleasures in life while everyone else seems to be dancing through the tulips. Those types of feelings are false and will dissipate in time. In fact, you will one day begin to enjoy saving money and watching your savings increase. It will become an integral part of your lifestyle rather than a chore you dread.  

To spend wisely you simply need to understand and accept what is a need and what is a desire. Desires are what keep us from saving money. A desire can attack like a thief in the night. By the end of the month you wonder where the money went.   Just as banks brutally watch over every penny in their accounts, you have to become observant of

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