by Paul E. Zimmerman

Created on: March 16, 2007   Last Updated: May 30, 2010

Many people struggle with money issues, but the sad truth of the matter is the very few people consciously do anything constructive to solve their problems. That this is so is clear when one considers the basic, real solution: make more, spend less.

When I worked as a financial adviser, this was our "one size fits all" financial prescription for everyone. We said it jokingly around the water cooler and not to clients, of course, but in the joke there is an undeniable truth. Mastering one's personal finances is simply a matter of making your income greater than your expenditures, which can be accomplished by increasing your income, reducing your expenditures, or a combination of the two.

But how to accomplish this, exactly? There are four things that I do that have helped me to increase my income and positive net worth, and to eliminate debt (and, as it turns out, hard core budgeting isn't one of them!).

Step 1: Seek and exploit new opportunities

In wrangling with my own financial well being, I came to the realization that I was not taking as many opportunities for income as were available to me. What I am speaking of here is not strictly formal paid employment, but mainly "odd job" sorts of opportunities. I believe that many people will pass these little opportunities by thinking that they are not worthwhile because the income they offer is not consistent or it is small (or both).

This is not to say that regular, part or full-time work in addition to what one already does is not better, but one should keep an eye out for - and be prepared to pounce on - any opportunity that comes one's way, no matter how great or small (if faced with a choice between two opportunities, one should always take the more lucrative, naturally). Keep these things in mind: one penny is worth more than 100% of zero, and small amounts add up!

Helium is one such example of an opportunity that I am speaking of here - the income is admittedly very small per article, but over time it can add up. If you have nothing else going on at the moment, sign up and start writing!

Step 2: Act in Accordance with a Goal

To avoid spending unconsciously, many people draw up budgets to track their expenses. Typically, people will break their budgets down into categories and attempt to restrict their spending to the amounts they designate within each category. While this certainly can help one to establish some discipline, if left at that, this method of gaining control of one's finances carries with

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