First, keep track of your spending for an entire month, and make note of where your money is going. Add up how much you’re spending for housing, transportation, groceries, bills, utilities, childcare, and any other expenses. Break them into categories to see where you’re spending the most money.  There are many apps to keep track of how much money you spend, including Mint, LearnVest, and LevelMoney. It might also be helpful to compare what you’re spending to what you’re making currently. This will help you see if you’re spending more than you’re making, and will show you where the bulk of your money is going. Look at where your money is going and identify what things aren’t essential for you and your child. Come up with cheaper alternatives for some things, and consider taking on a part-time job or selling items that you don’t use if you aren’t making enough money to support your spending on essential items.  For example, if you find that you spend $70 per week eating out at restaurants, you might want to lower that amount to $30, or cut it out completely. Otherwise, you will have to pull money from somewhere else in your budget. If you find that you still have less money than you need, consider talking to your boss about getting a raise or moving into a higher-paying position. You may have more responsibilities, but it will give you more space in your budget. Create an ideal budget with all of the necessary categories, and set a limit for your spending that is lower than what you’re already spending. Try to stick to the budget as closely as possible, and leave a little bit of space for unexpected costs, like car repairs, house maintenance, or replacing worn-out clothes. If possible, start saving money to build an “emergency fund” to cover 3 months of expenses in case you aren’t able to work or lose your job. This will ensure that you have time to get back on your feet without having to worry about money during those months. If you find yourself frequently forgetting to pay your bills due to a hectic schedule, get a cheap calendar and circle the due dates for each month in red. Write the name of the expense on the day, and check the calendar every day before you go to work. Some people like to set up automatic bill pay from their bank account. Check with your bank to see if you can do this for your bills, and make sure you always have enough money in the designated account to cover the money that is scheduled to come out. Talk to your child about how you manage your finances and what it means to be financially responsible. Include them in the process by talking about how much money you plan to spend on groceries, and give them a small allowance when they’re responsible enough to handle it.  Grocery shopping is a great way to introduce younger children to the idea of budgeting. If you take them with you, talk to them throughout the store about the prices of items, and why you choose one item over the other. Keep in mind that talking too much about financial problems can cause your kid to feel stressed out. If you’re in a bad financial position, tell your child that you might have to spend less money on fun things for a little bit.
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One-sentence summary -- Use an app or spreadsheet to find out how much money you’re spending. Consider ways that you could make more money or spend less money. Adhere to a budget that includes all of your monthly expenses. Keep a calendar that includes due dates for bills. Involve your child in the budgeting process if they’re old enough to understand.


Before you can actually build the enclosure, you'll need to measure its components. It's important to be as precise as possible with your measurements since a gap in the enclosure could make it easy for your snake to escape.  Smaller snakes can be kept in a 10- or 20-gallon tank. This measures out to either 20 inches by 10 inches by 12 inches (51 by 25 by 30.5 centimeters), or up to 24 inches by 12 inches by 16 inches (61 by 30.5 by 40.5 centimeters)  Medium-to-large sized snakes typically need between 30- and 55-gallon tanks. This measures out to 36 inches by 12 inches by 16 inches (91.5 by 30.5 by 40.5 centimeters) or up to 48 inches by 13 inches by 20 inches (122 by 33 by 51 centimeters). The glass or plastic panel you use as a window for the front of the enclosure should measure a few tenths of an inch (less than a centimeter) shorter than the back wooden panel. This will allow a more precise fit in the grooves that you'll dig out. Over time, the wood in your enclosure may begin to rot. It will also get dirty and may be difficult to clean if you do not stain the wood first. Staining will help protect the wood to ensure a longer life for your enclosure. Once you've assessed the size needs of your snake and determined the final dimensions, you'll be ready to cut your wood. It can be helpful to mark the sizes in chalk or pencil before cutting so that you have precise measurements and straight lines to cut along.  Make sure you wear personal protective equipment (PPE) while working with wood. This includes safety glasses, gloves, earplugs, a respirator, and a padded kickback apron.  Cut each piece as a solid rectangle. You only need to cut the sides, back, top, and bottom. The front face will be a glass or plastic panel held in place by the top, bottom, and sides. Before you can complete the enclosure's assembly, you'll need to make room for the glass or plastic panel and insert it into place. This will be done using a router to gouge out the wood.  Dig the groove 0.5 inches (1.25 centimeters) from the face of what will be the outside wall of the enclosure. You'll need to cut grooves in the front face of the top and bottom pieces as well as down the sides. Slide the glass or plastic panel into each groove to ensure that it fits snugly in place. Use a power drill to bore holes in the sides, back, and bottom of the enclosure, then screw them into place. If your cage will open from the side, attach the back, bottom, top, and one side of the panel, leaving the opening side unattached.  Make sure the grooves for the glass or plastic panel line up evenly. Before you attach the top, slide the glass or plastic panel into place so that your enclosure is complete. If you are making a side-opening enclosure, wait before attaching your chosen side's panel. Make sure there are no gaps around the glass or plastic panel. Use an adhesive that's approved for use around pets to seal up any gaps where the panel fits into your wooden frame. You can find these products at your local hardware store or through an online retailer. If you're building an enclosure that opens from the top, then you'll be attaching the top panel with hinges. If your enclosure opens from the side, then your chosen side's panel will be the opening that you affix with hinges.  Measure where you will need to attach the hinges onto the opening panel (either the top or one side). Then measure where the hinges will attach to the back panel. Use a power drill to bore holes for the hinges, then screw the hinges into place. Attach hook-and-eye latches to each corner of the opening panel. It's typically a good idea to use multiple latches instead of just one since some snakes are strong enough to break through weak doors. Drill several small holes for ventilation in the opening panel (either the top or the side of your enclosure).
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One-sentence summary --
Measure your building materials. Apply lacquer to the wood. Cut the wood to size. Dig out a groove for the glass. Assemble the enclosure. Attach the opening panel.