It’s one thing to make mental notes of things you’ve bought over the month, but it’s another thing altogether to see them add up on paper. This is especially true if you use a credit or debit card (people tend to spend more freely if they pay with plastic) or pay for things using multiple accounts (and therefore never really see the net total). Manually tracking your expenses will not only help you make better decisions, but also identify areas in which you don’t even realize you’re overspending. . It isn’t enough to just throw a random payment at your credit card(s) every month. Instead, create a strategy, put it in writing, and budget your other expenses around your credit card payments. Here are some popular ways to save money and reduce your debts:  Think seriously about starting to save pocket money. It sounds childish, but the savings are anything but.  See if you qualify for food assistance. It's not glamorous, but neither is being broke.   Reduce your expenses by cutting costs in different areas of your life, such as spending less on entertainment or making sure your car is running efficiently so you spend less on gas. . For a lot of people, a tax refund is a windfall at the beginning of the year. If you anticipate getting a tax refund this year, resolve to set a sizable chunk of it aside in order to pay off some of your debt. For example, don’t buy that coffee on the way to work every day; make one at home for a fraction of the cost. Don't buy your books, DVDs, or CDs; just borrow them from your local library. Don't buy lunches for work; just make them at your home. (Pressed for time? Even something as simple as a sandwich or a salad with a hard-boiled egg makes a great lunch. Prep it the night before if necessary.) When you’re stressed, treating yourself to the little things can feel like a necessity, and to a certain extent, it is. However, there are much cheaper ways of going about this. Instead of waiting in line for an overpriced mocha, bring a thermos of tea to the park and watch the autumn leaves fall. Instead of going out to dinner with your friends next Friday night, invite them to a potluck at your place. There are plenty of creative ways to cut back without feeling like a Spartan. Credit cards are often our go-to resource for unplanned expenses (the alternator dies, you get sick and miss work, etc.), but this can undo months of payments and completely demoralize you. A better idea is to tuck some money aside strictly for emergencies.  This doesn’t have to be a drain on your income. Remember those expenses you are cutting back on? Instead of simply not spending, try actually setting aside the money you would have paid on one or two of those expenses (for example, bar money every Friday night, manicure money every-other Sunday, etc.). Create a (free) savings account, put it in a CD, or even hide it in a cookie jar. Remember that this fund is for emergencies only. Break your leg? Go ahead and dip in. Want to upgrade your phone? Find the money somewhere else. Once you start to see that credit card balance go down, you may be tempted to treat yourself to a series of restaurant outings or a shiny new smartphone. Don’t do it; a few casual purchases can put you right back where you started, especially if something unexpected happens. Keep the end goal at the forefront of your mind––rewards that cost little or nothing are much better, like seeing a movie at a friend's house or making your favorite rich chocolate dessert and eating it all! Remember what you're trying to do—get out of credit card debt. Just like smokers almost never quit by cutting back, you probably won't get out of debt if you keep adding to it by using your cards all the time. You want to try to minimize your use of cards or stop using your cards altogether.  Freeze them in a block of ice if you need to. Freezing a sealed bag of water with the cards inside is a fun and mess-free way of doing this. That way, your card will be there if you need it, but you'll have to wait for the ice to thaw, giving you hours to decide whether you really need it. Get a lock box. Put your cards in a lock box and put the lock box somewhere out of the way. Either give the key to someone else or put the key at another location, like your desk drawer at work, so that when you need to use the credit card, you will have to think long and hard about doing it. As a last resort, take your cards and cut them in to pieces with scissors to make sure you won't use them again.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary -- Track your spending. Develop a budget for yourself Spend your tax refund wisely Sacrifice a small luxury (or three). Build an emergency cash fund. Don’t relax your spending habits because you've successfully paid off some debt. Keep the goal in mind.


There is a saying that goes, “Always be extra nice to your enemies. Nothing annoys them more.” Try to be as polite as possible in class, and don't take the bait if your teacher tries to get a rise out of you.  Eventually, this may wear them down and they'll start treating you like one of their favorites. And if not – well, it will really annoy them that you don't seem to be upset by them anymore. Pay special attention to the kids that the teacher treats best. Try to act like they do, and use the same tone of voice. If you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, ask yourself, “How would (your teacher's favorite) handle this? What would they probably say?” The number one pet peeve of most teachers is being ignored in class. Think how it would feel if you read a report in class, and the kids started talking to each other like you weren't there – no fun, right?  Pretend you're taking notes. Work on homework for a different class, write a poem or story, or make “to-do” lists. Avoid drawing or doodling, because most teachers can see that it isn't writing from across the room. If you're too shy to hand it to your teacher, leave it on their desk at the end of the day with a little note just saying the gift is from you and you hope they enjoy it.  If you get juice or a candy bar between classes, buy two and bring one to your teacher. Pay attention to which topics your teacher seems to be most excited about, then print out a funny or interesting article about it. Bake cookies or brownies, and wrap up a few little bundles of 2-3 cookies each. Hand them out to all your friends and teachers. This way it won't look like you specifically brought them to kiss up to your annoying teacher. If on assignment they give numbers 1-20 plus a bonus problem, always answer the bonus question. If your grades aren't the best, ask if you can do an additional project to improve your grade. Your teacher will be impressed by your initiative, and may treat you better as well. Although it's difficult to get past your own feelings sometimes, it's important to see if there is anything you can change. Are you late all the time? Do you forget to do your homework? Do you interrupt her when she is giving a lecture? Correct your behavior and your teacher will probably treat you better. If your teacher keeps calling on you and embarrassing you with difficult questions, try rephrasing the question before you answer it. She may not realize you don't understand the material – she might just think you haven't been doing the work.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary --
Kill them with kindness. Watch how other students interact with them. Always look like you're paying attention. Bring them a gift. Do extra credit. Don't do anything to make the situation worse. Rephrase confusing questions.