[Seahawk]

First step on a monetary tracking/repair program?

The good news is you are on it.

Get to know your spending habits, down to a reasonable scale. What turns most people off is the grind of keeping up with where the money goes at a molecular accounting level, so they don't.

Track what is reasonable, then stack everything else in miscellaneous. Once you understand the big picture, get smart on miscellaneous. And don't beat yourself up. Do this by hand for a few months and keep every f'ing receipt.

Then, and only then, get whatever home financial software makes sense to you...and use it. Every two weeks sit down and enter the data...you have to.

I will tell you that eating out is the absolute biggest discretionary expense most people make and fail to capture...ok, other than interest on credit cards.

Speaking of CC's, Get three: One for you, one for your wife and one for emergency's. Spending habits leap off the statement.

I have wheel books in the two cars I use for the farm and my business. I track every mile I drive for tax purposes. What I have found over the years is that I waste trips, drive because it is easy (and cheap, sorta').

Lastly, divide you fixed and variable costs up. Set a goal for reducing both.

Sorry for the lecture, but the basics are golden.

Good luck. Packing a lunch doesn't mean you are not eating well.