Financial blog The Simple Dollar suggests using a visual reminder of your savings goals in order to keep up your motivation. Example: a simple graph with blocks that represent small fragments of your savings goal—each block equals money that you're actually putting in the kitty. Each time you are able to complete one of those small savings goals, you color in a new square; once you see those squares slowly filling up, you'll (hopefully) be more motivated to put even more in there. Do you visualize your savings goals? Share how and why in the comments.
Living frugally can be its own reward, but it's also fun to promise yourself incentives for implementing money saving practices into your life. Life improvement site Dumb Little Man reminds us that frugal does not have to equal miserable, and suggests that rewarding ourselves with little treats within the budget (of course) can have a direct effect on our continued efforts to live below our means.
Keep a running track of your bills by using index cards. Office productivity blog Web Worker Daily has more: Create a card for each bill, writing the name of the bill at the top. When you pay the bill, create an entry on the card. This way, you have a running log of all the bills you pay.Very low tech, but effective. You can also use these nifty The standard advice for the size of an emergency fund is enough money for three to six months of expenses; however, that's not necessarily an obtainable goal for many of us. Financial advice blog Wise Bread suggests that you aim for at least one month's worth of emergency money to cover your bare-bones expenses, and have it stashed where you can get to it quickly in case of an emergency. One month is the minimum—it's a good start on the road to the preferable three to six month fund. What tips do you have for those looking to build up an emergency money stash? Thoughts in the comments.

Track your spending via SMS, email, IM, or voice (via Financial blog Frugal for Life has a good suggestion for when your bank account is a bit stretched—clean out your car. When you drive around in a cluttered car it weighs on you, the 'stuff' sitting in there needing some place to go. I happened to clean my car yesterday and found that when I drive now, I am more relaxed knowing that I don't have to worry about the clutter, messes, and grime.This is more of a mental boost than anything else; the simple act of cleaning puts you in a more focused frame of mind to deal with your sparse checking account.

The stress of living paycheck-to-paycheck got you down? If your palms get sweaty every time you glance at your bills, web site The Motley Fool offers five smart tips for ending the madness. You're suffering from Paycheck-to-Paycheck Syndrome, a malady that can affect anyone -- regardless of income -- who regularly runs short of money in the bank. Associated symptoms include sleepless nights, high blood pressure, fits of guilt, and denial.The steps—evaluate and attack the illness, cure your denial, prevent future illness and relax—follow a basic but effective course of action. If you've been there, share your tips for how you got out of the paycheck-to-paycheck rut in the comments.
Track your financial progress year to year by calculating your net worth. About.com's guide to financial planning shows us how in just a few simple steps.
With this process, you're attempting to get a good approximation of how much assets and liabilities you have, quickly yet accurately. This net worth number can be a good way to figure out what is looking good, and what needs improvement.
How to Calculate Your Net Worth [Abo