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maintain a spending journal of EVERY dollar you spend on ANYTHING and EVERYTHING.  Use a spreadsheet to record your spending habits and categorize your spending.  Among dozens of other possible categories, you may consider: food, restaurants, entertainment, credit cards, loans, car payments, care maintenance, gas, housing, utilities, academic costs, and many, MANY other categories.  Please understand that this list of categories is purposefully very incomplete and can only be expanded by YOU as you look at your individual spending habits.  (If you limit your personal spending journal to only these categories, it will be questioned how seriously you have invested in this activity.)