What if you set a goal to Live within your means?

We were over at a friend's house the other night and he said something that you don't hear very often.  He had gone to see our Bishop seeking for a little monetary assistance to help him over a hump.  He realized that instead of seeking more money, i.e. charity, if you will, he realized he should do the best to live with what he had.  He said, "I should live with what money I have".  Later, his comment hit me like a ton of bricks and I thought, what if all of us made that commitment to live within our means and do our best to make wise purchases and live a little simpler?

I know we set many goals from losing weight to stopping smoking to having a certain amount of money in the bank by a certain time.  What about setting a goal to Live within your means.  You could start with a week, move to two weeks, a month, and so forth.  Here are some benefits of living within your means:

• You learn how and keep a spending plan...and stick to it
• You become more diligent at keeping money in your pocket
• You make sure you pay your bills on time and avoid late fees
• You keep track of money that comes in and goes out
• You look for ways to acquire things cheaper, for example, getting movies from the library instead of renting them
•  You tend to be more conscious about money matters