The Steps

• Leave my credit card at home.
• Set a budget for myself and mark off as bills are paid, groceries are paid, etc. 
• Always maintain a minimum of $100 in my checking account for emergencies, peace of mind, and to cover bills that inevitably will withdraw earlier than expected.
• If there is any extra money for splurging on experiences, take the money out in cash and keep it in my wallet. Physically seeing my money and seeing what I'm limited to will hopefully keep me from blindly charging away.
• Recycle items for extra change. 
• Unsubscribe from all retail email lists and text messages: Groupon, stores, and online retailers. No constant reminders of sales and pretty things equals no temptation!
• Stay off Facebook as much as possible.
• Give my apartment a complete clean. Make boxes for donation, keep, sell, memories (try to limit this box, however hard it might me). De-clutter each room and storage space. 
• Cut and collect newspaper coupons. Load coupons onto Safeway card.  I've been doing this for the past year and I've found it's absolutely been worth my time.
• Keep a jar chronicling quick snippets of memories in 2014. This way, if I can hold myself to my rules and truly save and relieve myself of my debt, I can look back and see that truly good, fun things did happen in 2014.
• Don't over schedule my weekends. Refrain from writing to-do lists on the weekend.
• Practice mindfulness.
• Keep a log of items that I am considering purchasing (outside of groceries). Assess what is a "Want" and what is a "Need."  Toss out the wants or come up with creative alternatives until they become true needs. Then assess those needs once more--is there a creative way to make the cost of buying this need less harsh on my wallet? 
• Use coupons/discounts
• Buy used/second hand
• If applicable and cost effective, make it myself
• If applicable, borrow from family or a friend