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Have you ever encountered a problem or challenge that seemed so great you didn’t even know where to begin? You found yourself frozen – so intimidated that you didn’t take any action at all, avoiding or denying the problem. When a problem seems unsurmountable, we’re more likely to feel overwhelmed and less likely to take steps toward a solution.

For many of us, our finances present one of these “insurmountable problems.” Whether we’re facing college debt, major credit card bills or the daunting task of planning for retirement, we may feel like we’re in over our heads. We feel that since there is no solution in sight and anything we do will not make much of an impact. We then decide that we might as well have some fun with our money rather than worry or embark on a futile effort.

But what if the problem was not so great? What if you were asked to climb a small hill, rather than scale a mountain? Recently I’ve come across a number of little tricks that people are using every day to make sure that their improved financial future starts NOW.

Here are a few simple things you can do, no matter how much you earn and how much you owe, to get started today:

• Save money from every paycheck. Whether it’s 50% of what you make or $5, putting money away each pay period will make you not only feel like you are making progress, but will add up little by little.
• Round up when you pay your bills. For example, if your car payment is $190/month, think of it as $200 and deposit the extra $10 in your bank account.
• Save your change. Yes, this is something we’ve been doing since the days of piggy banks and pig tails, but that extra change can certainly come in handy, especially since it’s savings that accumulates while most of us forget about it.
• Bring your lunch to work every day. Think about the savings here! Even if you spend only $10 each day on lunch, that adds up to $50 each week and an average of $200 a month. Compare that with the cost to buy some items to make sandwiches each day and you’ve found a great way to add to your bank account.
• Avoid impulse purchases. Too often we rationalize the purchase of things we don’t need by saying “it’s only a few bucks.” Whether it’s coffee, gum, or anything else you might see while waiting in the checkout line, let’s say that the average person wastes about $3 a day. Over the course of a 365 day year, that adds up to more than $1,000 with nothing left to show for it.

This is not to say that everything you do should be governed by your financial situation or that you cannot have any fun. However keeping these tips in the back of your mind might guide you as you chip away at the seemingly insurmountable financial challenges you’re facing.

These are just a few examples of steps you can take each day to work toward your goals and solve your financial woes, without changing your overall lifestyle. I’m sure there are many other suggestions along these lines and I’d love to hear about them. So, in exchange for these tips I’ve provided, please leave any tips you use or have heard about in our comments section!

Investor Term of the Day: Monetary Reserve
A government&8217;s stockpile of foreign currency and precious metals. Monetary reserves are useful both for settling transactions involving foreign counterparties and for undertaking trading in foreign exchange and commodity markets. In general, the larger the monetary reserve, the better the country is able to engage in trasactions with foreign countries. 22Dollars.com - Financial Investment Commentary
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