Saving money doesn’t have to be a numbers game; with proper planning and discipline, anyone can do it. Rather than putting off saving until you reach certain milestones, such as your next raise, make it a daily priority to secure your financial future. Follow these money-management tips in your everyday life to see how much money you can save.

Follow a budget

A budget is a tool that allows you to keep track of your spending so you can more effectively save. Creating a budget requires using the cash to determine how much you’re spending on any number of categories of your budget. You can use the budget to plan out your future spending as well to ensure that you will not overspend on anything in particular. Start by listing out all of your current bills, then categorize them into groups. You should include the expenses for groceries, utilities, transportation and any other necessary household bills. List out everything you spend money on — it’s very important to keep track of how much you are spending on specific items. Then you can work on an appropriate budget that will help you save money and get out of debt.

Avoid impulse purchases

If you’re not sure about buying something at the store or online, leave it for later. Research to make an informed purchasing decision and avoid buying things just because they’re on sale. Instead, take some time to think about your purchase and make it at a more opportune time. Shopping online can be a great way to avoid impulse purchases, but only if you use a password-protected account to keep your purchases private. Take advantage of cash back If you’re shopping online, go through the shopping cart or website process on the computer rather than swiping your credit card to complete your purchase.

Increase your earnings

There’s a reason you need to consistently earn more money. You can’t save if you don’t make more than the cost of living. The average household income in the U.S. is about $60,000. I don’t know anyone who can live on less than $60,000 a year. So how do you maximize your income? For one, consider looking for the best jobs with the most growth potential and educational advancement potential. In the long term, that will mean higher paychecks and the ability to save more. Consider learning a new skill, such as computer programming, web design, or photography. It could be worth it to work for companies that require continuing education, or even master a hobby like ballroom dancing. If you decide to be an entrepreneur, consider starting your own business where you can build your own niche.

Reduce your spending

The easiest way to save money is to eliminate your household expenses. This means eliminating the things you don’t use. Things like cable, restaurant meals, car payments, phone plans and more. When you decrease your financial footprint, you increase the amount of money you have to put into savings. Before you cut anything, consider whether you can save even more money by canceling a subscription. Most subscription services offer a grace period during which you can cancel without the worry of forfeiting the monthly fee. To reduce spending and maintain your budget, set up automated savings through your bank, credit union or online savings account. Most banks and credit unions allow you to set up recurring transfers from your checking to savings.

Develop a savings plan

If you want to save money, you’ve got to do some planning first. Instead of waiting until you have a certain number in your savings account, make a weekly or monthly budget for your expenses. List the necessities of life that you need to pay for–insurance premiums, car payments, rent, utilities and food. Use a website like Mint.com to input your expenses and create a budget that will allow you to stay within your income level. Set up recurring payments Create a recurring payment plan that will automatically transfer money from your checking account to your savings account every month. It’s as easy as setting up automatic bill payments to your bank. Just make sure you’ve budgeted for that payment each month and stick to it!

Keep track of where your money goes

It’s one of the most simple and rewarding ways to take control of your finances. Every day, take out a check register and write down your income and expenses. If you find that you’re spending more than you are bringing in, you can find ways to cut back on unnecessary spending. Create a realistic budget, determine how much you want to save each month and track the money that is spent, not to mention, tracked. By doing so, you will have a much better idea of where you stand in your financial situation. Make a budget A budget is a list of items, such as fixed expenses and variable expenses, that can be allocated to each pay period, typically 12 weeks long.

Get organized with spreadsheets and apps

Budgeting 101 may be easy enough to understand if you know how it’s supposed to work. But if you’re not sure exactly how much you earn and spend, or if you have trouble keeping track of your bills and payment due dates, it’s really difficult to know if you’re saving enough. It helps to have a daily plan of how much you want to save and how you’re going to do it, but if you want to cut down on unnecessary spending, you’ll need to be organized with your finances. You’ll need to do your research to find a reliable budgeting app that makes saving easy and allows you to track spending as well. You may need to do some trial and error to find the best one for your needs, but once you do, all of your money management woes will be a thing of the past.

Be mindful of what you spend and how much you earn

Saving money starts with being mindful of your spending habits. Figure out what you have already spent, and what you can save in an upcoming month. Track your income and see where you can make cuts. Set financial goals and stick to them by tracking your spending and saving consistently. Read the fine print This is important because many businesses have hidden fees that reduce your disposable income. Pay attention to things like “free shipping” and “rebates.” Track your expenses Accounting for every dollar spent is important. Budgeting can be a powerful tool for anyone’s financial planning. Start keeping a budget with simple dollar amounts by putting together a simple spreadsheet of your spending to make sure you stay in line with your goals.

Make the most of bonuses and raises

Most people do not utilize all the bonuses they receive each year. You can put these savings to work by setting up automatic deposits into your emergency fund, using the money for a new investment or paying down your debt. Remember to always pay off your credit cards first. Having credit card debt from Christmas and the holidays can get very expensive. Plan ahead It is hard to convince yourself that you won’t be able to pay off debt if you can’t yet when you are right in the middle of a bill. But by learning to plan ahead, you can save yourself some anxiety and distress. Consider setting up automatic payments for your credit cards in advance of when the bill is due and set up a monthly transfer to your savings account.

Find unexpected ways to save money

Whether it’s taking a walk instead of driving to work or grocery shopping at a new store you’ve never been to before, you can find small ways to save money without cutting back on other activities. You’ll still enjoy those activities, and saving money at the same time. Set up a money management app If you don’t already have one, you should consider downloading an app that is specifically designed for tracking and managing your money. Mint, for example, is a free app that helps you keep track of spending, creating budgets, finding ways to save, and tracking your retirement savings. Other budgeting apps you may find helpful include Digit, PocketGuard and Digitcil.