Where to Start

Save as much as you can even if you can't. Take a small amount of anything you bring in and save it for later. Pretend that it doesn't exist. As time passes, the small amounts you put away will build.

Don't spend unnecessarily. If there are two products that do the same thing, look at the more expensive one to see if the increase in price is worth the increase in quality or function. Maybe it is and you are getting a good deal. Maybe you can get adequate use out of the cheaper one. Maybe you don't need either one and can put that money in your savings.

Sell when you can. Look for opportunities to make an honest buck. Do you have the free time to work a second job, even occasionally? Do you make crafts you can sell? Can you teach, maybe in the community education part of your local community college? If it is not too much of a burden, see of you can do things to make extra money and earn more respect from the community. It will be far more entertaining than watching television.

Insurance is king! When you can afford it, make sure you have good insurance. The purpose of insurance is to prevent catastrophes from being worse than they have to be. Even if you have an old beater car, try to get full coverage so you can replace the beater if someone with no insurance totals it. Medical insurance is absolutely necessary if you ever want to have savings. Homeowner's or renter's insurance will replace all your crap in case of fire, tornado, or theft (but not flooding, that separate). Umbrella coverage covers you when some simpleton spills his hot coffee on himself and then sues you for it.

Learn all you can! There are many great resources to help you learn about personal finance. There are free websites, some of them from the government. You can take classes. Check your local bookstores (or the library is cheaper) to find books on the subject. Knowledge is power and it is the best way to build your way to the most wealth you can build.