Just as physical exercise is essential in order to live a long, healthy life, exercising financial restraint will do wonders for your economic situation. While not easy, avoiding impulse buying, saving up your money until you are able to purchase something that you would like to buy instead of buying it on credit, or simply being content without something are all key steps to financial security.

Do you want to learn how to control your spending? Learn not to rely on your "plastic". Don't carry your debit cards and destroy your credit cards. Choose to pay for items with cash instead.

When you have to hand over cold hard cash for something, you will most likely to take your time before deciding if you are really willing to go ahead with the purchase.

Learn to budget you money well. You may find it helpful to label different envelopes with what the money placed there will be used for. Some of the categories could be food, gasoline, the house payment, etc. You may also have an envelope for things you would like to buy. Exercise self control and don't buy the item until you have saved up enough money in the envelope.

Some people have found it helpful to create a specified period of time that they will wait before buying something. This period of time may vary from one to several days, with the longer period of time being preferable. Once the waiting period has been completed, you have enough money to buy the item, and you are still convinced you need it, buy it.

It is also a good idea to be accountable to someone, in most cases your marriage partner, although others prefer not to discuss financial matters with their mate . Don't hold anything back from this person. Give them detailed information about your economic situation. You need to be able to contact this person at any time knowing that they will be there to support you. In the moment that you feel like you are going to make an impulse buy, call them for some moral support.

The most important step is learning to avoid impulse buying so that you can carefully plan your purchases. This is the best way to be in a position to plan your financial future and how you will achieve your goals. Once you have developed financial restraint, you will be able to avoid buying things that don't fit into your plan.

Saying no will become part of your regular vocabulary. And with the right support you will be able to develop this amazing characteristic in no time flat.