Your budget may be small but your decorating ideas don’t have to be! Colorful accents breathe life into neutral furnishings in the living room. So adding a colorful throw pillow can bring life back into that outdated sofa — and for a few dollars, decorating a living room can be easy on the budget.

Small decorating projects can freshen up your home and be easy on your pocket. Rather than spending a small fortune on expensive wallpaper, consider a DIY project with paint and a pretty stencil. Wall Stencils for painting is a great alternative to wallpaper. You can customize your DIY stencil projects with your favorite combination of paint colors and patterns — all for a fraction of the price of expensive wallpaper!

Ever think about collecting? It only takes a few items to showcase and start a collection. Start with a handful of extraordinary originals or find less expensive replicas, then display your prized items on a shelf.

Check your local Estate Sales. Most local papers or online classified list current estate sales. You can view pictures and descriptions of estate sales in your area.

Here’s one of the writer’s favorites — turn a closet into a simple craft “room”  or home office by covering the doors with pegboard and sliding a desk or table in the space.

From simple room accents that transform your space on a budget without completing a full-scale remodel to painting a wall, giving your home a fresh look without breaking the bank does work! If you want to tackle bigger DIY projects, rethink your kitchen with remodeling ideas you can complete yourself.

One of the first lessons of money management our parents taught us was to save for a rainy day. Life throws financial curve balls and it’s not IF, but rather when.  If we’re not prepared for that strike from left field, the happy life we worked so hard to build, will be ripped to shreds. Not being able to sustain your lifestyle and pay your bills can be devastating! When going to the mailbox or managing your email becomes a tragic event, you have to get creative and pull yourself out of the hole you fell into. Asking yourself why didn’t you listen to your mother and head her advice to sock something away every payday into a “Rainy Day Fund,” will do absolutely nothing to get you out of your financial mess. If you ask this question and learn a financial lesson, then maybe you can grow from the ordeal.

What exactly is a “rainy day?” The term is used when regular income is disrupted. A rainy day or rainy day fund is a reserved amount of money to be used in times when regular income is disrupted or decreased in order for typical household expense to continue. A rainy day fund is referred to by financial experts as an “emergency fund.” So, how much should we save? Financial experts recommend that you should have “between three and nine” months of expenses saved in an emergency fund.  For example, if you need $2,000 a month to live, there’s a big difference between saving $6,000 and $18,000. So what you should save is dependent on how comfortable your living expense is. Personal finance guru Suze Orman advises an eight-month emergency fund because that’s about how long it takes the average person to find a job.

Having an emergency fund aka “rainy day fund” will keep you above water the next time you face an unexpected expense or job loss. Its most important purpose is to give you a lifeline and financial rescue in the event you lose your primary source of income. Remember, you’ll need an emergency fund that will see you through the worst possible situation. If you’re just starting out, you’re not alone—many Americans don’t have an extra $400 saved.  Saving money every payday means sacrifice. You don’t always need to go out for lunch at work. Try eating a healthy lunch brought from home and stash the lunch money in your slush fund. Before you know it,  that  five dollar lunch ends up being a whopping $720 at the end of the year!

Saving money will become a best practice financial habit.   If you’re in your thirties, your main financial goals might be buying a home and saving for your kids’ education, but don’t neglect to build up an emergency fund.   In order to save money means buying only those things which are necessary. Knowing you have a few dollars tucked away for a rainy day, will help you sleep well at night!

Borrowing responsibly means borrowing only what you need. Although it’s tempting to add a few hundred to the principal, remember that extra amount will end up costing you a great deal more at the end of the loan period. Adding more interest to the principal can definitely keep you chained to the loan and seem like you will never see that final payment.

Remember when you take out a loan either for personal or business expense here are 6 tips for being a responsible borrower.

1. Start with a plan. Being a responsible borrower often begins before you ever go to a financial institution for a loan.
2. Use a loan calculator. There are plenty of free loan calculators out there. They can help you see how much the loan will cost you overall as well as give you an estimate of monthly, weekly, or daily payments.
3. Know your debt-to-income ratio. This is your annual income to the debt you hold.
4. Give yourself a financial cushion. Giving yourself some wiggle room will help when an unexpected expense comes along.  Aim for at least 3 times of your monthly expenses, keeping in mind, this amount may not give you the required comfort.
5. Borrow only when you need to. This is probably the most important tip. Only borrow what you need to satisfy the expense. You’ll be happy when you receive the paid in full note!
6. Make your payments on time. Last, but not least, be sure to pay your loan payments on time. Depending on the type of loan you have, the length of time your payment is late determines the late fee.  Some lending companies may even increase your APR as a penalty for making even a single late payment!

If you have to borrow, keeping these six tips in mind will help you manage the added debt.

Sticking to a budget is hard and being realistic about your budget is even harder.

Be Realistic About Your Budget

The first step when creating your budget is to identify the amount of money you have coming in. Keeping an accurate account of all your money sources is important. Be sure to subtract your deductions for Social Security, taxes, 401(k) and any other spending account allocations that are deducted from your pay. Your final take-home pay or net income is the number to use when creating your budget.

Differentiate Between “Needs” And “Wants” 

The next step is tracking and listing your expenses. Begin by listing all your regular or fixed monthly bills such as rent or mortgage, utilities, and car payments. These expenses are your must haves or “needs.”  Next account for your variable expenses or “wants.”  These expenses may change from month to months such as groceries, gas, and entertainment. This is an area where you might find some wiggle room to cut back.

Include A Miscellaneous Category

Experts say five percent of your spendable income (the net left over from after your fixed expense) should be applied to the miscellaneous category.  This category requires a great deal of self-control. You need to spend wisely and not allow yourself to cheat.

Include Savings As An “Expense” 

Small savings can add up to a lot of money, so don’t overlook the little stuff. You might be surprised at how much extra money you accumulate by making one minor adjustment at a time. Keep All Of Your Bills and Receipts Organized.

Are you having some trouble paying your bills? Stretching the budget every month has become an art form and barely being able to make ends meet has become the norm in this economy. So what do you do? For most of us, finding a second job is the last resort, but when faced with this decision and starting your search, you need to be flexible with yourself.

Keep in mind the reason for the second job. Having a part-time job is a good way to supplement your income to pay off debt,  or even come up with a little extra spending money. It’s a good idea to set a time frame and ask yourself, how long do I need to work this job to get back on financial track. Having an end date to work toward can give you that extra boost when you’re feeling discouraged.

Here a few easy steps to finding that extra side job:

1. Narrow your search. Clearly defining your parameters can be incredibly helpful when looking for second jobs. By carefully the keywords, like “weekend” “evening” “freelance” “telecommute” and “part-time” really narrows the field.
2. Look for online jobs where you can work from home and supplement your income. Freelance marketplace sites are a good way to generate some extra cash.
3. Finally, if you’re looking for a second job in a restaurant or local store, going in person with a resume and a professional demeanor might be a successful way to get the job. Be sure to pick a slow time in the day so you can speak to someone in charge.

The best part of finding a second job is the opportunity to build your network. You never know where your potential coworker will be in a few years.