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WANNA STOP SPENDING TOO MUCH? PUT AWAY THE PLASTIC

Buying items at the grocery store that aren't on your list or the $10 impulse toy your kid wanted at Target; taking your third trip to the drive-through restaurant this week because you forgot to bring your lunch to work; squeezing in that extra movie outing — all are seemingly harmless things that can add up to a lot of money spent in a very short time! Here's how to take control of these money drainers:

• MAKE A BUDGET -- Along with budgeting for big stuff like your mortgage, you should include a clothing fund, a grocery fund, a fund for eating out and an entertainment fund for movies or golf or whatever you enjoy. If you can afford it, you should also have a blow fund for money that you just spend because you want to. When you first do a budget, be sure to set aside more for groceries than you think you spend. No one really knows how much they spend on groceries until they start living on a budget. By the end of the first three months, you'll have a more accurate budget.

• PAY CASH -- Debit cards are great, but there's something about using cash that hurts. When you walk around with an Uncle Benjamin in your pocket, it's hard to put him up for adoption. A report shows that credit card users spend 12 to 18 percent more when using credit instead of cash — because spending cash hurts. When you spend cash, you spend less.

• USE ENVELOPES -- To help you stay on your budget, use an envelope system. Have an envelope for groceries, eating out, entertainment, clothing, blow money and anything else for which you pay cash. Put the amount of cash you budgeted for each category in the corresponding envelope. When you've spent all the money in the envelope STOP SPENDING!

• STICK TO IT -- A budget doesn't tell you what you can do; it's you telling your money where it should go. If you do a written budget every month and stick to it, then you CAN beat the budget busters.

Many money saving tips on that trip to the gocery store

Holy Carp . . mine were LOADED! My wife noticed that our gutters weer full of water. So I got up on the roof, and I was blown away by the debris and helicopter seeds that had filled them to the brim. I had mounds of soil and branches etc. The downspouts were clogged. I recommend you get yours checked soon with all the rain we've had and will have, you could end up with some big problems.

The dollar isn't doing so good, so make it work for you.

Want to send your daughter to cool summer camps at the College of Saint Mary's?   . . .read on