Any time of year is a great time to finally sit down and get your financial house in order, but January in particular, is a time when many people finally do it. One of the first tips I offer people who are wanting to take control of their personal finances is to tell them that it’s crucial that you track your earning and spending, otherwise, how do you know if you are getting ahead or falling behind?

Personal finance is deeply personal, and everyone goes about it slightly differently but the key to those who succeed and get ahead is working out exactly where their money is. One of the first tips I offer people who email me is to track their financial activity. Only when you do this in some form or other can you make the right changes and start to understand where all of your money is going.