After months, and even years of working to pay down debts and not spending money on much else, a family can start to tire of the discipline required to stay on track month after month with no splurging or spending on "fun" things. Some families get used to the minimalist lifestyle without much effort, while other families constantly struggle under the strain of watching every dollar so carefully.

For many people, it's similar to trying to stay on a diet. Depriving oneself of favorite foods eventually can lead to binging. Eating one, seemingly innocent potato chip, can lead to eating an entire bag. The same thing can happen with spending deprivation. Every marketing channel around us, from TV to the Internet, is screaming for us to spend money. It's not easy to avoid the temptations for long. Many individuals and families destroy months of successful financial management and debt reduction with a few days or weeks of uncontrolled spending and borrowing on credit.

To avoid the temptation of falling off of the proverbial "debt management wagon," give yourself permission to spend on some enjoyment for you and your family on a planned, regular basis. Maybe once a month or every few months as a reward for your
hard work. This spending would be planned and affordable and you would be in control of the expenses, but, let it be something fun. It does not have to be something expensive or big. It can be a simple movie rental or trip to the movie theater. Maybe a nice meal out? A car ride without worrying about the cost of fuel might be all the family needs. Something to help let off some steam and relax a bit while you celebrate your progress.

The effort to reduce the feelings of, "always doing without," is as important as the work you do week after week to balance your family budget to keep up with paying your bills. Plan to spend some time and money to reduce that feeling of doing without and your chances or staying on your debt management plan to completion will be greatly enhanced.
 

Take Action!  

You may have aced Intermediate Accounting, but you didn't count on getting lost on the way to your first big job interview. So you arrived late and flustered, chugged a restorative cup of coffee in the reception area, and then offered your interviewer a sweaty handshake.

Those simple mistakes may have cost you the job, according to Patricia D. Sadar, a 20-year veteran of Human Resources Management and author of Congratulations...You Aced the Interview and Congratulations...You're Hired (www.congratsbooks.com).

"Students and parents alike spend their valuable time and hard-earned money to get into the right school and earn their college degree," said Sadar, an adjunct professor at Florida International University.  "It seems as though they forget the big picture - landing the job." 

That's an even greater challenge in today's market, which can be especially hard to crack for young workers. Sixty percent of recent college graduates do not have full-time jobs in their fields of study, according to a CNN Money report. 

Sadar's CliffNotes-style book answers questions, breaks through myths, and offers a checklist of strategies and a road map to travel the simplest, fastest, and most direct route for students to land the job of their dreams. Some tips include:

Tailor your resume to the job: Recruiters often simply scan resumes, so be sure the experience and skills being sought are easy to spot, and the same information is repeated in your cover letter. Include a professional summary, competencies, strengths and accomplishments all focused on the position for which you're applying.

Prepare for the interview - what you do before, during and after counts: Know how to get there and allow extra time so you don't arrive late. Don't use strong cologne or tobacco products, and don't drink coffee beforehand, all of which can be smelly turn-offs. Do pop a breath mint - not chewing gum, which has no place in an interview. If your palms are sweaty, wipe your hand discreetly before giving a firm handshake. Follow up with a thank-you note to the interviewer within 24 hours.

Be truthful when asked about weaknesses: People often avoid these questions or answer by presenting what they consider to be strength as a weakness, such as "I'm a workaholic" or "I'm a perfectionist." The  interviewer wants to know if you can recognize your weaknesses and how you're working on them, or whether you can admit mistakes and learn from them. Be prepared to honestly discuss one weakness and one past mistake.

Ask questions, but not about salary, benefits, sick or vacation time: Go prepared to ask three to five questions about the company, the department or the position. You might ask the interviewer to describe the ideal candidate for the job, what he or she most enjoys about working for the company, or what the company's biggest challenges will be in the coming year.

Remember, mealtime interviews are not about the food: Order a conservatively priced meal that doesn't have a strong smell and that you can eat without making a mess. Don't order an alcoholic beverage, even if your interviewer does, and mind your table manners.

Be courteous to everyone you meet, from the parking lot to the restroom: Don't underestimate the importance of parking attendants, receptionists and security guards, who often have influence with decision-makers.  The person in the elevator or at the lavatory could be the CEO or a potential future boss.