Look for ways of saving money on expenses and eliminating non-essential expenses (entertainment, cable, cigarettes, shopping).
Make the budget a family project. Everyone must be involved in order for it to work.
Deposit part of your income into a savings account to meet emergency expenses.
Make your spending habits consistent. Large expenses should be pro-rated over a period of time.
No more than 25% of your monthly income should go towards installment debt – credit cards, loans, car payments, etc.