Saving money is a task we could all improve on. After the bills have been paid, many people find themselves rewarding their hard work at the office with weekend getaways, dinners out, new gadgets and countless other forms of entertainment. The truth is, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this! But, saving and spending should be a game of balance, and the these tips will get you off to a great start:

• Set up an automatic weekly account transfer from your checking to savings account. This way, you’ll be forced to save.

• Keep a budget: With the advent of online banking, many of us forgo those Excel sheets that let us see our financial state for what it truly is.

• When you go grocery shopping, go with a list. How many of us have gone in empty-handed and come out with more than we wanted to?

• If you’re tempted to make an impulse purchase, give yourself 24 hours to think it over. Chances are, that LCD TV won’t be as tempting when you’re not staring straight at it.

• Keep a separate savings account for long-term financial goals or rainy days ... and don’t touch it.

• Don’t always turn to your credit cards. If you see your cash disappearing and find yourself making frequent ATM-run’s, you’ll definitely pick up on your spending habits.

• Make short-term goals: For instance, set a limit each week of what you can spend and don’t go beyond that figure.

Though these bits of advice will give you a sunnier financial situation, it’s inevitable that we all run into sticky money scenarios at times. Star Reviews describes how paycheck advance services are a viable resource when all else fails. If your bills are due and you simply don’t have the funds, sites like PayDay OK can distribute cash into your accounts next-day if you’re approved. Though there are fees involved and you really shouldn’t get used to them, payday loans are a means to prevent late payments and interest on outstanding balances and bills.