: If you’re only checking your budget once or twice a year, you need to up your finance game. Take a year-round approach with these seasonal tips.

You may have the best of intentions, but sometimes when you go into a store to buy just one thing, you come out carrying three bags. Everyone spends a little too much now and again, but cutting back is easier than you think — you just need to be aware of when you’re spending too much.

Meticulously counting each dollar you spend gets old in a hurry, but keeping track of them as they leave your pocket is still the best way to monitor your cash flow. Good news is, you no longer have to do all that counting manually. Budgeting software takes all the legwork out of keeping track of your money, and Quicken is your best option. Here’s how you can use it to keep your money in check.

A savings account is a safeguard against unexpected expenses — after all, emergencies never strike when it’s convenient. If you’ve used up all of your savings, rebuilding your financial safety net as soon as possible is an important priority. Katie Ross, education and development manager for American Consumer Credit Counseling at ConsumerCredit.com, suggests using a five-point plan to get your savings back in shape.

The fastest way to save up for a new car is to first reduce the amount you’ll have to save. Putting 20 percent down on a new car has been the golden rule for years, but you can scale down the amount necessary for the down payment on a car in just a few ways.