I was recently looking at my pathetic bank account balance and wondered where all my money had gone. A quick glance around my apartment confirmed what I knew to be true—I had spent a great deal of money on items I had sworn were vital to my continuance on this beautiful planet. In my defense, I was overdue for a Vegas vacation, that concert really was a once-in-a-lifetime event and someday, that action figure will be a collectible.

In my moment of self-disapproval, I realized I need to rein in my spending. I understand the irony of taking advice from someone who openly admits to having terrible saving habits, but I have already learned much about frugality and cutting back. I encourage you to take my deplorable story and use it to your advantage. To get started, I have compiled a list of tips to help on your wonderful journey into savings this year.

Learn to Cook

According to the National Restaurant Association, fast-food chains in the U.S. alone made $174 billion in sales last year. It isn’t surprising considering how frequently many of us visit such restaurants. Research firm Technomic reported 48 percent of those polled admitted to dining out at fast-food restaurants at least once a week last year. Pocket those profits by bringing your own lunch to school or work. Brown-bagging may not be the “cool” thing to do, but being broke isn’t much fun either.

This isn’t your momma’s kitchen anymore. Learning the basics will go a long way when it comes to preparing meals at home. Cooking for one? Make extra portions and save leftovers for lunches during the week. If you don’t have much of a kitchen, a simple rice cooker is all you need. Food.com has an extensive list of rice cooker recipes that aren’t limited to just rice. Be creative and have fun with it.

Do-It-Yourself

Knowing how to change a tire is worth more than impressing your date. Repairs to not only your car, but just about anything can be costly. Skip unnecessary expenses by becoming your own handyman (or woman). Investing in a basic tool set is a good way to start. Remember, the Internet is a vast expanse of how-to knowledge, and YouTube will often be your best friend. Repurposing old items is another great way to cut costs. Furniture is expensive, but with a little paint, someone’s junk can be your treasure. Check your local thrift store for decent quality items at a fraction of the original price. Many stores even have sales periodically and offer discounts with a student or military I.D. Craigslist is another great way to find local items. As always, however, use caution when responding to such advertisements.

Don’t Keep a Credit Card Balance

This is one thing I cannot stress enough. Having a credit card is important for building your credit, but not paying off the entire balance each and every month leaves you vulnerable to staggering interest rates. That is, after all, how the companies make much of their profit. The $1,000 limit can be tempting, but resisting the urge to hit your maximum will be beneficial in the long run. By putting only essential purchases on your card and staying within your budget, you can build your credit score while staying out of debt. Paying your bill fully and on time will prove your financial responsibility to potential lenders.

Stick to Your Budget

The last, and arguably most, important trick to saving money is creating a manageable budget. You can decide how much to save or spend on recreational stuff once you list all your expenses and compare them with your earnings. Mint is a free bookkeeping website that lets users input all of their financial data and then organizes and tracks it with graphs and spreadsheets. It also allows users to create and manage a savings plan, so they know just how much they need to save for big purchases.

Breaking free of the spend-all lifestyle doesn’t have to be painful. Cutting back on small and unnecessary purchases is a great way to start living frugally, while maintaining a normal way of life. Sometimes it can even be fun. I like to think of saving as a game, and when I win at the end of each month I get the added bonus of seeing my savings come back to life. A little conscious effort and a bit of practice is all you need to get started. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go make an eBay listing for that action figure.