Like millions of other people, if you have trouble holding onto your hard-earned dollars, then we've got some excellent tips to help you stay in great financial shape. These days, it's all too common to hear or read about families who have gone overboard on their debts, be it with home loans, car loans or the worst -- credit cards. Trust me, it's no fun. The great part about it is that it can all be avoided with the right mind-frame and some determination.

A lot of it involves taking advantage of free money, but more so, it involves keeping as much money as possible. So without further adieu, here are our top ten tips for success with personal finance.

1. Create A Budget and don't budge. Using whatever method comes naturally to you (computer, pen and paper, whiteboard, etc.), sit down and figure out how much you make versus how much you spend. Trim back where necessary, leave yourself some spending cash but maximize how much you put into savings. You'll be happy you did.
2. Set Savings Goals that are realistic, but large enough to matter. Even if you have to work harder to reach them, it's important to set money aside. In fact, you should have a minimum of three month's worth of income in your savings for emergencies alone, preferably more. On top of that, you should be saving for fun things like vacations, shopping, sports events, etc. So take fifteen minutes and figure out a decent savings goal for yourself.
3. Pay Yourself First before you pay bills or anything of that nature, make it a point to take at least 10% of your income and move it to your savings. It's good to remember that the real point of working so hard is to make life easier.
4. Take Advantage of your employer-sponsored retirement plan. Be it a 401(k) or otherwise, ask your employer (usually the human resources department) to give you more information on the subject. It's free money, so why wouldn't you take advantage?
5. Keep Track of where your finances go. If that means keeping a spending journal, so be it. Log your expenditures for a month or more to help you come up with the aforementioned budget. You might be surprised at what you find and where you can cut back to save.
6. Pay On Time and you can save a lot of money. Late payments might be a few dollars here and a few dollars there, but they add up and can lead to hundreds (if not more) in lost dollars per year that could be spent (or saved, preferably) elsewhere. Plus, late payments on things like credit cards and mortgage payments lead to a lower credit score. Use Bill Manager to remind you of upcoming payments through e-mail. That way, you'll never pay late again.
7. Ignore Peer Pressure from those around you. Just because someone else is buying the latest and greatest thing, does not mean you should -- at least not yet. Wait until you reach your savings goals, then you should treat yourself to buying something worthwhile.
8. Shop Around for excellent credit card rates. Using a site like CreditCards.com, you can easily find the best credit card package for you. Remember, the lower the better.
9. Pay Off Credit Cards with higher interest rates first. If you can't afford to pay all of your credit cards with one payment, pay the minimum on those cards with a lower interest rate and make the bigger payment on those cards with the highest interest rates. This will save you more money.
10. Never Carry A Balance on your credit cards. You should never spend more with your credit card than you can pay off within thirty days. If you can manage this, there are credit card deals out there that will reward you points for money you would have spent anyway. These points can be redeemed for travel, gifts and cash rewards, but only if you're responsible with your payments.

In conclusion, it all comes down to your own desire to keep money where it belongs -- in your wallet (or purse). If you're smart, you can even make your money grow. Remember -- the more you save, the more you'll earn in interest. Keep that in mind the next time you're setting up your budget.