I would assume most people know how much they make every year, but I would also assume too many people don't know how much they spend every year. If you don't know how much you spend, it's easy to spend more than you make and dig yourself deeper into debt every month.

So if you want to have money left over or better yet get rich, and you currently scratch your head at the end of each month wondering where all your money went, here is a plan of attack that could work for you. Start tracking your spending. Whether you pay by cash, check, credit card, or debit card, keep track of everything you spend. Just think, you can't manage what you don't measure, so track your spending.

You can track your spending on paper, but you can also use a money management program on your computer such as Quicken or an ordinary spreadsheet to help you along your journey to wealth and prosperity.

Tracking your spending can seem like a hassle if you're not use to doing it but ask yourself this question: If the way I am currently running my finances is not making me wealthy and I don't do anything different, what are the chances that next year I will somehow get rich? The answer is: If you continue to do the same things you are currently doing, you will end up continuing to get the same results.

When you start making and keeping more money, hire someone to keep track of your spending. So the quicker you start keeping and making more money, the quicker you can hire someone to help. If tracking your income and expenses sounds troublesome, remember that you have to track your income and expenses for tax purposes anyway, so you might as well use this information to plan for your financial future at the same time. So I encourage you to make tracking your spending part of your routine.