My Goals and Tools

Photo by: jaredpazky

To ensure that I am walking down the path to financial security I set down the goals I wish to achieve and the tools I use that will help me achieve my goals.

My Financial Goals
Without looking too far ahead, maybe at the end of 2 years I should be able to:

1. Get out of Debt - this is what i believe to be the first step to financial freedom, with debt out of the way i can redirect my resources for saving for the future.
2. Put up an Emergency Fund - knowing that life is full of surprises, I'd like to be at least ready for the worst of it.

My Financial Tools

1. Budget - my "shopping list" to aid my spending per paycheck!
2. Spreadsheet for monitoring Budget - what's the use of the budget if you don't know if you follow it, or how would you know if adjustments are needed if you can remember what you actually spent your money on - i prefer using a plain-old spreadsheet rather than the other specialized software, here's why = the good and bad of microsoft money and quicken and why i usually point people towards a spreadsheet instead (@the simple dollar)
3. Bank - where my cash will be kept out of my spending hands!!

These are my goals and tools, care to share yours in the comments? thanks in advance! :)