One of the main reasons many of us fall into debt, or simply struggle with our finances on a monthly basis, is because of our temptation to buy things we don’t actually need.

By buying things we don’t need, we are spending money we could be using elsewhere - to save, for example, or to repay debts.

So what steps could you take to cut back on your non-essential expenditure and save yourself money?

Take a look at your expenditure
First of all, take a look at everything you spend in a month (look at your bank statement). Write every last expense down and analyse the list you have created.

If you don’t have a bank statement handy, you will need to track your spending for a month before you can do this by writing down everything you spend (in fact, it’s a good idea to do this as well - every cost counts, even if it’s just 50p on a drink).

When you have your list, put a tick next to anything you deem to be ‘necessary/essential’ - mortgage/rent payments for example, or utility bills. Then put a cross next to everything you could live without - gym memberships, for example, subscriptions and takeaway food.

You should now write down the expenses you’ve ticked on one piece of paper, and the expenses you’ve crossed on a different piece of paper. Add both of them up, and figure out the difference between them - you’ll probably be surprised.

It should be easier to cut back on your non-essential expenditure when you know exactly how much it is costing you each month.

Of course, we all like to treat ourselves every now and again, so the odd non-essential expense should be ok!

Seek professional debt help
If you find that even when you cut back on your non-essential expenditure, you are still struggling with your finances/debts, you should seek professional debt help. The right debt adviser should be able to offer you the help you need to get your finances back on track.