I think a lot of people find themselves in a situation where they look at the small picture, in terms of their finances. What I mean by this, is that you think, oh, a $3.50 drink from Starbucks, it’s only $3.50! Well, do that 5 days a week for a year and you’re talking about close to $1,000 paid to Starbucks! Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy my Starbucks as much as the next guy, but I can also make a mean pot of folgers at home all by myself and keep the change. 
That said, you have to enjoy the simple pleasures in life (like a cup of coffee), but you also need to look closely at any habits, hobbies or unnecessary expenditures that you may have and make sure that you’re not buying yourself into a debt problem. What often happens is we live day to day and are constantly making mini purchases that in and of themselves don’t seem like much… But when you add them up, WHAMO!
If you find yourself in this type of situation and you truly don’t have a concept of where your money goes with each paycheck, I strongly recommend signing up for the free financial service available from www.mint.com. This service can link directly with your bank account and code all of your spending and let you know what percentage of each paycheck is going where. They have easy to read graphs and charts that make understanding your finances a breeze. There’s all sorts of other cool features where you can compare your spending to those around you geographically or in your same age range and on and on… It can provide you with a valuable insight into how you are spending your money and what you should do to change any bad habits you may have! Best of all, it’s free!
Every little bit does truly help. Especially when it comes to interest rates and loans. Every extra % of interest or every extra day that you are paying that interest will, over time, have a profound effect on your net worth and the money left in your pocket. The concept of compounding interest will show you just how quickly your savings (or interest due) can grow. Time and interest are two very important factors that will affect your wealth and overall financial health. Research and educate yourself on the true meaning of compounding interest so that you can better appreciate how this will effect you. Every little bit does help, so try to save more and spend less, and get away from high interest rate loans as quickly as you can.