One way to really change your spending is to stop using your credit cards. Is that realistic? Not for many of us! One way I found to minimize my credit card spending is to come up with a weekly amount I want to put on my credit cards. I literally keep a POST-IT piece of paper on my credit card in my wallet. Every time I use it for that week, I write the amount I spent. I just use the pen that I used to sign my name. This way, I can quickly tally up what I spent that week.
For example: $23 at drug store, $50 at grocery store, $45 at GAP Kids. I can quickly tally that I spent $118 for the week so far. I am still under my $200 for the week and can still afford to go out to dinner for $80. Not bad!