Spending out of control? These 3 tricks will help you rein it in

If accounting for every penny feels like cruel and unusual punishment, here’s how to keep tabs on your spending without tearing your hair out.

Years ago, a friend was alarmed to discover $2,000 missing from her bank account. She couldn’t imagine how someone had managed to steal from her—until she had the dawning realization that she was that someone. Over the course of a very stressful six-week period, she had blown two grand in dribs and drabs, never shelling out more than $45 at a time.