In these tough financial times, it is imperative that we all tighten our belts and reduce our spending.
For those who are accustomed to using credit cards and have found themselves in a cycle of running the card balances up month after month, it can be difficult to break the habit.
Here are five tips for getting past the credit card spending cycle and back on the cash only bandwagon:

1. Close all credit accounts except one.
   Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost anywhere, so it really isn't necessary to have gas cards and retail store cards too.
   Most retail cards charge outrageous interest rates too.
   It's just not worth it.
   
2. Call the bank and reduce your credit limit to something manageable.
   In this economy many banks are doing this without their customer's consent anyway, but in case you haven't been affected by it yet, get it reduced.
   If you don't have the credit available, you can't be tempted to spend it.
   
3. Leave the card at home.
   If you don't have it in your wallet, you can't use it to buy those cute new shoes or impromptu restaurant meal.
   
4. Use a debit card instead.
   Debit cards have the Visa or Mastercard logo in most cases and can be used anywhere that takes credit cards.
   Of course, the cash must be immediately available in your account at the time of purchase, but it's more convenient than carrying cash.
   
5. Use cash.
   Not very convenient, but for some people spending cash is much more difficult psychologically than using credit cards or even debit cards and they end up spending much less.
   

The bottom line is that credit cards are a dangerous temptation for many people.
The possibility of overspending and getting into financial trouble is increased greatly by regular use of credit.
If you find yourself in a situation where credit card debt is starting to be difficult to manage, try these tips to help get yourself back on track.