According to Self magazine, most women spend about three hours per
month managing their money-but they then spend four hours worrying
about it.

Here are a few ways to start managing your money and take control. You
don't always have to make a big cutback to do well with your money.
All it takes sometimes is a smart decision.

1. Don't lend your money to others without a specific, legal agreement
for getting paid back. You can go to www.legaldepot.com for help with
drawing up a promissory note.

2. If you're hard up for cash, do a big clean. People are often amazed
to find that some of the old things they've been dragging around with
them are now worth money. And in today's world, you can log them on
e-Bay and sell them quickly for some cold, hard cash.

3. Take a calculated risk. Buy some bonds in a utility company or find
some other way to invest your money. You might want to look for a brokerage firm. You might want to check out www.investinginbonds.com.

4. Turn a hobby into a business. Do you have something you love to do
that you could turn into a business. It doesn't have to be a huge
business. Do you like calligraphy, maybe you could set up something
that brings in $200 or $300 extra dollars a month doing something you
love.

-adapted from Self