Make a budget and stick to it.
Creating an effective budget is one of the best ways to make sure you live within your means. Without a budget, it's easy to spend-and subsequently run out of-money. If you don't already have a budget and aren't sure how to go about it, here's a basic run-down:
 List all of your monthly debits, or expenses. This includes your mortgage, car payments, insurance, credit card payments, food, gas, and utilities. Estimate how much you spend each month if you don't have a set amount (say, for gas and food). Keep track of your expenses in columns. Keep a column for saving, even if you don't save anything now. You should always pay yourself as much as you can.
 Next, add up the totals and compare it to your monthly income. If your expenses are more than your income, make adjustments. Start with nonessentials, like cable and internet. Or, consider cutting down on your food budget and then not going out to eat as much. Look for little ways you can save.

Limit credit card use
When your funds are limited, it's tempting to turn to credit cards to make ends meet. However, this is often the beginning of financial trouble for many people. While credit cards are good to have for emergencies and to build credit, relying on them to get by can and will lead to financial problems.

You should always limit the number of cards you open. With cards available for everything from gas to groceries, it's tempting to open up credit cards. But you can't get something for nothing. Credit cards come with high interest rates, and the more cards you have, the more at risk you are for out of control spending and high credit card debt. Keep just one card for emergencies and credit score purposes and try and pay it off at the end of each month.

Look for ways to save
There are many ways to cut costs that you may not even think about. Often, a large chunk of a family's budget comes from groceries. Cut down on food costs by limiting the number of times you go out each month to one or less. If you aren't already clipping coupons, start. Many stores also double coupons up to a dollar, so you're actually saving more than you think. In addition, make a grocery list and menu and stick to it. Limit your trips to the grocery store to once per pay period; little trips for random items can add up quickly.

You can cut costs on gas and transportation by carpooling, if possible, to work each morning and cutting down on needless trips. In addition, get regular oil changes and check-ups for your car so you can avoid costly maintenance costs later.

Living on what you make isn't as difficult as it may be; it just takes a little work and planning.