A couple sits down to sort out their budget before planning anything. Keep your goals top of mind "The main point of financial planning is to use your money as a tool for life. As far as the budget goes, understanding what you actually want to do in your life is very important to build that plan." — Eric Roberge, certified financial planner and founder of Beyond Your Hammock Find out where your money is going already "I would say that the first step — I'm always surprised at how many people either discount this or put this off or just don't know — is really being honest about how you're spending your money. You have to know how much is coming in versus how much is going out on a monthly basis.