8 people share the best money advice they've ever received

Live on less than you make

Live on less than you make. If you do, you will always be able to save something — even if it's just a little.

— Cornelius Davis, 44

Track your cash flow

Track your incomings and outgoings on a daily basis and look at your bank account to ensure that you're not spending more than you're making. Also, identify anything you are investing in that you aren't using and cancel it. I learned this from money mindset mentor Denise Duffield-Thomas.

— Ruth Kudzi, 40

Don't up your spending when you get a raise

Do not up your spending when you get a raise — up your savings instead. Also, make sure to save something from every paycheck. Just get in the habit and funnel a set amount directly into an investment account, because you do not spend what you do not see.

— Paige Arnof-Fenn, entrepreneur

If you can't use cash, you can't afford it

My best money advice came from my father, who had his own business. He said, "If you can't pay cash for it, you probably don't need it."

— Brent McClure, 42

Know where every cent is going

The best money advice I've ever received was to know where every cent of my money is going. This way, I'm in control of my spending and can make changes if necessary.

For example, if you decide you'd like to save more money, you can look at expenses that are not necessary, like eating out, getting a snack at a convenience store, or buying alcohol and cigarettes. Cutting back on those purchases would allow you to save a good bit of money over the period of a month.

— Dr. Ashley Hampton, 38

To reduce your debt, speak to your creditors

If you find yourself in financial trouble, speak to your creditors as soon as you can, as they will usually want to come to an agreement.

— Ruth Kudzi, 40

Understand 'need' versus 'want'

The best advice I have ever received about money is to truly understand "need" versus "want." Do you really need something or do you just want it?

Learning this has served me well, as I was successful in paying back $74,000 of student loan debt in less than 24 months, and it continues to serve me well as I start to pay off my MBA debt.

— Matthew W. Burr, 35

Pay off your credit card balance every month

Pay off your credit card balance every month. If that's not possible, stop buying stuff you cannot afford — the interest is not worth it.

— Paige Arnof-Fenn, entrepreneur

Get an accountant

My brother, who is a former accountant, advised me early on to employ an accountant as soon as I could afford to — they are the specialists, not you.

— Ruth Kudzi, 40

Buy your car with cash

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was to always buy my next car with cash. If you don't have much money saved, have a smaller budget for your next car.

This way, you can make monthly payments to your savings account instead of a monthly car payment, and you can increase your budget for your next car over time.

— Ryne Higgins, senior manager, ecommerce