Nothing will make you breathe easier than having a few dollars set aside for emergencies, whether it's a broken arm or a broken radiator.

Socking three to four months worth of pay away in a savings or money market account should be your initial goal. Begin by banking gift or refund checks, bonuses, or the money you can save by transferring high-cost credit card debt to cards or home equity loans with lower interest rates.

Work towards saving something from each paycheck. Even if it's only $50 or $100 a month the balance will grow. After you've accumulated a few thousand dollars you can move some of it into higher-earning, three- to 12-month certificates of deposit.

Interest.com's 6-step plan for wise money management has additional ideas on how to spend less, save more and build wealth.Watch out for higher ATM fees