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With six months of earning, saving, and spending under your belt, you've got plenty of data to project how 2012 is going to play out. So let's lift the hood on your finances and give everything a good once over.

Over the past 10 years, prices for basic food commodities have increased by an average of more than 125%. Part of the increase is due to rising production costs and demand. But you also have Wall Street traders to thank.

Every dieter knows you sometimes have to give in to your cravings on the long road to a weight loss goal. Turns out the same principle applies to personal finance: A splurge now and then can actually help you attain your budget and savings goals.

The return of warmer weather is an cue for many of us to clear out the debris that has gathered over the winter. But it's not just the house and the yard that could benefit. Here's a step-by-step guide to spring cleaning your finances.

The recession and its hangover have turned our bill-paying habits upside down. Cash-strapped Americans are paying off their car loans before they pay credit card bills and make mortgage payments, a TransUnion study finds.

Saving doesn't come easily for us young adults. Entry-level salaries don't give you a lot to work with, and we tend to spend what we make. But don't worry: We're not doomed to frivolity and financial ruin. Here's how you can start saving smart.

There are many roads to financial security, but whatever path you follow, there are some mandatory steps everyone ought to take along the way. Alexa von Tobel, founder of LearnVest.com, cuts through the thicket of advice to give us her essential keys to sound money management.

After the overindulgence of December, it's no surprise that so many people spend January trying to turn over new leaves. If you're ready to get your financial house in order, consider one of these three websites, each with a different take on helping you better manage your money.

If your underperforming money needs a kick in the right direction, turn your mobile device into a financial adviser, motivational coach, and investment guru with these apps. Because a penny saved is a penny earned, they're all free.

Every January, we plan to make changes, and we often don't succeed. Let's make this New Year's different: Here are seven fairly simple resolutions recommended by the financial experts for getting you on a firmer fiscal footing in 2012.