As if you don’t have enough challenges today to secure your finances, there will always be pressure coming from all sides including your friends, co-workers and even the media that will affect the way you spend your money.

Let’s investigate – say you’re still in college and worked all summer to cover some of the cost during the first semester such as, food and your share of the rent and utilities. But on the first night out back at school with your friends, you decided to pick up the tab. It left you short for your first month’s bills and had to dip into your savings that was meant for books.

Or how about that new ultra high-definition TV or subscribing to the NFL Red Zone? And ladies, putting that expensive pair of “must have” shoes on an already maxed-out credit card is not the way to manage your spending effectively.

Best way is to simply walk away from the temptation. Make up a list of financial goals that you can realistically keep. Don’t let outside influences pressure you into forgetting your goals. Your friends will understand.

April is National Financial Literacy Month, Detective Frank Money’s favorite month!

To celebrate the importance of being financially literate, Detective Money is going to post financial literacy tips every day.