The thing that caught my eye was this regarding how to take better control over your finances:
Track everything [everything meaning everything you buy]. And I mean everything. You may have been keeping track of every purchase in January, but by March you had stopped pay attention to each and every transaction. It may seem tedious, but it’s the only way you’ll get the clarity you need to continue making changes in your financial life. There are lots of great tools out there to help you track your expenses, such as Mint.com, but even a good old Excel spreadsheet will do the trick. When you have to individually enter each transaction week after week, you’ll maintain awareness about where and how you’re spending.
Thanks to @Balambico for posting it.