"Money is a good servant," as the proverb goes, "but a bad master."

The aim of a new blog called Hello, Dollar! is to help you make sure that money is your servant and not your master. You're not going to find any get-rich-quick schemes or stock tips there, but what you will find is sensible advice on saving money and making what you have go farther.

Hello, Dollar's author, Frank, learned about money the hard way: by struggling with it. In the "About" entry, he wrote:

Three years ago, I was on the edge of a cliff. A young software engineer with a few years experience, I was doing well in my job, but I never learned how to manage my finances. I had two credit cards maxed out and was kicking myself over my car lease that had one year remaining and was turning into a money pit.

I was still living within my means, but just barely. I might pay off a large chunk of one credit card when I had some extra cash, only to run it back up again before the month was out. There was no savings -- if I had lost my job, I would not have been able to pay rent the next month.

By making small but necessary changes such as cutting back on unneccesary expenses and starting a savings plan, Frank improved his situation and was inspired to start Hello, Dollar! As Frank says, his blog is about:

• Helping impulsive and distractible people (like me!) become responsible with their money.
• Learning which actions will help or hinder us on our paths to financial independence.
• Making a series of small improvements, training ourselves one small step at a time to eliminate unhealthy financial habits and establish healthy ones.
• Encouraging each other and benefiting from each other's experiences.

I've added this blog to my reading list, and you might, too. Give it a look!