Making a budget isn't much fun this festive time of year, but it makes sense. At the end of the year, you can look back at all of your spending — and overspending. And it's the perfect time to plan for the year ahead.

Here are three ways to make that happen:

The Budget Kit ($20 at Amazon or MoneyTracker.com): This is the old-fashioned way of getting a handle on your finances — using paper and pencil. Along with the workbook, you can download Excel spreadsheets. More than just a fill-in-the-blanks series of worksheets that coordinate with the book, this is a guide that explains the how and why of tracking your expenses and predicting them, even if you have an uncertain paycheck because you are an entrepreneur or freelancer.

There are separate pages to track monthly and yearly expenses and even seasonal expenses such as holiday gifts. Everything has a place in this excellent workbook, and it will help you avoid surprises and family fights over money.

Quicken ($39.99 for basic, or $44.99 for deluxe versions,

Quicken.com): Quicken is now well into its second decade as the leading financial software. Once you've downloaded the program, it's quick and easy — even for non-techies — to link up to your bank accounts, credit card accounts and investment accounts.

Then every time you log on securely to this software on your desktop or laptop, the program updates your latest balances, transactions and securities or mutual fund prices. All your spending is categorized, either in Quicken's pre-arranged and suggested tabs or in categories that you create.

With another click, you can view all your spending in a bar chart or pie chart, making it easier to stay within your own budget limits. Plus, you never have to search far to see how much you've paid any one person or company; one click shows each payment to the electric company or doctor's office.

It's easy to get hooked on Quicken because it is so empowering. Just start with the easy stuff, like tracking your spending in the year ahead. The patterns will soon become apparent — and your spending can become more predictable.

Mint (free app, Mint.com): Take your budget with you on your smart phone. Mint categorizes all of your spending, even the charges made on your credit card. It also tracks the budget it helped you create and sends text warnings when you're about to exceed your monthly spending limits in any category. The app is free because of its commercial partners that send text messages through Mint, offering you lower rates on credit cards or auto loans or refinancing deals.

What could be more convenient than having your budget right in your hand, reminding you to stay on track?

What do all three of these budgeting methods have in common? They all require you to make the commitment to get control of your finances. Once you know where all of your money is going, you can make smarter decisions and avoid the anxiety of running short at the end of the month.

This deep dive into your spending might lead to a decision to make some automatic contributions to a retirement plan or an emergency fund. When it comes to money, knowledge is power. And that's The Savage Truth.

Terry Savage is a registered investment adviser and the author of four best-selling books, including “The Savage Truth on Money.” She responds to questions on her blog at TerrySavage.com.