You need to make it a habit to budget so you can see where your money is going on a regular basis. If you don’t know how to budget and monitor your expenses then it will be very difficult to control it and you could be spending more than you can really afford. It will be almost impossible to put anything in investment if you have nothing left at the end of each month.
Track your expenses and make adjustments to achieve the goal of having regular positive cash flow which you can put towards paying your debt then building your emergency fund and eventually investment. Even small savings on many things could add up to a significant amount.
Review where your money is going and identify if they are necessities or something that can be reduced or forego. If a significant portion goes to your spouse, kids or even parents or siblings, then it is important to discuss with them what they can do to help alleviate some of those expenses if possible. As I mentioned in one of my notes, family should be a teamwork so talk to them about the importance of budgeting and having extra money left at the end of the week or month.