Saying "no" is really tough, whether it's to ourselves for something we really have our hearts set on, to our kids, or someone else we love. Nobody wants to be the bad guy who has to deny something that someone has asked to have. When it comes to the ease of using credit, saying no to all the wonderful things there are to purchase in the world can get even harder. And it seems to get worse if it's something you think you must have to "keep up with the Joneses", or something for your kids that every other kid on the street seems to sporting.

But learning to say "no" can be the most important lesson to learn about using a credit card. Only by saying "no" will your balance ever get to zero. When was the last time you paid off your credit card? When was the last time you paid off your credit card, and then didn't immediately charge it right up again? If you find that you just cannot say "no" long enough to get that credit card paid paid off, here are a few 'no boosters' that may help you give that 2-letter word a work out more often.

Keep your debt total where you can see it. Post it in big, bright red numbers in plain sight-on the fridge or as you go out the door (don't forget to take it down when people visit). There's nothing like a little red to help you say "no" to a new purchase. When you see what you owe, and how long it might take you to dig your way back out of debt, "no" can seem like a pretty easy alternative.

Remind yourself what a good lesson it is for your family. If you can say no to yourself, your children will see the self-discipline you practice, and discover that even adults have limits to what they can have in their lives. This can help teach your kids that someday they, too, will have to make choices-and some of them may be plain "no" decisions.

Take satisfaction in resisting impulse buys on credit, like lunch out, magazines, or an afternoon at the movies. Too often the buys that really add up are not the big ticket purchases. It's the "$5 here, $10 there" small expenses that really go "ca-ching." And that can be a real shocker when the credit bill comes in and you're expecting to owe little or nothing, and instead you owe three or four figures.

Learning to say "no" is a good lesson for all of us. Try it for 30 days. Can you keep a zero balance on your credit card that long?