Are
you a shopaholic? Do you find it difficult to resist heading to your
favorite store every time it announces a sale? Perhaps you have loads
of unused or never opened stuff sitting around the house that seemed
to be a good deal at the time you bought it. You may even have clothing
that’s never been worn and doesn’t even fit you because
you couldn’t resist passing up a “good bargain.” If
so, perhaps you need a reality check about your spending habits.
The following quiz will help assess whether or not you have a potential
spending problem.
You go to the store to buy one or two items and leave with
a full shopping cart.
You
constantly find yourself charging items because you don’t
have enough cash.
You
find yourself charging groceries and other necessary items because
you can’t seem to make your paycheck stretch.
You’re
always late with paying household bills.
You’re
carrying high balances on several credit-card bills.
You
never pay more than the minimum due on credit-card bills.
You
regularly borrow money from family, friends and even your own children.
You
can’t get a good night’s sleep because you constantly
worry about money.
You
lie to your spouse about your spending habits.
You
ask your children to lie to your spouse about your spending habits.
You
regularly overdraw your checking account and get charged overdraft
fees.
You
take money out of the ATM and can’t remember where you
spent it.
You
feel depressed, guilty or ashamed about your spending habits.
You
can’t get a mortgage or other loan because your credit
score is so low.
You
dream about winning the lottery because it will solve all your
problems.
You
spend a lot of money on lottery tickets, sweepstakes or trips to
casinos.
You’re
more than three months late on mortgage payments and fear foreclosure.
You
have no money saved up for emergencies or retirement, but have
a house full of expensive gadgets and designer clothing.
You’re
afraid other people will find out how broke you really are.
If a lot of these points describe your behavior, then it’s
time to stop the madness and get your spending under control. Make
a pledge right now to make changes in your behavior and get the help
you need to become a good steward and spend money wisely. Start out
by promising yourself that you won’t shop for anything other
than basic necessities and food for a week and stick to it. When
the week is over, try it again the next week, and the next. When
you do spend money, write down every expense so that you can begin
to track exactly where your money is going. The
25-Day Money Makeover for Women, provides more tips and a step-by-step
plan for getting out of debt, building savings and practicing good
stewardship. To view an excerpt and purchase the book visit www.Huffwrites.com.
