Money & Finances

How To Tell If You Have Too Much Debt

It's very easy to find yourself living from paycheck to paycheck these days.

Having a nest egg is hard when times are so uncertain, and people don't know if they're going to have a job tomorrow.

But it could be even worse... you could be too far in debt.

There are signs when you have accumulated too much debt, such as:

• More than 20% of your net paycheck is going to pay credit cards.
• You tried to consolidate your loans and were turned down as too high risk.
• You can't get a loan unless someone co-signs.
• You're looking for the next big deal to solve all your debt problems.

If you've found yourself swimming in debt and wondering how you're going to crawl out from under the debt pile, it's probably time to talk to a Consumer Credit Counselor and get some help. A Consumer Credit Counselor can assist you in putting together a budget that you can live with and still have enough money to live on after the bills are paid. It's definitely worth looking into.

Warning: Ways To Lose Your Rental Deposit!

It seems like rent deposits are getting more and more expensive these days. They can be as high as $400 or more now.

Most of us would hate to give up that deposit money when we move out, right? 

Word to the wise: If you do these things you can just about guarantee that you WON'T get your rent deposit back:

• Leave without giving a forwarding address.
• Don't clean your apartment or house before leaving.
• Take the keys with you.
• Don't take everything with you when you move out.

But that's not all! There are a few more things you shouldn't do if you want to get your rent deposit back.

Before you move out, you obviously have to get the place really clean. Do you have hardwood floors? If so, then you might consider getting a Bona Spray Mop or a Sharp Steam Mop. They're both cheaper than having your floors professionally cleaned.

Do You Spend More Than You Should When Shopping? Try These 8 Tips

Most of us are doing our best to spend less money rather than more.

However, sometimes that can be really difficult, especially when we get an endorphin high when we're shopping.

So, how can you trick your brain into spending less money? Try these tips:

• Leave your credit cards at home. Our minds equate credit cards with free money, and this makes them easy to use because we don't feel the crunch like we do with cash.
• Take frequent breaks when shopping, and especially before buying something. The endorphin rush will die down and allow you to think clearly.
• Don't go shopping with your buddies. It's easy to get caught up in "keeping up with the Joneses" when you're shopping with friends and you'll spend more.
• Look over special offers very closely. Stores use special offers to get you to spend more money. So walk away for a few minutes before deciding to take advantage of any "special offers".

Here are 4 more ways to trick your brain into spending less money.