If you’ve been trying to get your finances in order and you just can’t make ends meet, you might be making a pretty common (and potentially overlooked) money blunder. It’s tough to start adding to savings or cut down on consumer debt if you’re losing cash like a leaky faucet drips water: slowly but surely. We’ve rounded up a list of 10 things that could be hurting your finances to help you pin down the problem.
Mental Math
Are you keeping a budget only in your head? This is the easiest way to forget about small purchases or let large ones that only happen once a year crop up unexpectedly.
Not Keeping Up with the Joneses
We don’t mean buying the newest and best thing, but rather making sure you’re asking for regular raises at work.
House Poor
There’s a floor on affordable housing in many cities, but are you overspending on your living situation without getting a good return on your investment in some way?
Hefty Commute
When we say a return on your housing investment, one of those benefits that may be worth a slightly more expensive home could be a short commute that avoids wear and tear on (or even owning) a car.
Bad Credit
It can take real effort on your part to build a good credit score. You don’t want to find out when you go to buy a new car or pull out a mortgage that you have bad credit.
Avoidance
Honestly, this one’s a major issue for (nearly) any goal you might have.
Not Having a Plan
If all you’re doing is paying the minimums on things like credit cards and student or car loans, you’re going to be disappointed when you find out just how much interest you’re throwing at those companies.
Wait Until It’s Broken
For large ticket items that can cost in the thousands of dollars, waiting until you’re desperate for a replacement means you can’t shop around to save.
Being Too Generous
This one can be difficult because the impulse to share with those who need it, whether you know them or not, is a beautiful one. It’s important to do it from a place of financial stability, though.
Ignore Mistakes
It’s okay to make a financial mistake, but it’s important to acknowledge it before moving on so you can avoid it in the future.
