You might be getting into financial trouble if you are experiencing these warning signs:

• You spend a lot of time worrying about money.
• You are using credit cards more and paying for even small purchases with a credit card.
• At the end of each month your debt load is higher and you’ve saved nothing.
• You are late paying your bills.
• You get one or more overdraft charges from your bank each month.
• You are entertaining more thoughts about get-rich-quick schemes.

These are signs that you may be getting into trouble with credit and failing to live within your budget. An honest evaluation of your lifestyle and your budget may be in order. How can you fix it?

• Cut out all unnecessary expenses.
• Avoid charging on credit cards to stop debt from continuing to pile up.
• Watch out for impulse spending. Can you buy it cheaper? Do you really need it at all?
• Pay close attention to your spending habits, what you buy and why.
• Reassess your spending priorities, what is necessary and what is not.
• Get a realistic budget and stick with it.

We can’t all be wealthy. At least not this year in this financial climate. But we can spend the money we do have in ways that squeeze the most good out of every dollar. What choice do we have as the days of free and easy credit are over. It is time to start over and make better financial decisions.