Living above your means has become all-too-common in today’s society. With how easy it is to impulse buy online you can easily end up spending more than you make. 

Living beyond your means can put your finances at risk. It will put you in debt without having any money to save or pay your bills. You should watch out for these warning signs to make sure you aren’t living beyond your means.

1. You spend everything you earn

Keeping up with the Joneses is what gets you to make bad financial decisions and overspend. Furthermore, it can put you in unnecessary debt.

Look at your overall spending, identify where you are making mistakes, and start correcting your bad money habits. Ignore what others have and stay focused on yourself.

2. You’re spending too much on rent

If you are underpaid and you decide to upgrade your lifestyle by living in an expensive area, you are overspending. This will cause you to constantly live from paycheck to paycheck.

Biting off more than you can chew can leave you in financial trouble. Downgrade your housing to the one you can actually afford and maintain. 

3. You don’t budget

By creating and sticking to a budget, you can track how much money you earn and spend each month. This can help you identify areas where you can cut back on your spending.

Step back, look at your paycheck, and create a budget to keep track of your spending every week.

4. You could but don’t save

You are constantly at risk of an emergency disrupting your life if you do not have savings. Savings is a necessity that should be a fixed part of your budget.

Financial experts suggest saving 20% of your monthly income, but if you can’t do that, try to save 5-10% of every paycheck. 

5. You Worry About Paying Bills Constantly

A clear indication that you are living beyond your means is when you always have the newest and most expensive items but struggle to pay monthly bills.

Organize your monthly bills and examine them one by one. Reduce your expenses by budgeting more accurately and downsizing to save.

Final thoughts

The fact is that you can live above your means no matter your income level. The consequences of ignoring long term goals and living an expensive lifestyle are greater than the benefits. Make a plan to downsize and prioritize living within your means if you want to escape living from paycheck to paycheck.

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