Five Financial Hiccups to Avoid

hiccups in our financial world shouldn't bring our proverbially house tumbling down. Too often, though, they do. And it's only because we've fallen into some pretty bad habits that, when our finances encounter a rough spot, it wreaks havoc in our lives. Here are five financial missteps to avoid to help keep your financial house on a firm foundation:

Financial hiccup number one: living beyond your means. Simply put, if you don't make it, don't spend it. But low interest rates over the past decade, and high and easy credit card access, have sent many of us on buying sprees we really couldn't afford when we made them, and sure can't afford now when we're trying to pay them off. Figure out what you make, and what you owe, budget all of it, and don't spend more than you make.