By: Martin Lukac
There are more and more people reaching retirement without any savings. There are even more people up to their eyebrows in credit card debt. Foreclosures are on the rise and it seems as if everyone is driving a new car.
What can be done? Can you really reach retirement and not depend on social security? Can you eliminate your credit card debt? Can you have the money to buy what you want when you want it?
Yes. All you have to do is not make bad financial decisions. We all make wrong decisions, but we all don't have to make bad decisions. Bad decisions include excessive debt, various loan types, over-spending and not saving your money.
The worst decision of all is becoming overpowered by debt. You can't save your money if you are sending it to a creditor. When you have no debt, your savings have a chance to really flourish.
What is your financial goal? Overall, it is probably to become rich. If you are sending the banks your interest money, you aren't going to make that happen very quickly.
Bad decisions are often made in the absence of information. When you are pressured and desperate, you will often make uninformed decisions. These are the decisions that only get you further in trouble. Like putting your house on the line to get out of credit card debt.
Bad decisions are also found in situations where greed, pride and ignorance live. For example, do you really believe that a credit card company wouldn't raise your interest rate, or do you just like to pretend that so you can max out the card? Or is it both? Greed is wanting more than you can afford. Pride is caring more what others think of your worth than you do. Ignorance is simply not trying to learn any better way.
Here's my list of the top bad decisions you can make:
1. Credit cards
2. Auto title loans
3. Rent-to-own
4. Payday loans
5. 125 loans
6. Pawn shops
7. Allowing vehicles to be repossessed
8. Serial bankruptcy filing
Most of these decisions start with one little credit card. Then they snowball out of control. If you are already on the track to making these decisions, you need to find a way to turn around. Read every article you can about getting out of debt. Find ways to pay it all off. Don't go there again.
If you make a bad decision, it's been made. Move on. Learn your lesson and do something different next time. You don't have to sacrifice your entire life. It only takes most people a few years to turn it around. If you don't try, it could follow you forever.
If you haven't made any bad decisions yet, keep in mind that it starts off very innocently. Avoid getting into any debt that you can't afford. Look at all the numbers and scenarios before you take on any debt. Don't look to impress others with what the bank let you borrow. You can make good decisions at any point in your life. So do it now.
