Do you live on the edge, ignoring the warning signs you’re in financial trouble? Lots of people do. They frantically pay bills each month making choices of who to pay out right, who to put off and who they should pay with credit cards. It’s an anxiety-provoking experience each month filled with dread and worry. Does this sound like you?
Maybe somewhere in the corner of your mind, you think you might be in trouble, but it’s something you try not to think about it. You recognize you have debt, but is that the only indicator you might have money problems? Having too much debt isn’t the only sign. Here are seven signs that you're in financial trouble.
1. Paying One Debt with Another
If you’re transferring balances from one card to another to stay afloat, or refinancing your house to pay down revolving debts, you have a debt problem. It might seem like a good idea to use refinanced home equity to pay down credit card balances; mortgage debt carries a much lower interest rate after all. But in our long experience, using home equity to pay off credit cards has a high potential to end in disaster. For one thing, the consequences of not paying a home loan payment are much worse than missing credit card payments. The other problem is that you won’t have addressed the root causes of your credit card debt. By spending all of your home equity on paying off other debts, you wipe the slate clean and leave yourself in a position to take on even more debt. And there won’t be home equity next time you find yourself in over your head.
2. Your Debt 30% Bigger than Your Income
You may owe money, yet there is a limit for it. Try to not owe money over 30% from your income yang per month. Otherwise, if your income lower than your debt, it indicate your financial situation is seriously bad.
3. You Avoid Opening Bills and Credit Card Statements
You’ve got a stack of unopened mail sitting on your desk waiting to be opened. Or, you have gone the paperless, and the list of bolded emails have gone unread. You also refuse to answer calls from 1-800 or unavailable numbers.
4. Late Payment of Your Debt
Commonly when someone in serious trouble of their financial, they would late on a debt payment. The reason could be they indeed forget to pay it or they remember but don't have enough money to pay off.
5. Loan Denials
If you are turned down for a loan or credit card or if you can only get a loan under very poor terms, stop and re-examine your situation. If your excessive debt levels lead a lender to deny or extend further credit to you, you probably have a debt problem.
6. You Spend More Than You Earn
If you spend more money each month than you make, you will eventually end up in financial trouble. Some people try to avoid this reality by adding their debts to their mortgage, car loan or line of credit. Unfortunately, this will only help you if you solve the problem that got you into debt in the first place. You have to make some changes in your budget so that you will spend less than you make. Otherwise, you are only delaying the inevitable.
7. You'ree Over Limit
If you have a card that is maxed out or near its limit, that’s a problem. If you have to try more than one card at the register until one of them is accepted, then it’s time to stop borrowing and take stock of your situation. Also update your budget to make sure you have a plan to get everything paid off.