Think Before You Spend

Take a few minutes and think about your spending habits. Check "yes" or "no" after each question.

Questions		Yes	No
1.	Are you still paying bills from purchases made a year ago?
2.	Is your checking account frequently overdrawn?
3.	Have you stopped having, or adding to, a savings account?
4.	Do you sometimes wonder why you made a particular purchase?
5.	Do you sometimes give away things you bought because you really didn’t need or want them?
6.	Are you depressed about your finances?
7.	Do you feel "out of control" when faced with a purchasing decision?
8.	Do friends or family kid you about your "champagne taste" and "beer budget"?
9.	Are your credit cards usually at the maximum credit line available to you?
10.	Do you shop for recreation?
11.	Do you ever spend money when you are angry, depressed or happy?
12.	Do you ever spend money to get even with family members?
13.	Do you notice mood swings when shopping – down before you go, up while shopping, down again after spending money?
14.	Do you sometimes pay off a debt only to find yourself feeling free to spend more?
15.	Would a small change in your income, or an unusual expense, throw your whole financial picture into chaos?
16.	Do you hope your children will handle money better than you do?

If you answered "yes" more often than "no," you need to work on improving your spending habits.

Pictures of chickens, flowers, wheat, a boy looking through a magnifying glass, irrigation pipe, soybean pods, and fruits and vegetables.	Cooperative Extension Service





Cooperative Extension Service	Agricultural Experiment Station
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