Don't be Normal

Normal in America is:

• Buying a new car every 5 years and having a car payment the rest of your days.
• Or even worse, leasing a car. Do the math.
• Buying more house than you can afford and re-mortgaging it over and over.
• Having more credit cards, that you don't payoff, than sense.
• $853.6 billion in credit card debt. Average credit card debt: $15,263
• $994.0 billion in student loans. Average student loan debt: $31,646.
• Saving nothing or minimal amount for retirement and counting on the government (who handles money like a drunken sailor) to provide for you.
• #1 reason for divorce is money issues/fights
• Getting all your financial information from the mainstream press.
• Having more month than money...spending more each month than you make
• Paying loads and high management fees on your mutual funds.
• Not contributing enough to your 401k to get the company match.
• Not maxing out your IRA, or contributing to it at all.
• Buying new when used will do, buying used when borrowing will do, borrowing when doing without will do.
• Not thinking outside the box.
•  Enabling your spouse, family, friends in their money mistakes instead of showing tough love.
• Taking out student loans for a college degree of questionable value, when other options are out there.
• Living paycheck to paycheck.
• Never making extra principal payments on your mortgage.
• Buying whole life insurance not term.
• Not having a budget.
• Borrowing from your 401k for "emergencies".
• Consolidating credit card debt and NOT cutting up the cards