We know you're doing your best with your money.
Sometimes, however, even the best intentions can lead us astray. With every cocktail you order at the bar, and every minute that you spend browsing the web on your mobile phone, you put your finances at risk.
Don't believe us? We've got proof.
These eight seemingly innocent daily moves could be jeopardizing your financial health. Are you guilty of these habits?
You're one of roughly 20 million Americans who move each year.
That figure comes directly from U.S. Census statistics, and since each move is often prompted by a life change, like getting married or having a baby, we often end up spending money on things we don't anticipate.
These purchases can run the gamut from a big-ticket item, like a new car, to small electronics, like a navigation system to help you get around your new neighborhood. Of course, many of these expenses will be unavoidable, which nicely brings us to our next point...
You still don't have a savings account.
In June 2012, Bankrate found that the number of people with zero emergency funds rose to 28% from 24% in 2011.
You probably know by now that you should have six months' net income set aside in case of an emergency, and establishing that savings is easier than you think.
"If you have an employer that can split out the amount that you are taking home, and force-feed savings into an account that is out of sight and out of mind, that's one of the best ways," Elliot Herman, CFP®, tells Bankrate. And even if your employer doesn't offer it, your bank likely does.
You can't fathom downgrading your lifestyle.
Despite a bad economy, a survey by STORES Magazine found that many of us are unwilling to give up "needs" like satellite TV and a professional haircut for the sake of saving some dough.
(We are, however, more inclined to give up such luxuries as designer jeans and dining out.)
Still, it's worth downgrading your cable service to see how much you can save. If you truly can't handle it, you can always reinstate your service.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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