The top 5 signs that you spend entirely too much money

Written by
Peter Dunn

A few days ago you got to meet Serious Pete. I'm serious only about twice per year. I hope you felt my seriousness Tuesday. It's a very rough topic. But alas, this is a new day. And fortunately I'm feeling more jovial today.

Jeff Foxworthy is one of my least favorite comedians. I feel bad about saying this because he has a reputation as one of the nicest guys in showbiz. On top of that, he actually is pretty darn funny. But his "you might be a redneck" routine annoys me. However, it's popular, so I'm going to steal the crutch. I'm gonna call it "You might spend entirely too much money if."

Spending problems or even addiction are very serious afflictions. Yet they seem completely frivolous and even somewhat amusing, as you will see below. But if left untreated they can really harm you and your family. As you know, habits guide our behavior. And if those habits are bad, then our behavior is bad. And if our behavior is bad (when it comes to money), then we can suffer some awful financial ramifications. So in this spirit, I bring you 5 signs that you spend too much money:

  1. Thick bank statement - I'm convinced that a lot of people choose the paperless option in order to avoid seeing how many sheets of paper are used to describe their previous months spending. If your bank statement/credit statement costs more that one stamp to mail to you, then you spend entirely too much money.
  1. Clothes with tags/"Oh, I forgot I had that" - It's not uncommon for people to shop a season ahead, and thus they have clothes with tags on them hanging in their closet. However, if you have so many clothes that the new clothes take over a year to make it into your cycle, then you spend entirely too much money.
  1. Your debit or credit card is physically worn-Having a pair of running shoes wear out on you is good thing. Having a spending instrument wear out on you is a bad thing. If the clerk has to type in your card number, then you spend entirely too much money.
  1. Several local merchants know your order- "Having the regular?" I have to admit, I love that some restaurants know my order. It's a nice personal touch. However, when SEVERAL restaurants, coffee shops, etc. know your order, then you spend entirely too much money.
  1. You are on a first name basis with your UPS or FedEx guy- If you reference a package you got via overnight delivery as "today's shipment", then you may be ordering too much online. Look, I admit it, I love receiving packages in the mail too. But if there are more days in a week that you receive a package then days that you don't receive a package, then you spend entirely too much money.

Yes, I was having a bit of fun with this list, but at the same time these are really signs that you may be spending entirely too much money. In fact, when I meet with people to fix their financial situations I often ask if any of these signs are present in their lives.

Do you have any amusing "You might spend entirely too much money if(s)"? Leave it in the comments section.

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