by Dave and Debi Lopez

Good question isn’t it? Well, how do you answer it? Start by asking yourself if you are doing any of the following, put a check for each one that is a “yes,” and be brutally honest with yourself:

□ Not properly maintaining your vehicle.

□ Going to the store more than once per week.

□ Impulse shopping.

□ Not paying off your credit card(s) every month.

□ Living in more house than you can afford.

□ Engaging in unhealthy habits (junk food, smoking, excessive alcohol, gambling, drugs).

□ Buying coffee, sodas, water, candy, smoothies, and meals from a store/shop/restaurant more than once or twice a month.

□ Expensive hobbies.

□ Owning to many gadgets.

□ Ditto, on subscriptions.

□ Spending too much on gifts, especially at Christmas.

□ Have 500 channel TV service.

□ You are paying bank fees, ATM fees, overdraft fees or bounced check fees.

□ You have NO written financial goals.

□ You haven’t prepared for financial emergencies.

□ You are always trying to make a quick buck (lottery, get-rich-quick schemes, day trading).

□ You invest in things you don’t understand.

□ You ignore your finances.

If you answered “yes” to between six and nine, there is significant room for improvement.

If you answered “yes” to more than nine, then review the list again and work out a strategy to improve your score.

There could be a number of reasons as to why you do or do not do these things, but this quiz should give a good indication about whether you need to begin doing what you already know is best.