15 signs that you need a financial makeover

I recently got an e-mail from BillShrink.com identifying signs that you need a financial makeover, and I can't help but pass it along. There's something about it that just says, "Hey you! Stop what you're doing and pay attention! Your money needs you!"

Some of them are pretty lame, but the majority of them are right on the money and should definitely get you to think. I had to take a few seconds to research at least three of them to see if I needed a makeover or not.

Here are the 15 signs. How many do you need to correct?

1. You charge group dinners on your card and keep your friends' cash to spend. I actually don't mind doing this as it saves me a trip to the ATM if I need cash, but if you're just being stupid and thinking it's "free money" to go and blow anytime, then yeah — you need a financial makeover.

2. You spend more than 40 per cent of your total income on rent. The last time I calculated this, we were spending 37 per cent of our total net income on the mortgage. And I'll admit it's not very savvy. But I'll also point out that we got ourselves into this BEFORE. So I agree with this one. You have to keep your rent/mortgage way below that 40 per cent line.

3. You're constantly transferring your balance to get zero per cent interest on your credit card debt. Bad if you don't know what you're doing, but good if you are.

4. Also, you pay off one credit card with another. Yes, that's BAD!

5. Less than 10 per cent of your income goes to your retirement savings. (Or worse, zero per cent!) I wouldn't say you need a total makeover if you are saving about 10 per cent, although everyone would love to see you saving 15 per cent or even 25 per cent. But definitely saving zero per cent is a troubling sign.

6. You have a credit card that doesn't give you anything in return, like cash back or airline miles. This isn't the worst thing in the world, but it is a good idea to check and makes sure you're getting something in return for doing nothing. You don't have to do anything different than you're doing now. Find a better credit card.

Also you pay the minimum balance on your credit card each month. Not the best habit to get into, that's for sure. If at all possible you should be adding at least $25 (Dh91.95) to $50 more to your payment every month to help knock it off as fast as you can. I once paid $2,000 for a $1,200 computer back in the day because I kept telling myself "I'll do it tomorrow." Make tomorrow today.

7. You don't open your credit card statement because you can't bear to see how high the balance is. Oh, yeah, definitely not a good sign. You have to know what you're dealing with so that you can fix it and get back on track. And this goes for savings and investments too. If you don't know what's going on, you'll just keep sinking and sinking until it takes something tragic to snap you out of it.

8. You don't keep receipts because they remind you of what you've spent. That's actually pretty clever — stupid, but clever. Maybe those people should switch to debit cards instead. I'm assuming they're using credit cards, which allow them to spend way more than they have. With debit cards, you have a breaking point. Once you hit $0, you can't pick up anything else.

9.  You withdraw cash frequently from ATMs that aren't affiliated with your bank.

10. The number of credit cards in your wallet is higher than the number of dates you've had this year. Haha ... didn't see that one coming.

11. You buy so much on eBay or such other online auction sites that they've awarded you VIP status. Wha wha wha ...?

12. You want to start a savings account, but then sale season starts again! Is it me or are these going downhill? You don't have an emergency fund to pay bills should you lose your job. Back in action! Yes, emergency funds are KEY to any financial game plan. Whether it's $100 or $1,000, be sure to be stashing some aside for when you least expect it.

13. You overdraw on your chequing account more than once a year. Hmmm. Once is kind of strict. I'd say not more than three times a year because sometimes weird things just happen. Although, if you were really on top of it, you'd sign up for overdraft protection — the kind that doesn't cost you any money — so that you'd be safe just in case you got a little crazy here and there.

14. You live paycheque to paycheque. This should be the No 1 sign you need a makeover, hands down. Living paycheque to paycheque is a recipe for disaster, and I know 80 per cent of you reading this right now are in this boat. I was too — for 25 years of my life. If you haven't been serious about making a change, please start today. There are plenty of ways you can get yourself in a better position. You just have to get on it and really commit. Start tracking your money and finding where all your spending leaks are. Picking up a hustle on the side will help too.

15.  You spend more on new shoes annually than you save. Oh, wow, that would not be good. I think I've spent about $200 so far on shoes this year — and two of those were for cleats that needed replacing. I would punch myself in the face if I was saving less than that every year.

Were any of you surprised with your answers to some of these? Did it get you to double-check and see if you're truly on track or not? Again, some of these were pretty crazy and more entertaining than anything, but hopefully the list moved a few marbles upstairs and prompted you to start researching any areas that may need improvement. It's always a work in progress.

Do any of these signs apply to you? Which ones? Would you consider getting a financial makeover?