9 SIGNS to tell you are living beyond your means!

If you show one or more of these signs, you need to set your financial house in order. TODAY.

Today it is very easy to live beyond your means. If you take any magazine you will find about 15 advertisements -- of this about 14 will entice you to live beyond your means.

If you can afford a Ford Ikon, they will urge you to buy a Honda City. If you can buy a Honda City, they will push you to an Octavia.

If you tell a real estate broker you are looking for a house for Rs 6 million (Rs 60 lakh), be prepared to shell out Rs 9 million (Rs 90 lakh)!

All of this is easy -- because there is a huge push to make you think in EMI language -- not full price language! Sir a Merc is available for "only" Rs 54,000 per month as EMI!

REMEMBER :It is good business to make people live beyond your means... so much so that your friends will tell you 'do not go for cheap cars like Wagon R' ... 'why do you want to buy an Indica -- all BPO companies use it', OMG no Tata Nano -- it is meant for kids, not MEN'... so there is a huge push to make you live beyond YOUR means...

If this happens by making you borrow, SO BE IT!

What are the indicators that you are living a little beyond your means?

They are as follows:

1. Your cheques are bouncing! This is perhaps the worst indicator that you are issuing "rubber" cheques... so this is not a good idea.

2. Your credit score is falling and the people who have lent or wanting to lend to you are hesitant about default and are increasing the interest rate.

3. You are saving less than 15 per cent of your salary!

4. You are charging everything to your credit card and are paying only a part of the amount! I hope you noticed that your crdit card issuer has raised the interest charges to 3.25 per cent per month.

5. You have four credit cards and you are borrowing from one card to pay the other 3!

6. More than 30 per cent of your earnings are going towards EMI payments.

7. You have no emergency fund, losing your job is one of the nightmares you go through regularly, one small repair like having to replace your car tyres can create hell for you!

8. you are happy visiting your parents for 10-day vacations because you can save some living expenses

9. If you will touch your parents' kitty for your purchase of car, bike or your marriage expenses if you have any of the above mentioned problems, you need to set your financial house in order. TODAY.