Wasting Money

• Little splurges are the killers: Americans talk a good game about saving and paying off debt, but they sabotage their efforts by splurging on meals out and other little luxuries, a survey says.
  
  Americans consider more luxuries to be necessities than we did 10 years ago, yet most of us consider ourselves to be frugal or thrifty. More likely, we like to get a good deal on something that's a waste of money, being "penny wise and pound foolish".
  
  The next article focuses on how we waste money on our 2nd largest purchase.
  
  
• The real reason you're broke: For a huge number of troubled debtors, it all began with a car. Too much car, financed too long, traded too soon.
  
  Yes, cars can be a big waste of money. But the top money-waster is that big house.
  A good rule of thumb I saw recently was to have a mortgage no bigger than twice your income.