[In Pictures: 10 Smart Ways to Improve Your Budget.]
Signs that you are headed for financial ruin are as obvious as signs on the highway, but many people get distracted when it comes to paying attention to them.
When I was in my early 20s, I made an impulsive cross-country move that left me without a steady income for about six months. I tried to ignore the signs that we were headed for financial ruin, but eventually the bills became impossible to ignore.
I have friends who have declared bankruptcy and others who have simply walked away from their bills until the debt disappeared from their credit records. It's possible to go from being thousands of dollars in debt to having wealth, but it takes daily discipline and willingness to take financial responsibility. Here are some of the telltale signs that you are headed down the road of financial ruin, as well as some ways to make a major U-turn...read more
