I got a call from another client, and their financial life is completely out of control.  Every day I see people that are walking around on the edge of a precipice, and they refuse to make any changes that provide them with safety.  Here are some questions you should ask yourself.  Do you have a savings account equal to 6 months of your combined household salaries?  Are you investing something each month into a retirement account? (this is different from savings)  Are you paying the complete balance each month on your credit card accounts?  Are you paying extra each month on your car and house payments?  Are you giving generously to your church (or a charity that helps people) on a weekly basis?   If all of these are YES answers, your financial life is probably in pretty good shape.  If only some are yes, then you still have some work to do.  You are near the precipice, but not in immediate danger of plunging off the edge.  If you couldn’t answer yes to any of the questions, you are like a man that has been blindfolded and left on the edge of the precipice.  Any movement could carry you over. 

You can make little changes in your lifestyle each day.  They aren’t painful, and don’t even require great sacrifice.  Most are just like the little things I write about each day.  You wouldn’t risk taking your entire family on a bike riding trip around the edge of the grand canyon without adequate safety equipment and training… And yet, so many will risk their family’s financial health on a daily basis without any thought to the possible consequences