Whether you consider yourself to be financially responsible, or you always seem to come up short on cash, there are a few key indicators that may indicate you are living beyond your mean.
不管你觉得自己生活富余还是经常会财政短缺，下面这几个小信号都需要注意一下，它们预示着你可能要财政赤字了哦。
And being aware of them can save you loads of money woes in times of a cash emergency.
注意这些能帮你省下一大笔钱以备不时之需。
You couldn’t live without your job’s income for at least six months.
存的薪水不够你花半年
Need some motivation to start saving? Sit down and add up how much money you make each month. Then, multiply that amount by six.
需要让自己省钱的动力？那就坐下来算算每个月能赚多少钱吧，然后乘以6。
Assuming you have a stable job, that’s the minimum balance you should have stashed away in an interest bearing, FDIC insured deposit account that is earmarked solely for emergency needs.
假设你的工作很稳定，这些钱是你需要存起来以备不时之需的最低标准，联邦存款保险公司有专为紧急需要的账户。
Clients frequently underestimate life’s uncertainties and discount the need to have cash available for unexpected events like unemployment, illness, disabilities, and family emergencies.
人们往往会低估人生的不确定性，在遇到突发情况（如事业，疾病，残疾，和家庭紧急情况）时我们对金钱的需求其实很大。
If you have a less-than-stable career or you’re self-employed, we recommend saving as much as 12 months worth of income. If you don’t have anything near that amount saved, and worse, you’re in debt, you’re living beyond your means.
如果你的工作并不稳定，又或者是自己创业，我们建议至少要存有12个月的收入。如果你的存款没有这么多，甚至还在负债，那么你就已经入不敷出了。
You vacation on credit.
用信用卡旅游
You work hard and you’ve earned that vacation, right?
努力工作觉得可以旅个游来犒劳自己啦？
Consider this financial rule of thumb when it comes to credit purchases: If it takes you longer to pay for the purchase than the actual “life span” of the item, you can’t really afford it.
但如果需要用到信用卡，就想想这个重要的准则吧：如果还款所需的时间比实际的旅游时间还长，算了吧，你其实付不起。
Start a plan to save money for vacations well in advance of the time you’ll need to book tickets or make reservations.
提前制定旅行计划能省一大笔钱，你需要订票和预约酒店。
Make sure you pay the balance down before you’re charged a dime of interest and be realistic about all the “extras” that can add to the cost of a trip, like tips, parking, and baggage fees.
确保自己在支付利息前能付清所有的钱。记得要把那些小费、停车费和行李费都算进去。
You only consider monthly payments when buying a car.
买车时只考虑了月收入。
Aside from a home, a car is one of the most expensive items you’ll purchase in your life. While it’s understandable to focus on monthly payment amounts when determining how much car you can buy, your ability to afford a monthly auto loan payment doesn’t mean you can afford the car.
和房子一样，车子也会是你人生中购买的最贵的东西之一。在决定购买什么价位的车时，月收入的确需要考虑进去，但你能付清每月的车贷并不代表你就能买得起这车。
If you’re in doubt, consider the duration of the loan: If it’s longer than three years, and doesn’t result in owning the vehicle outright at the conclusion of the loan, you’re shopping out of your true budget.
如果你还对我的话有所怀疑，那不妨想一下还贷期限：但如果还款期限超过了三年，直到还贷结束才真正拥有这辆车，你得基于自己的实际预算来购买。
The same premise holds true for auto loan refinancing: If you’re refinancing because interest rates have dropped considerably since you initiated the loan, that may be a money-smart move.
车贷重新按揭也是如此：比如由于车贷降息，你选择重新按揭，这是个理财方法。
If you are refinancing only to lower your monthly payments, and refinancing means that you are extending the life of the loan, you’re not actually saving money — you’re just stretching out the payments.
但如果你重新按揭只是为了减少每月的还贷，同时还贷期限延长，那么你并没有省钱——反而多花了钱。
You’ve arrived at the home you can afford based on a 30-year fixed mortgage.
买房子，你能支付起30年的固定抵押贷款。
If you’ve calculated the amount of home you can afford based only a 30-year fixed mortgage scenario, you may be taking on more than you can really afford.
考虑买房子的时候，你也许已经算过30年固定抵押贷款所需的金额，但也许比你实际支付的还要多。
Instead of strapping yourself to a 30-year fixed mortgage payment, consider how much more affordable less house with a shorter loan term is—despite the higher monthly payment.
与其把自己绑在30年固定抵押还贷上，不如想想短点贷款期限是不是更省钱——即使月付更高点。
By opting for a four percent, 15-year fixed mortgage on a $250,000 home loan over a comparable 30-year fixed loan, a homeowner could save $97,020 in interest over the life of the loan. Further, he owns the home in less than two decades.
比如25万美金的房子，贷款15年是百分之四的利息，相比于30年而言，房主能省97020美金的利息。更何况不到二十年他就能完全拥有这房子了。
You’ve paid an overdraft fee in the last 12 months.
过去一年你已经支付过透支费了。
If money is so tight that you have to rely on overdraft protection in order to float your lifestyle, you’re living beyond what you can afford. Period.
手头有点紧，不得不靠着透支保护来继续这一生活方式，那么你目前已经入不敷出了。
You’ve exceeded your credit limit.
你已经超了信用卡额度
Exceeding your credit limit doesn’t just cost you in over-limit fees.
超额使用不仅仅要交付超额费。
Because your credit score is based largely on your debt-to-utilization ratio, your credit score is lowered when your credit balances are high and it signals to lenders that you’re in over your head.
由于你的信用额度很大程度上基于你的资产负债率，一旦超额使用，你的信用就会降低，银行会认为这意味着你入不敷出了。
If you are approved for new lines of credit—including a home mortgage—your future interest rates will be sky high.
如果你申请新的信贷，包括房屋按揭，你将来的利息税就会超高。
You’re in debt but you pay someone to do a job you could do yourself.
尽管负债，你还是花钱请人来做那些力所能及的小事
Are you too busy to clean your house, walk your dog, mow your lawn, or manicure your nails?
难道真的忙的没有时间打扫屋子、遛狗、修剪草坪甚至修指甲吗？
Instead of paying someone else for skills you possess, do the task yourself and put the savings toward paying down debt, building your emergency savings accounts and funding your retirement.
与其花钱请人干那些你力所能及的活，不如自己干，省下来的钱可以付账单，存入紧急账户或是退休基金。
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