PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK

***HOW TO STOP LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK***

If you're finding it hard to make ends meet, you're not alone. A lot of people are living paycheck to paycheck . . . in fact, a recent survey shows that 21% of people who make over $100,000 a year are living paycheck to paycheck too.

--But sometimes OVERSPENDING is to blame, not the economy. So here are four ways to break the cycle and keep a little extra in the bank each month . . .

#1.) FOLLOW YOUR MONEY. To cut your expenses, you need to know EXACTLY what they are. Make a spreadsheet of your bills, or track your spending online. Once you know where your money goes each month, you can decide how to cut your budget.

#2.) SAVE MORE AUTOMATICALLY. If you're contributing to a 401K or a retirement account, that's great. But set up a savings account too, and automatically have part of your paycheck deposited there.

#3.) DOWNSIZE. It's easy to overspend if you're worried about impressing people all the time. Just remember, your neighbors might have a nicer car than you, but they also probably have a MUCH bigger car loan to pay back. --Living modestly now will pay off later . . . so be proud of yourself for making responsible decisions.

#4.) DON'T RELY ON CREDIT CARDS. It might sound obvious, but make sure you remember it. Credit should be for emergencies, so don't get into the habit of spending more than you have, or you might be living paycheck to paycheck for A LOT longer. (CNBC.com)