Handling money can be difficult, particularly if you learned poor financial lessons from your parents; when you model what you learned, you may make mistakes without even realizing it. Perhaps you learned from your parents, or your parents never talked to you about money, or you simply ignored the good advice your parents gave you. Whatever the reason you are having money problems, if you are making mistakes with money, it’s important to realize it.

If you frequently don’t have enough money, that should alert you to the fact that you are making mistakes with your money; this includes not being able to pay your bills, being unable to save any money, and forgetting how you spent your money. If you frequently lack sufficient funds, or you are simply not saving, it’s time to look at your financial choices. Here are four common money mistakes that you may be making.

1. Spending too much money on your home

Whether you rent or you own, you shouldn’t be spending too much on your housing. Just how much is too much can be difficult to determine, but if you’re having trouble paying your bills because your home payment is so expensive, then you are probably spending too much. Many people agree that roughly 30% of your income can be spent on housing; however, that number isn’t right for everyone. To truly understand how much you can afford, you need to determine if you can pay for the rent or mortgage and still afford basic necessities; you also need to consider the fact that you may be paying for access to jobs in addition to just shelter. You will also need to consider how many other bills you have, and whether your debt payments are significant. If you have few additional bills and no debt, you might be able to afford a higher monthly payment.

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