Are you having an income crisis, a debt crisis, or a career crisis? Part 1

Let's take the obvious.  If you are making more by working longer hours it's very easy to justify things like "well I don't have time to cook, I'll just stop here and grab a bite." I love going out to eat, and it is so much more convenient to grab a bite than it is to cook, but it also is more expensive than cooking at home or bringing your lunch.

Fact is that even more than your income your behavior controls your issue.  I've looked at dozens and dozens of people's budgets over the years and there is always some level of cuts that can be made. Oh, and if you aren't tracking your spending and planning your future spending (in other words making a budget) you are almost always overspending and don't even know it.

So making more, is that the solution? Well, if you have too much month at the end of the money-making more by getting a part-time job or working overtime or even just having the Mother of All Garage sales or Craigslisting (is that even a word?)  the entire contents of that closet that you can't open without getting hit on the head (you know the one) (or for those of you with a two car garage...selling the stuff that keeps you from even managing to park ONE car in there would be great)

Well these things will Certainly help, but only if you also work to get control of your behavior. If you develop a plan and stick to it, then increasing income temporarily or permanently is a great way to solve the problem. But without getting to the big picture and getting that under control...well it's a band-aid at most.