With so much going on right now, it’s easier than ever to fall into traps that could ruin your finances, relationships, and overall outlook in life. Before that ever happens, you can use these 11 things people fall into to plan and prepare accordingly.
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Spending Spare Money
Many people feel compelled to use spare money, but you don’t have to. The wisest decision would be to save it and forget about it. The same applies when you get a raise.
Waiting Until Things Are Perfect
Waiting too long for the “perfect soulmate, house, or job” may cause you to lose valuable opportunities and even lessons. To avoid regrets later, live in the present, accept wins and failures, be grateful, and improve on today for a better tomorrow.
Sunk Cost Fallacy
“Sometimes you have to walk away. It doesn’t matter what you’ve invested. The longer you stay, the more you will lose. Sometimes you’re better off leaving behind the memories and the emotional and financial investments and just starting again from scratch,” recommends a user.
Guaranteed, letting go won’t be easy, but it will be the best thing.
Nostalgia Bias
This is another trap that many are unaware of. You see, you may be nostalgic about what was positive. However, getting stuck in the good old days can “manifest as a present-day coping mechanism,” where you use nostalgia bias to resist growth.
Doing Things Because of Fear of Rejection
Fear also holds back many individuals: fear of rejection, “fear of failure, and fear of being judged.” But, you can view life as a “matter of risk, reward, and probability.”
Never Letting Go of the Past
Holding on to the past can cripple you mentally and emotionally. You do not necessarily need to forget those who hurt you, but it would be better if you learned how to manage your reaction.
“Embrace that miserable feeling you get when you remember and let it pass. Do not run. Face it. Then your brain will adapt to the feeling, slowly process the memory, and put it to rest,” advises a poster.
Not Knowing How to Use Credit Cards Right
Many people don’t understand the debt they incur when they max their credit cards and refuse to pay back on time. But you can learn to view credit cards as cash and pay them back on time. Using these cards right will have you enjoying discounted flight rates, high credit scores, theft protection, and cashback rewards.
Lifestyle Creep
Another trap is thinking you must upgrade your electronics, cars, or houses to be on the same level as your peers. Lifestyle creep will have you living from paycheck to paycheck even while earning 6-figures a month.
A commentator who has avoided this trap says, “My SO and I have yet to upgrade our lifestyle when our incomes went up, and now we can afford any emergency at a moment’s notice.”
Letting Other People Define Success for Them
Most people are no longer happy because of identity foreclosure. This trap lets you accept other people’s values and beliefs control you. But you don’t need validation from others, just yourself.
Putting Things Off
This trap only works for kids because someone else picks up the slack. However, stalling can have terrible consequences for adults since some opportunities only come once. And like one poster recommends, “Seize the moment while you have it because once it’s gone, it’s gone.”
Caring What Others Think
“Caring too much destroys your self-worth and turns you into someone you are not,” shares a user. Also, “Don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t take advice from.”
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Source: Reddit
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