Can You Afford It?

I love the Suzie Orman shows where she talks to listeners, reviews their financial situations and tells them whether they can afford to make a certain investment or purchase. (You're great Suzie!)

Unfortunately, too many of us move forward without any thought. Buy now (especially on plastic) and pay for it later. Isn't that what has delivered the country to its current state? For those who say we're not in a recession, I say you're full of bologna- and we're not talking Oscar Meyer.

Check out this link (http://www.hsh.com/calc-howmuch.html) for a mortgage calculator that will give you an estimate of how much you can afford. Always a good idea before you pull out of the apartment complex driveway in your 1989 Corolla and begin looking at million dollar homes. (This is especially true for those of you new to the Rat Race. And, BTW, welcome to the real world! LOL)

And FYI on top of that. For your sake, please pull your OWN credit bureau reports FREE OF CHARGE at http://www.annualcreditreport.com BEFORE you apply for a loan- mortgage or car note. You might save yourself some time and disappointment. Clear up any issues and then go shopping.