Self-sabotage is the act of continually doing something that undermines your own goals.

你可能听过“你是自己最大的敌人”这句话.如果这句话对你来说是真的, it has the potential to become a major roadblock on your path to financial freedom. 

Here are a few sneaky ways your brain can trap you in a pattern of financial misfortune.

品牌忠诚度 

Is there a specific company, brand or line of products you feel deeply attached to? 

作为消费者，对某些产品产生偏好是很正常的. 然而, when merchandise starts to become a reflection of your personal identity, 这种永恒的忠诚会让你在经济上误入歧途.

Some telltale signs that it's time to reevaluate your relationship with a brand are:

• 忽视公司的失误.
• 对竞争对手产品的无理批评.
• 捍卫品牌不合理的要价.
  
  

这是自毁行为的原因是因为一旦你离开 都在 关于一个品牌, you stop making financial decisions for yourself and start making them for the manufacturer.

Popular brands know how passionate customers are about their products — and their prices often reflect it. 在2000年代中期, 科技作家们戏称这种定价策略为“苹果税”," implying that Apple used its popularity to sell products at a higher market price, and that consumers naively paid more just because they were Apple products. 

事实是, 即使一个品牌一直发布伟大的产品, 除非是一项全新的技术, 你通常可以用更少的钱找到类似的产品.

这是遗产和. 质量相似但价格不同的替代品牌. 

如何解决?.
The first step to breaking the shackles of brand loyalty is to acknowledge that your favorite brand may not be putting out products that fit your budget or lifestyle. 从那里, 开始在网上比较交易, reading product reviews and asking your friends about their experience with different products.

货比三家可以帮你省下一大笔钱, 因为大多数公司为新客户提供无与伦比的折扣.

逃避你的钱(或缺钱) 

Do you dread the thought of checking your account balance for fear of it being low or depleted? 如果是这样，你是在给自己造成巨大的伤害. Keeping your financial statements out of sight and out of mind is an avoidance tactic that can cause long-term damage to your credit score.

Have you ever seen a horse wearing little leather patches next to its eyes? 它们被称为 马眼罩 — and their sole purpose is to limit the horse's visual awareness so it can't identify potential threats looming in the horizon. 结果，这匹马保持着不知觉和平静.

When it comes to finances, avoiding your bank account is like putting on 马眼罩. 虽然这可能有助于缓解你的财务焦虑, it also prevents you from spotting problems that have potential to grow even larger. 

Blissful ignorance toward your financial situation is a luxury that will keep you poor.

Turning a blind eye to your bank account balance to avoid financial anxiety is a denial behavior that could make things a lot worse down the road. 

如何解决?.
Growing your financial knowledge can help improve your understanding of your money situation and the role you play in it. Do online research, enroll in a course or attend a seminar held by your local bank or credit union. 如果你喜欢量身定制的建议, meeting with a financial counselor can also help to improve your money management skills and behaviors. 

生活方式的蠕变 

当你在事业上步步高升的时候, you may feel the temptation to spend more money simply because you earn more money. 这种现象被称为 生活方式的蠕变, and it's a big reason why so many middle-class people stay in the middle-class. 

你的薪水只能在你允许的范围内维持. 如果你像摇滚明星一样花钱，但像工厂工人一样赚钱, a pay raise isn't going to make your bank account look or feel any different. Remember, even a CEO can feel like they don't make enough money when they overextend their finances. 

如何解决?.
下次你加薪的时候, 从你增加的工资中拿出一定比例来缴纳401k养老金, 投资选择或 高股息储蓄帐户. Living within your means and proactively stretching your additional earnings is a great way to grow wealth over time.

让别人影响你的消费 

Do you ever look at your friend's spending habits and feel the pressure to 保持?

Chronic comparison is a surefire way to derail your financial growth and warp your idea of success. 永远不要和你周围的人进行财务竞争, 因为在某些时候，你会开始花你没有的钱.

有竞争力的支出, 也被称为“攀比”。, 这种心态会让你的钱包大受破坏吗, 你的幸福和你的人际关系. 

如何解决?.
Get a notebook and write down a list of things that are most important to you, 有形和无形. Next, ask yourself: Do my spending habits align with these values and priorities? Sometimes having an honest conversation with yourself can lead to a positive turning point in your life. 

而不是关注别人在买什么, 把精力集中在改善自己的财务状况上. 看看我们的趋势文章 克制住想要跟有钱的朋友看齐的冲动 进一步探讨这个主题.

未来收入核算 

如果你觉得自己正走在通往经济成功的道路上, 一定要保管好你的钱，直到你到达目的地. One surprisingly common way people sabotage themselves when they're on the up-and-up is by spending lavishly before they reach their anticipated payday. 他们说服自己，现在过得大一点是可以的, 因为将来钱不是问题. 

If you're banking on tomorrow's salary increase to fund today's boujee lifestyle, 你还不如把钱带到赌场去, 因为你是在赌博.

万一发工资的日子永远不会到来怎么办? 

Counting on future income to justify poor financial decision-making in the present is reckless and delusional. 即使你最终赚了大钱, going into debt now will make your eventual pay increase feel less like a victory and more like a 必要性. 

如何解决?.
Let the present moment drive your financial decisions, not your ideal future. 汽车mate your good habits by setting up recurring savings transfers each month to avoid the temptation of overspending. 

如果你按照目前的收入做预算，量入为出, 当加薪到来的时候，你会感觉更加甜蜜.

通过确认, 教育和改变的意愿, you can avoid stepping on your own toes and start making real progress on your journey to financial freedom.

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