I lost my shirt because of bad financial management and impulsive decisions. Many people are fooling themselves by turning their cheek and looking the other way when it comes to financial situation. Is this you? Take this brief questionaire on financial fitness that I found in the aisle of my local grocery store. It was published by American Media Mini Mags, Inc. Authored by Peter Reilly.

Which phrase best describes your financial philosophy?

a) "Shop till you drop."

b) "Eat drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die."

c) "A penny saved is a penny earned."

What's the highest interest rate you pay on a credit card?

a) 19 percent.

b) 12 percent.

c) 0 percent because you make all purchases in cash.

How do you plan for vacation?

a) You charge it to a credit card and worry about paying for it later.

b) You shop discount travel travel services online like Priceline.com or Orbitz.com and look for the best deal.

c)You budget a little each month so that you can afford that great trip.

When your credit card bills come in each month, you are:

a) panic stricken and have to borrow from one card to pay the minimum on another.

b) surpiised at how much you spent.

c) able to pay the bill in full.

What do you do if you get a raise?

a) Splurge on that home entertainment system you always wanted.

b) Pay some bills and treat the family to a nice dinner out.

c) Stick the extra money in a family emergency fund each month.

When buying insurance, you:

a) pick an agency out of the newspaper that advertises the cheapest rates.

b) go to an established agency because it's near your house.

c) research agencies and compare prices for the best deal without sacrificing service.

What do you do when it's time to pay your taxes?

a) Miss the April 15th deadline so you have to end up paying fines.

b) Don't itemize and just fill out the 1040EZ short form.

c) Itemize and use an online program like TurboTax or tax preparation firm to legitimately reduce your taxes.

When buying a car, you

a) pay sticker price and take whatever additions the salesman suggests.

b) haggle a little, but give in if it comes to a confrontation.

c) do your homework, then are prepared to walk out if the dealer can't meet your price.

How much do you save each payday?

a) Nothing I live paycheck to paycheck.

b) You put 5 percent into a 401K.

c) Put 10 percent in savings, plus 10 percent in a 401K retirement plan.

When buying a home, you:

a) get more house than you can afford because you'll make money when you sell it.

b) get a home mortgage that's 50 percent of your income and stretch the payments over 30 years.

c) get a mortgage that's 25 percent of your income and pay it off in 15 years.

How did you do? Where are the majority of your answers? Let's take a look; if the majority of your financial quiz answers were in the As range, you need help and to realign your money habits and thoughts.

If they are in the Bs range you're like the majority of people out there making ends meat , but you can do better. If you're in the cs range your a financial genius!

Reevaluate the quiz and compare these results to your FICO scores I bet you'll see the correlation. A simple shift in thought and action will set you on the right path.

Need more help with your credit and money skills pick up your free report at http://www.raise-my-fico-score.com

(c) 2006 Ryan Wegman