Many people who spend too much have common personality characteristics. To isolate these, Money asked 15 psychologists, credit counselors and financial planners to draw up this checklist. True or false:

1. You spend money on the expectation that your income will rise.

2. You take cash advances on one credit card to pay off another.

3. You spend over 20 percent of your income on credit-card bills.

4. You often fail to keep an accurate record of you purchases.

5. You have applied for more than five cards in the past year.

6. You regularly pay for groceries with a credit card because you need to.

7. You often hide your credit-card purchases from your family.

8. Owning several credit cards makes you feel richer.

9. You pay off your monthly credit-card bills, but let others slide.

10. You like to collect cash from friends in restaurants, then charge the tab on your credit card.

11. You almost always make only the minimum payment on your credit-card bill.

12. You have trouble imagining you life without credit.

Scoring

1-4 true answers. You can probably keep going. You don't seem to splurge uncontrollably.

5-8 true answers. Slow down, you have entered the caution zone. It's time to draw up a budget, pay off bills, and re-evaluate spending habits.

9-12 true answers. You must stop. It may be wise to consult a credit counselor or financial planner for help in changing your habits.

If your scoring indicates that you need to slow down or stop your overspending habits, check out the article "Money - the Root to Most Arguments" in the 1st quarter Timberline. Consumer Credit Counseling Services is a great help if you need assistance in managing your money. In Houston, you can call Debtors Anonymous at 713/797-8441 for a 12-step meeting in your area. If you have emotional or family problems contributing to your situation, call and set up an appointment with your EAP counselor.