Swiping, waiting and then having your debit card declined is one of the most stomach churning moments you’ll ever experience. If you don’t have the money in the bank, you’re now exposed as a forgetful idiot ... or worse. 

And even if it’s a bank error, that red-faced "what?" is still going to attract impatient, if not judgmental looks from those behind you -- which can be a problem for some people.

After all, many of us our self-esteem, identity or feelings of self-worth wrapped up in financial matters – all of which makes dealing with awkward money incidents particularly unsettling.

So much so that 48 per cent of consumers admit they've avoided someone or a particular situation that involved money because they knew it would likely get messy.

Budgeting doesn’t work, maintains advisor Stephanie Holmes-Winton, author of the books Defusing the Debt Bomb and Spent -- at least not on day-to-day expenses, not in the traditional sense anyway.

It's not that it's impossible to set a money-management plan and stick to it, it's just that most people don't, Holmes-Winton says, offering the following example.

Say you're renovating your bathroom. You decide how much you're willing to spend, figure out where you’ll get the money from, make a list, price it out, etc. You may go to multiple stores to source the best products at the best prices and get materials from different places to meet your budget.

While some Canadian families are heading off to warmer destinations or even ski trips for March Break there is still plenty to do without having to break the bank.

Personally speaking, I have never taken a vacation during March Break. My children and I have always stayed local and have still had fun.

The average household debt is sitting at 164 per cent, so why go crazy spending money you don't have to keep up with the Jones' just because it's March Break.

You make a good salary and can afford to shop and buy new clothes at retail. But you really enjoy shopping at a particular thrift store, where you find great bargains even though you sometimes buy items that you really don’t need.

And there's the rub. If you buy something at that thrift store, and lots of middle class people do,  you’re probably taking it away from someone who needs it more than you ... and can afford it way less than you can.

Tough, a deal is a deal, and should be available to anyone who happens to find it. Or are you putting the screws to someone you don't even know and making their life just a tad more miserable in the process?

What if you made your morning coffee instead of heading to the drive-thru on your way to work? Crazy idea isn't it?

But is saving some extra money really so crazy?  Believe it or not, those trips to the coffee shop really do add up.

According to the Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA), if you save the $5 instead of buying that latte -- even at 1.5 per cent interest -- you will save about $5,500 over 25 years. Not too shabby, eh?

North America's economy would take off like a rocket if only consumers bought not just one, but two, cars.

A full recovery from the economic downturn “relies on a lot of people buying that second car,” maintains Itay Michaeli, who follows the auto industry for Citi Investment Research. “It reflects consumer confidence, not just the buying of a replacement vehicle.”

He expects younger buyers to take the lead in boosting vehicle sales. “We consistently see in surveys that 18 to 34 year olds say that when the economy gets better, their households will have multiple cars.”

Really? The fact is, today’s young people simply don’t drive like their predecessors did. At least city dwellers don't, says Jordan Weissman in the Atlantic.

Does it pay for both parents to work when the kids arrive or for one to stay home?

Well, lifestyle issues aside, there's clearly no right or wrong answer -- but it does pay to do the math, says Andy Dappen, author of Shattering the Two-Income Myth.

Some of his numbers are a bit dated for this economy, but the exercise is certainly worthwhile, maintains one stay-at-home mom, who blogs at On One Income, and concludes that the few extra dollars just weren't worth it.  

When considering whether two paycheques will pay off, you have to figure out how much of the lower earner's salary will be eaten by dual-income expenses.

For instance, the "working tax" on a second income includes childcare costs, work-related expenses, lost perks, and additional household costs. You may also find yourself in a higher tax bracket where you end up giving the government a bigger percentage of your overall family income.

Len Penzo thinks many people are wasting their hard-earned money tossing out perfectly good food because they take expiration dates at face value.

He admits that he trawls the aisles for discounts on items about to expire, and relies on his senses to judge when something seems to be a bit off.

When in doubt, he consults StillTasty, a site dedicated to helping consumers decide whether to keep it or toss it. Simply search for the food or beverage in question, indicate how long you’ve had it and whether it has been opened, and you’ll find out if you can safely chow down.

Sara Noel, founder of the Frugal Village, thinks people should make better use out of everyday items lying around the house. And she has a big following, one that loves squeezing just a little bit more out of every dollar.

When Consumer Reports ran a series of tests to gauge how much skin lotion, detergent, and toothpaste is typically left over after you think you’ve used it all up, they determined  that, depending on the product, almost a quarter of the stuff you paid for could have easily been tossed in the trash.

It seems most Canadians still can’t go very long without getting paid.

47% of Canadians admit they’d in a tough spot if their paycheque was delayed by just one week, according to a survey from the Canadian Payroll Association.

That's a lot of stress. People who are strapped can’t afford to switch jobs or get laid off because they're just barely making enough to squeak by.

The good news is that number has declined slightly from 2011 and is more evenly distributed among provinces. Here’s what things looked like a year ago.