The world is full of don'ts. Don't run with scissors, don't wear seersucker after Labor Day -- and please, do not feed the bears.
Some rules are designed to preserve social order by imposing stigmas on unseasonal attire while others are necessary to avoid potential stabbing or mauling catastrophes. All attempt to avert crises that may arise as unintended consequences of our actions.
As often as the rules of style, camping and crafting are broken, so too are financial rules transgressed. The penalties for doing so vary in severity between the ramifications for wearing summer white at Halloween and fleeing from a grizzly bear demanding snacks.
_____________________________________
Need Help Investing? More Stories from Bankrate.com:
_____________________________________
But breaking these rules for borrowing can leave you hemorrhaging money, and that doesn't ever look good.
1. Do save money while repaying debt
Theories abound on whether borrowers should repay debt while saving or forgo saving to pay off debt faster.
Depending on the depth of the hole you've dug, it can take years to get out of debt. So some savings must be established and maintained to establish a healthy bottom line.