Five Common (and Costly) Consumer Money Mistakes

While we're doing a lot of things "right" these days (such as paying more attention to our credit card statements, shopping more frugally, and redefining our vision of retirement), we're still making quite a few mistakes. And some of them can be costly -- like these five common consumer mistakes:

1. Not Knowing Our Credit Scores

This is a really important number, looked at by everyone from lenders to landlords and even a growing percentage of employers. In fact, according to the Society for Human Resource Management, as many as 60% of employers now look at this number. And while lenders look at it to gouge your creditworthiness, employers look at it more as a way to check your character. They need to know that you're responsible with your finances, and that you're going to focus on your job, not your financial woes.