As 2014 approaches many of us reflect to take stock of where we are at the end of 2013. Did we accomplish our goals? Are we better or worse off?

We also tend to look ahead to where we want to be in 2014 and further into the future.

I want to help you with the later by giving you 4 reasons not to be an average American.

1. The average American has credit card debt of $15,263 with an APR of 14.95%

2. The average American has student loan debt of $31,646

3. The average American has auto loan debt of $30,738

4. Only 59% of Americans have at least $500 in savings

If you are the average American today. You can’t change the decisions that brought you to the indebtedness you now face. You can, however, make a choice not to continue on the path to increased indebtedness.

The good news about being an average American is the median annual income is $52,782. Compare this to the global annual median income found  in a 2012 article in the Daily Mail of $1225. In America, it isn’t income that’s our problem. It’s the spending and borrowing that’s out of control.

Do you follow Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University philosophy? Maybe you follow  M.J. DeMarco’s Millionaire Fastlane philosophy. One thing is true of both philosophies, you have to spend less than you earn to get ahead. Average Americans don’t.

According the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, for the year 2012, in most households the second largest annual expense is your car, second only to the expense of housing.

In my view, It is much easier to drive a cheaper car than move to a cheaper house or apartment. This makes your car a prime target to be the fastest way to get your debt under control.

Look at my previous posts to learn how to find and buy a good inexpensive cash car. You can also find a post on how to sell your current car.

Whether you chose to reduce your annual expenses by downsizing your car or in some other area of your life, make controlling your spending and reducing expenses a priority in 2014.

Don’t be an average American.

Note: Unless otherwise stipulated, all data used in the post was pulled from a report in GoBankingRates.com.

Question: What will you do to not be average in 2014?