A debit card is a terrific financial tool that can add convenience to your life and help you to be financially responsible and independent. But, with careful mis-planning it can be used to cause serious mayhem. If you have been searching for a great way to really mess up your life, follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Most people make sure they understand all the terms and conditions of their debit card when they sign up for it. Not you—you just want to go shopping and don’t care about extra fees. Also, be sure to ignore anything the member service rep has to say about the card. And definitely don’t read any of the brochures you pick up. You’re trying to mess up here remember, so don’t get off track by actually learning anything.

Step 2: Keeping the Personal Identification Number or PIN a secret helps to protect debit cardholders from fraud. When you receive your card in the mail, write your PIN on the white strip on the back of the card in a bold black marker so that anybody in the world can find your card, know your PIN and use it to drain your checking account.

Step 3: Signing the white strip on the back of the card helps prevent thieves from using your card. Don’t bother to sign it. Leave it blank so that a thief can easily sign it for you and buy a complete collection of lawn gnomes with your hard-earned money.

Step 4: Responsible debit card users learn quickly to keep track of their spending by saving receipts and recording transactions in their checkbook. Since you don’t want to be responsible: GO SHOPPING! Spend, spend, spend. Do not pay attention to your account balance. Do not keep track of anything. Buy everything in sight. When the credit union charges you an overdraft fee, act surprised.

Step 5: Many stores print your entire account number on the receipt when you make a purchase and if those receipts get into the wrong hands, you could end up with an empty account. While you’re taking a lunch break at the mall food court, leave a few of your debit receipts around so that anyone can find them and get your account number. Since you aren’t keeping track of what you’re spending anyway you won’t notice when they take all your money.

Step 6: Lending your debit card to anyone is a bad idea, even if it’s a close friend. The best way to keep your money safe is to keep your debit card and your pin all to yourself. So, by all means, if you’re aiming for disaster, instead of repaying your friend for loaned lunch money in cash, give her your debit card and as she’s walking away from you in the hall between classes, shout at top volume, “Oh yeah! My PIN number is 1234!”

Step 7: Repeat steps four through six until disaster strikes. It shouldn’t take long.