How do I limit characters for Rich Text Fields

I have a requirement where I need to limit the number of characters a user can type into a Rich Text Field. I am having some difficulty figuring out what the best way to limit the number of characters that can be input client side for the individual fields are. There are several RTF fields on various tabs and each field may have a different character count limit. What is the best practice to accomplish this? (I’d even consider some worst practices if it gets the job done).

I suggest the following idea in response to this question as the best option if made possible.

Present “Characters left” in the bottom of the input box that uses what is set as length in the setup of the field. Then stop allowing characters once that limit is reached.