The way to build your savings is by spending less each month.
Courage is not always about action. It takes courage to do nothing rather than do something that you do not believe in or understand.
Ignore the annual percentage rate when shopping for a mortgage.
A pile of bills and statements - whether paid or not - is a sign that someone is clueless about what's coming in and going out.
The foundation of a financial fresh start actually has nothing to do with money or specific financial dos and don'ts. The first, and most difficult, step is to absolve yourself and your spouse or partner of any guilt.
You must recognize, embrace, and be honest about what is real for you today and allow that understanding to inform the choices you make. Only then will you be able to build the future of your dreams.
A cash advance on a credit card is one of the worst types of borrowing because the interest rate is typically 21 percent or more.
Find $50 a month for savings. No excuses!
I love the Roth IRA. Tax-free income in retirement is a truly great deal.
Put your financial life on autopilot as a form of 'forced' saving.
If the only way you can build an emergency fund is to pay the minimum due on your credit card, that is what you need to do.
Credit unions are often a better deal than banks and tend to pay higher yields on deposits.
The prenup needs to be drawn up months before the wedding, not days - it's not something you slap together and sign in the car on the way to the ceremony. A shotgun prenup might not hold up in court.
Once your kids are grown and you know that you're completely healthy, consider canceling your life insurance policy.
Raise your auto and home deductibles to $1,000 or more, and your premium cost falls at least 10 percent.
If you're saving for the long run, it's actually a good thing when the market is down because the more shares you have, the more you can potentially make when markets rise. And over time - decades, not months - the markets rise more than they fall.
Understand and accept the cycles of money. The setbacks you may have today or next year will not keep you from financial freedom. If you hold on to your goals and dreams, you will get there.
I get so frustrated when people tell me it's unrealistic to create an eight-month emergency savings fund, or have money saved for a home down payment, or pay off their $5,000 credit card balance.
The new American dream is one of responsibility. What is the bottom-line number that you're going to be able to pay back toward a student loan responsibly if you're doing it yourself after you have a job? That dictates the amount of money you can borrow. That dictates the school you can go to, if you can even go to a four-year college at all.
I always say, 'People first, then money, then things.'
