Helen Keller became deaf, dumb, and blind shortly after birth.  Despite her greatest misfortune, she has written her name indelibly in the pages of the history of the great.  Her entire life has served as evidence that no one is ever defeated until defeat has been accepted as a reality.
 
Beethoven was deaf, Milton was blind, […]

It cost me dearly to learn this very valuable lesson:  Accountability is the key to freedom.  This is a principle you must accept on faith.  It is true, believe me.  The absence of accountability in my life led to unbearable financial bondage.  I became hopelessly buried by a mountain of killer debt.  I couldn’t be […]

Most of us are good “starters” but poor “finishers” of everything we begin.  Moreover, people are prone to give up at the first signs of defeat.  There is no substitute for persistence.  The person who makes persistence his watch-word discovers that “Old Man Failure” finally becomes tired, and makes his departure.  Failure cannot cope with […]

I love the concept of a plan.  With plans cities are built, battles are won, and chaos is turned to order.  You need a financial plan for today, tomorrow, a month from now, a year from now, right on through your retirement.  You must design a tailor-made plan that works for you.  It has to […]

Stupid debt doesn’t usually start out stupid. In the beginning, it is simply a matter of convenience. You pay the entire balance during the grace period. Then one month the balance is a little larger than can be easily paid, so you pay half and plan to pay the balance next month. But then something […]

Three decisions that you make every moment of your life control your destiny. These three decisions determine what you’ll notice, how you’ll feel, what you’ll do, and ultimately what you will contribute and who you’ll become. If you don’t control these three decisions, you simply aren’t in control of your life. When you do control […]

Debt-proof living is a lifestyle where you spend less than you earn; you give, save, and invest confidently and consistently; your financial decisions are purposeful; you turn away from compulsive behavior; you shun unsecured debt; you borrow cautiously; you anticipate the unexpected; you scrutinize your purchases; and you reach for your goals by following a […]

People in Texas have a great way of describing someone who tries to look like more than he really is. They call him a “big hat, no cattle” guy.
 
In other words, he may look like a wealthy rancher, but in fact, there’s no ranch, no cattle, no nothing. Just a big hat (and probably a […]

I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor.
— Henry David Thoreau

If you pay just the minimum due each month on an $8,400 credit balance, you will wind up having to make 365 monthly payments before it goes to zero. That’s thirty years and five months’ worth of payments. And that’s assuming you never charge another dime on the card, never get hit with a late […]

For most of us, debt can be a trap that forces us to work longer than we should have to. What puts us into debt are bad habits such as running up balances on our credit cards and then paying them down slowly, if at all. You can be hurt and held down by habits […]

Here is a simple but profound truth: YOU CAN NOT GET OUT OF DEBT BY BORROWING MORE MONEY.
 
No more than an alcoholic can become sober by having another drink.
— Jerrold Mundis, How to Get Out of Debt, Stay Out of Debt, and Live Prosperously

All you have to do to begin your recovery and open the door to total freedom is avoid taking on any new debt today. I don’t avoid debt tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year. That’s too much to think about. I just do it today, one day at a time. And these days, […]

Ah, to have enough. Enough money to pay the bills. Enough to have a little fun. Enough to put something aside for the future. Enough to feel some real confidence. Sounds good, doesn’t it? 
 
Have you ever wondered why one person can manage just fine on $40,000 a year, while another person is in big trouble on […]