I advise that you take the wisdom of Algamish and say to yourselves, “A part of all I earn is mine to keep.”  Say it in the morning when you first arise.  Say it at noon.  Say it at night.  Say it each hour of every day.  Say it to yourself until the words stand […]

Clarity about your money is essential.  You need to know where it’s going before you can even begin to make effective changes.  That may sound obvious, but it’s not.  Beyond the rent and a close guess on utilities, most people in debt can not tell you how much they spend each month, or on what.
— […]

I don’t want to walk across hot coals because it is fun, but if I can be shown how a short, painful walk will do away with the lifetime of worry, frustration, stress, and fear that being constantly broke brings me, then bring on the hot coals.
— Dave Ramsey, Total Money Makeover

Stop trying to impress other people.   Other people are probably so busy trying to impress you that they will, at best, not notice your efforts.  At worst, they will resent you for one-upping them.
— Joe Dominguez, Your Money or Your Life

If you monitor your financial health quarterly, you can spot your weaknesses quickly and adjust.  One of the secrets of becoming financially fit is staying on top of your situation.
— Susan Feitelberg, Net Worth Workout

It doesn’t matter if you are managing $50,000 a year or $50,000,000.  Unless you have a specific plan that is based on values and principles you believe in and a method to keep all of it from leaking away, you will always be in a financial mess.  That’s what debt-proof living is all about:  learning […]

In your heart, you know that nothing of lasting value comes without some measure of hard work.  And you didn’t get where you are overnight, either.  But if you follow the steps and do the work, I promise you great results.
— Mary Hunt, Debt-Proof Your Marriage

Living in debt is nerve-wracking, insomnia-producing, and family-wrecking. Just don’t do it. There is nothing you can buy that feels as good as being in debt feels bad.
— Ben Stein

Here’s my problem with taking on debt: I have a profound respect for the unknown. For instance, my husband and I work for ourselves. This is an excellent way to avoid ruthless bosses and layoffs. But if one of us were to get injured or become ill, it would be pretty hard to keep business […]

Most Americans are very optimistic. They think things will always get better from here, they’ll make more money, they won’t have any emergencies. Credit has become so ingrained in the culture that so many people can’t imagine living without it. Once you decide you’re never going to be out of debt, you can afford anything.
— […]

In the new world of unregulated lending, families are barraged with advertisements and offers for a new product:  all the debt they could ever want, and more.  Now, in a single year, more than five billion preapproved credit card offers — totaling over $350,000 of credit per family — pour into mailboxes all across America.
— […]

Money exposes the differences in our personalities, the ways we were brought up, our money beliefs, and goals. The way we think about money and what we do with it reflects what we believe about it. But money issues are buried so deeply in our emotions, it is often difficult to know what we believe […]

I know that who I am today is the sum total of all I’ve been in the past, all the things I’ve done, and the experiences I’ve had.  Every day I acknowledge how easily I could go back to my old ways, that my dignity and self-worth do not come from possessions, and that my […]

When you’re at the bottom, there’s only one way to look, and that is up.
— Mary Hunt, Debt-Proof Your Marriage

A lack of money also gave me an education I could never buy with money. Alone and broke I found out who I am.
— HerRoyalMajestyBags, message-board poster