My life and business style was/is to be financially prudent and very honest, to hedge against potential bad outcomes, etc.. I can’t begin to tell you how well that worked out and how I watched others that had a deficit of economic common sense and business morality crash and burn in the same area of [...]

One of the advantages of living a life of economic solvency is you don’t have to spend too much time in petty disputes with bank clerks.
— “Trail,” blog commenter, regarding an individual who was upset that her bank was reducing her HELOC

Lazy, ignorant and dysfunctional can only be burned out of a person with real pain. Pain is a great teacher for those who will not learn in any other fashion.
— Sushihorn, message-board poster

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