Winning at money is 80 percent behavior and 20 percent head knowledge. Most of us know what to do, but we just don’t do it.
— Dave Ramsey, Total Money Makeover

Get in Total Attack Mode. All you have to do is execute, execute, execute now.  If your friends that are broke aren’t making fun of you, then you are not on track.  If your family says, “Look, they’ve joined a cult!” then you are right on track.
— Dave Ramsey, from his syndicated radio program, 2006-11-24

There’s nothing new or exotic about the problems faced by American families today.  Jobs have come and gone, couples have broken up, and illnesses and injuries have been facts of life since the first caveman kissed the first cavewoman good-bye and headed off to the hunt.  But the Two-Income Trap compounded the ordinary risks of […]

What happens when unforeseen disaster strikes — when Dad loses his job or when Mom asks for a divorce?  Families face events that elude all careful planning.  The first line of defense is their all-purpose passbook savings account, an account that is tax-disadvantaged.  If things get really bad, many families find that the only way […]

A budget simply records how much money is coming in and where it is going out.  A budget makes no judgment; it’s a tool that tells the truth.  And once you learn how to use a budget well, it becomes an instrument that helps deliver your lifelong dreams.  A budget is a key tool in […]

Doing money right is not a core competency for most people.  This is either a baffling irony or a natural consequence of a materialistic culture.  People feel stupid about money, so they keep it at arm’s length, sometimes for decades.  People may be OK when it comes to earning money and quite adept at spending […]

The other key to staying ahead of the game is saving.  You need a savings stash to keep you from sliding back into debt.  Think about it:  You’re moving along, putting aside your $10 a day, paying down your credit cards, making terrific progress.  Then your dog gets a nasty double ear infection.  Between trips […]

Money isn’t that hard.  Getting straight with your money can be challenging — in the sense that you may have to make some difficult choices and break some long-standing habits — but it isn’t complicated.  You don’t have to be great at math, and you don’t have to understand a lot of specialized financial terms.  […]

Bottom line on frugality is that it is a gift to you and your family. When the accomplishments of savings and less stress over bills start to add up, you’ll realize that fiscal responsibility doesn’t mean doing without. It means making good choices so you can have what you want.
— Dawn, blogger, Frugal For Life:  […]

Acquiring information and advice about how to manage or invest our money is easy.  The trick is to act on the information, to do something that improves your life and the lives of those you love.
— Maria Nemeth, Ph.D., The Energy of Money

Try this exercise.  Take out a dollar bill and hold it for a moment.  Imagine everywhere this dollar has been, and everywhere it will be going.  Think about the people who have held this dollar bill, and what they have used it for.  Think of the people who will hold it in the future, and […]

Assess the Problem:  First, you have to figure out if your excessive buying is weighing on your life, and to what extent.  Until you realize you’re spending $150 a month on birthday gifts for the parties your children attend, it’s tough to alter that behavior.  A personal cash-flow statement should do the trick.  How much […]

Live below your means:  The most useful move you can make isn’t an investment move at all.  It’s to save.  Don’t overspend, don’t run up debt, set something aside every month.  The math is simple and unforgiving.  Save too little, and smart stock picking and sharp fund selection won’t bail you out.  Save enough, and […]

The reason I want you to have this “safe and sound” money [e.g., Emergency Fund]?  Because when you feel safe, you feel powerful, and power, remember, attracts money.  The safer you feel, the more powerful you are, and the more money will come your way.
— Suze Orman, The Courage to Be Rich