Stop wishing for more money and start managing the money you have. Write down how you will spend (or save) your next paycheck—every single dollar of it. Become a skillful manager so that when more money flows into your life, you’ll know where to put it for the greatest benefit.
— Mary Hunt, “Money Myths That [...]

Money on its own is neither good nor bad. Our beliefs and attitudes about money are what make it such a powerful force in our lives. And with good reason. Money determines where we live, what we drive, and where our kids go to school. The trouble starts when our money beliefs are not based [...]

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

Well, Mr. or Ms. Excuse-Maker, it’s time you stopped whining and started taking control of your financial situation.  It’s easy!  You just need to follow these steps:
 
1. Analyze your cash flow.  “Cash flow” is a term that accountants use to describe the flowing of cash.  To analyze your cash flow, first sit down at your kitchen [...]

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 [...]

To maintain your wealth, you must take control of your spending.  But don’t develop a budget; develop a spending plan.  How’s that for Transformational Vocabulary?  Truly, if a budget is done effectively, it is a spending plan.  It’s a means for you — or if you’re married, you and your spouse — to decide what [...]

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 [...]

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.  [...]

We consumers have become a nation of servants to financial institutions.  We used to joke that a bank was where you could borrow money if you could prove you didn’t need it.  Now, with the advent of aggressive credit marketing strategies, we can borrow even when we shouldn’t be allowed to.  We are sold credit in [...]

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:  [...]

So what are you going to do about it?  Whine, complain, continue feeling sorry for yourself?  I have a better idea.  Get mad!  Decide once and for all that you will not sell your soul to the likes of MasterCard and Visa — not one more day, not one more purchase.  Get righteously indignant at [...]

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