In all realms of life it takes courage to stretch your limits, express your power, and fulfill your potential... it's no different in the financial realm.

I think they've been baby bummers.

We never had it as rough as the kids have it today. Look at the price of a gallon of gas or a piece of real estate or a college education.

They got married, they got divorced, and half their money goes out the window.

Owning a home is a keystone of wealth... both financial affluence and emotional security.

Opposites may attract, but I wouldn't put my money on a relationship of financial opposites.

In all realms of life it takes courage to stretch your limits, express your power, and fulfill your potential... it's no different in the financial realm.

People first, then money, then things.

A big part of financial freedom is having your heart and mind free from worry about the what-ifs of life.

Many people are in the dark when it comes to money, and I'm going to turn on the lights.

If you have debt I'm willing to bet that general clutter is a problem for you too.

A cash advance on a credit card is one of the worst types of borrowing because the interest rate is typically 21 percent or more.

A pile of bills and statements - whether paid or not - is a sign that someone is clueless about what's coming in and going out.

A reverse mortgage is available to anyone who is at least 62 years old and owns a home outright, or has a small mortgage balance remaining.

A revocable living trust allows your heirs to avoid probate entirely and keeps you in complete control of your finances while you're alive. You can always make changes to what's in the trust and to how you'd ultimately like it managed or disbursed.

A wise woman knows how to summon her courage and do what is right, rather than what is easy.

A wise woman recognizes when her life is out of balance and summons the courage to act to correct it, she knows the meaning of true generosity, happiness is the reward for a life lived in harmony, with a courage and grace.

Anything that gets people to think harder about their financial security and take some responsibility is a good thing.

Cash - in savings accounts, short-term CDs or money market deposits - is great for an emergency fund. But to fulfill a long-term investment goal like funding your retirement, consider buying stocks. The more distant your financial target, the longer inflation will gnaw at the purchasing power of your money.

Consider a 15- or 20-year fixed-rate mortgage instead of a 30-year, if you can afford the monthly payments - they may not be as high as you think.

Credit card companies are jacking up interest rates, lowering credit limits, and closing accounts - and people who have made timely payments are not exempt. So even if you pay off your balance - and that's tough when interest rates are insanely high - there's a good chance your credit limit will be slashed, and that will hurt your FICO score.

Credit card issuers and HELOC lenders are like fair-weather friends: They cozy up to you in good times, but when the economy heads south, they abandon you faster than Usain Bolt runs the 100 meters.

Credit unions are often a better deal than banks and tend to pay higher yields on deposits.

Cut back your spending now.

Don't let what others think or say get in your way; their actions reflect on them, not you.

Estate planning is an important and everlasting gift you can give your family. And setting up a smooth inheritance isn't as hard as you might think.

Even if you were to fall into extreme financial hardship and file for bankruptcy, you need to understand that your student loan debt will not be discharged in bankruptcy. It is the Velcro of all debts.

Every financial worry you want to banish and financial dream you want to achieve comes from taking tiny steps today that put you on a path toward your goals.

Every portfolio benefits from bonds; they provide a cushion when the stock market hits a rough patch. But avoiding stocks completely could mean your investment won't grow any faster than the rate of inflation.

Every time you overhear something hurtful, I want you to do something kind for someone else.

Everybody in America started to define themselves by all these things they had around them. And all of a sudden it came tumbling down. So the old American dream has died, and that is a good thing.

Financial advice needs to change according to what is happening in the economy.

Find $50 a month for savings. No excuses!

Focus on what you have.

For all your long-term investments, such as retirement accounts that you won't touch for at least ten years, you need a mix of stocks and bonds. Stocks offer the best shot at inflation-beating gains. But stocks don't always go up. That's where bonds come into play: They have less upside potential, but they also do not pack the same risk.

Get rid of debt now.

Give a portion of your money to others. By releasing an anxious grasp on your money, you will open yourself to receive all that is meant to be yours.

Give to yourself as much as you give of yourself! This means you have to put yourself first.

Grace is above praise and blame. I never read the bad stuff people write, but I never read the good stuff, either. Ever. I know who I am, and I know that God looks down on me and smiles. I know that - without a shadow of a doubt.

Here's my gift-giving rule: Respect your current financial situation.

I always say, 'People first, then money, then things.'

I am a big believer that orderliness begets wealth.

I am a big believer that orderliness begets wealth. A pile of bills and statements - whether paid or not - is a sign that someone is clueless about what's coming in and going out. When you consciously open, read, and file away your bills and statements, you are connecting with your money and taking control of your life.

I do not think I am successful just because I have money. I'm successful because I love who I am and I have no regrets, and I'm successful because I have a great heart and I have compassion and I care and I would be happy with or without money.

I generally encourage people to make good on debts when they have enough money to repay them. But once a delinquency has been reported to a collection agency, paying it off won't help your FICO score. The damage has already been done, and the blemish will remain on your credit report for seven years.

I get mad when people give me presents. I don't want them, I don't need them.

I get so frustrated when people tell me it's unrealistic to create an eight-month emergency savings fund, or have money saved for a home down payment, or pay off their $5,000 credit card balance.

I have always advocated doing everything possible to pay off credit card balances; it's good financial management and the ticket to a strong FICO credit score.

I have never been a fan of bond funds. Unlike a direct investment in an individual bond that you can hold to maturity and be assured you will get your principal back (assuming no default), a fund has no finite maturity date and most funds are actively traded.