Owning a home is a keystone of wealth - both financial affluence and emotional security.
Suze Orman
When you are grateful - when you can see what you have - you unlock blessings to flow in your life.
A big part of financial freedom is having your heart and mind free from worry about the what-ifs of life.
People first, then money, then things.
The American dream is dead for the majority of America.
When you lose something in your life, stop thinking it's a loss for you... it is a gift you have been given so you can get on the right path to where you are meant to go, not to where you think you should have gone.
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.
It's impossible to map out a route to your destination if you don't know where you're starting from.
The only way you will ever permanently take control of your financial life is to dig deep and fix the root problem.
If a child, a spouse, a life partner, or a parent depends on you and your income, you need life insurance.
True generosity is an offering; given freely and out of pure love. No strings attached. No expectations. Time and love are the most valuable possession you can share.
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.
No one's ever achieved financial fitness with a January resolution that's abandoned by February.
Just because you can afford it doesn't mean you should buy it.
Happiness is not a luxury. It is a necessity. When we are happy, we are in the best possible place to be good to ourselves and those we love.
When you're happy you find pure joy in your life. There are no regrets in this state of happiness - and that's a goal worth striving for in all areas of your life.
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.
People have got to learn: if they don't have cookies in the cookie jar, they can't eat cookies.
There is nothing more beautiful than a confident woman.
Look everywhere you can to cut a little bit from your expenses. It will all add up to a meaningful sum.
Thoughtful financial planning can easily take a backseat to daily life.
You must trust yourself more than you trust others. Pay attention to your inner voice - it will tell you if how and in what you are investing is right for you.
The advantage of online banking is that you can pay bills superfast, and your account is automatically credited or debited for each deposit and payment, making it easier to stay on track.
If there is anyone dependent on your income - parents, children, relatives - you need life insurance.
Recast your current problems into proactive goals.
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.
Here's my gift-giving rule: Respect your current financial situation.
Money is kind of just like air - if you don't have air, you can't breathe. If you don't have money, I don't think you'll want to breathe - you won't want to live.
Anything that gets people to think harder about their financial security and take some responsibility is a good thing.
Not everything is about money.
Your goal should be to pay off your credit card bills in full at the end of each month and set aside money toward your emergency savings.
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.
If you are worried about job security and do not have an adequate emergency fund (ideally eight months' worth of living expenses stashed away in a federally insured bank or credit union), you need to focus more on saving money than paying down the balance on your credit cards.
People often panic when the markets go down and sell off their stocks - but then they aren't in the game when the markets are doing well.
We tend to focus on assets and forget about debts. Financial security requires facing up to the big picture: assets minus debts.
If you wait to see how much money you have left at the end of the month to put toward savings, the answer may be zero. So, set up an automated monthly transfer from your checking to savings account. Once you lock into that commitment, you'll be forced to scale back spending to make ends meet.
Many people are in the dark when it comes to money, and I'm going to turn on the lights.
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.
The key to making money is to stay invested.
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.
Ignore the annual percentage rate when shopping for a mortgage.
In January we start saving money, getting out of credit card debt, funding our retirement accounts, and we're doing wonderful. Then, every single year like clockwork, starting in November, all of you fall into this trap that says, 'I have to buy this gift... I can't show up at this party and not have something for everybody.'
Never invest emergency savings in the stock market.
Give to yourself as much as you give of yourself! This means you have to put yourself first.
The prenup needs to be drawn up months before the wedding, not days - it's not something you slap together and sign in the car on the way to the ceremony. A shotgun prenup might not hold up in court.
If you can't afford the upkeep of your home, it makes no sense to do a reverse mortgage. You will just end up having to sell eventually when you realize you can't afford the home, and whether you have any equity left after the sale depends on the size of the reverse loan that must be settled.
Put your financial life on autopilot as a form of 'forced' saving.
If you're going to live in the house make it your goal to just pay off your mortgage.
Remember: If the IRS suspects you haven't reported income, it can challenge returns from the past six years. So if you are self-employed or have multiple income sources, hold on to six years of files to be absolutely safe.
Your credit score affects the interest rates you're offered on credit cards and loans, can be used to vet your job application, and in some states may influence your insurance premiums.
