Make it a priority to have at least eight months of living costs set aside in a federally insured bank or credit union account.
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.
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.
Look everywhere you can to cut a little bit from your expenses. It will all add up to a meaningful sum.
The world does not need another credit card.
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.
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.
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.
I love, love, love that you want to use your debit card. But to keep your credit score solid, you still need to keep a few credit cards and use them at least once every few months.
Don't let what others think or say get in your way; their actions reflect on them, not you.
Credit unions are often a better deal than banks and tend to pay higher yields on deposits.
Many people are in the dark when it comes to money, and I'm going to turn on the lights.
It may take you months or even a few years to build up an adequate emergency savings fund. That's okay.
Ignore the annual percentage rate when shopping for a mortgage.
When you are grateful - when you can see what you have - you unlock blessings to flow in your life.
We women know how to take care of everybody so well. But the one person we have written out of the equation is us.
My greatest pleasure is still flying private. I spend between $300,000 to $500,000, depending on my year, on flying private.
The way to build your savings is by spending less each month.
Sometimes poverty is the greatest gift you can ever be given. Sometimes loss is the key that leads you to gain.
It's not what you make, but how you feel about what you make and what you spend.
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.
Just because you can afford it doesn't mean you should buy it.
Financial advice needs to change according to what is happening in the economy.
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.
Sometimes your mind lets you do things with your money that make no sense.
If you're saving for the long run, it's actually a good thing when the market is down because the more shares you have, the more you can potentially make when markets rise. And over time - decades, not months - the markets rise more than they fall.
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.
Anything that gets people to think harder about their financial security and take some responsibility is a good thing.
For seven years after college, I was a waitress at the Buttercup Bakery in Berkeley, and from there I got a job at Merrill Lynch as an account executive, from where I went to vice president of investments for Prudential-Bache Securities. I started my own firm in 1987.
To enjoy a long, comfortable retirement, save more today.
There is nothing more beautiful than a confident woman.
If you pay off your mortgage before retirement, you take a huge financial load off your shoulders. You also become eligible to take out a reverse mortgage once you turn 62.
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.
Get rid of debt now.
The most important loan to pay is your student loan. It's more important than your mortgage, car and credit card payments. You cannot discharge student loan debt in the majority of cases.
Make this the year you tackle that credit card debt once and for all.