A good financial plan is a road map that shows us exactly how the choices we make today will affect our future.

Even if you feel like your debt is just never going to go away, think long and hard before declaring bankruptcy. Declaring bankruptcy means that getting a loan for anything will be next to impossible for the next 10 years.

If you're trying to diet, what do you do? You grab your two friends and say, 'We're going to the gym; let's do this together.' Money shouldn't be any different. If you're trying to make progress, if you're trying to save more, we really need to be able to get support.

The best advice that I can offer is that being proactive and a careful planner is key. Think about the major things that could shake up your financial life, and Ill bet there are some great ways to protect yourself.

Without any formal personal finance instruction in our high school or college curricula, many college seniors who graduate in the red will continue to make common financial mistakes that only exacerbate their debt burdens.

A financial plan is a way to take all of the money advice you come across and figure out how it applies to your specific financial situation.

Before you take the leap, before you jump, really make sure it's going to be something you want to get out of bed [to do] everyday, because it is so hard. So you want to make sure that you're really committed.