You won't be caught off guard and you won't feel guilty, because you'll be spending money that you've allocated for the occasion.

Even in the days of the tightest credit in 2008, HELOCs [ home equity line of credit ] and home equity loans were being made.

By definition, saving - for anything - requires us to not get things now so that we can get bigger ones later.

Sometimes a creditor is willingto do this as a bargaining point - you give the creditor cash in hand, it gives you a positive listing on your credit report - even though you haven't paid the full amount. Get this agreement in writing.

Pay cash. For some reason, it's harder for people psychologically to part with their cash than it is to swipe a card. Maybe it's the act of physically seeing the money change hands, or maybe it's because you don't want to break a $20 for a $2 cup of coffee.

It's not about having it all. It's about having what you value most.

A little personality goes a long way.