I have come to think that money is very much like a person, and it will respond when you treat it as you would a cherished friend - never fearing it, pushing it away, pretending it doesn't exist, or turning away from its needs, never clutching it so hard that it hurts. ... if you tend it like the living entity it is, then it will flourish, grow, take care of you for as long as you need it.

The last thing family and friends want is for you to spend money on them that you don't have or that you can't really spare.

Remember to remember your power - everything you've learned with these steps to financial freedom - and put it all into practice everyday, because in the grand scheme of life, you'll never really know how things are meant to turn out until they turn out.

Make it a priority to have at least eight months of living costs set aside in a federally insured bank or credit union account.

Stop buying things you don't need, to impress people you don't even like.

I think they've been baby bummers.

Opt for a fixed-rate rather than an adjustable-rate mortgage.