Power comes from who you are, not what you have, and the transformation starts with how you allow others to treat you.

Opposites may attract, but I wouldn't put my money on a relationship of financial opposites.

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.

If the boss is a jerk, get over it. First of all, don't you think there's a good chance that your boss's boss knows what's going on? If so, just keep your head down and do the work. Usually, if you put in maximum effort and produce excellent results, someone in the company is going to take notice. Either you will get promoted or your jerky boss will get the heave-ho. It happens all the time.

For all your long-term investments, such as retirement accounts that you won't touch for at least ten years, you need a mix of stocks and bonds. Stocks offer the best shot at inflation-beating gains. But stocks don't always go up. That's where bonds come into play: They have less upside potential, but they also do not pack the same risk.

A big part of financial freedom is having your heart and mind free from worry about the what-ifs of life.

Power comes from who you are, not what you have, and the transformation starts with how you allow others to treat you.