Success is not how many zeroes your bank account has. It's about making the most of the life you have.

To make the most of your money, I recommend sticking with mutual funds that don't charge a commission when you buy or sell.

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.

If a child, a spouse, a life partner, or a parent depends on you and your income, you need life insurance.

Recast your current problems into proactive goals.

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

Remember that in most cases, student loan debt is not dischargeable in bankruptcy. So you continue to pay it off anyway. Those who have very low interest rates (2-2.5 percent) on student loans and know everything is secure, great.