If you make time each month to give your money some attention, you'll start the next year in fabulous financial shape.

If you're going to live in the house make it your goal to just pay off your mortgage.

But credit card debt is unsecured debt, which means if you get in trouble and cannot pay off your credit card, you can discharge it in bankruptcy. What are they going do to you? If you're in a financial position to just methodically pay off both credit card and student loans, pay them all.

I've learned an encyclopedia version of life from Oprah Winfrey.

Credit card companies are jacking up interest rates, lowering credit limits, and closing accounts - and people who have made timely payments are not exempt. So even if you pay off your balance - and that's tough when interest rates are insanely high - there's a good chance your credit limit will be slashed, and that will hurt your FICO score.

Consider a 15- or 20-year fixed-rate mortgage instead of a 30-year, if you can afford the monthly payments - they may not be as high as you think.

If you're going down the street and you're going the wrong way, remember - God permits U-turns.