Very often after speaking at an event someone will come up to me and say, "I'm just an average investor and don't really keep up with the market and everything. What advice would you have for me?" My response is, "Change that, don't be average!" The problem with the average investor is that they are average investors.

• Almost 80% of debt consolidation ends in bankruptcy
• Debt consolidation companies charge hefty fees, usually thousands of dollars to consolidate your debt. They may not charge you up front, but will roll it into your debt.

Most parents don't really expect their kids to be financially responsible enough to handle a budget. It isn't that kids lack the discipline to budget, they just lack the incentive. Back to school is a great time to teach your kids about handling money and it can be rewarding for you and them. Rather than telling them they can't have something, or giving them the "money doesn't grow on trees" talk, give them an incentive to stretch their dollars.

Financial calculations can be very complicated. So here's an easy one for you. It is called The Rule of 72. This allows you to figure out the number of years it will take for an investment to double in value. All you have to do is divide 72 by the annual interest rate.

With mortgage interest rates creeping higher again (and yes, I realize by historical standards, they’re still low, but as a housing stimulus they would need to be below 4 percent), a new idea is floating around industry associations and Capitol Hill. It’s another home buyer tax credit. The current $8000 credit for first time home buyers only expires November 30th. The new proposal is for a $15,000 tax credit for all home buyers.

Everyone has heard the oldest investment advice constantly repeated by most brokers, and financial planners: “Buy and Hold.” Is this still a good strategy though? Well, that depends. If you are investing in the stock market that advice is now about as bad as it is old. However, there is one place where “Buy and Hold” is great counsel.

In the small town of Somewhere, USA lives a man named Joe Farmer. Everyone in town knows him, but he is a man of humble means. Joe Farmer doesn’t wear any fancy clothes, or drive a fancy car. The only time he wears a suit, when he attends church on Sunday, or goes to a funeral or wedding. Other than that you will find Joe wearing a flannel shirt, and blue jeans or overalls.

One of the biggest reasons that people struggle financially is because they have wrong thinking about money.

I am sick and tired of hearing about the government trying to protect "the tax payers" with the automakers. The media is constantly asking whether the taxpayer will be paid back, as well as many taxpayers. We "the taxpayers" will never see a dime from this!