I remember it like it was yesterday, I was graduating from high school and going off to college. One of the first things that happened when I got to college I was overwhelmed with all the people that wanted to give me money (credit).

Does it piss anyone else off that Congress wants to crucify financial institutions for the sub-prime loans, and the financial disaster and turmoil of the past few years? Congress was the ones pushing the banks to do this years ago! The credit agencies, like Moody’s, S&P, and others, were giving the bad loans AAA ratings! Institutions like Goldman Sachs had enough sense to know that some of these loans would be toxic, so they hedged their positions by shorting packages of some of the worst ones.

This may sound a bit scary, but try sending your kids shopping sometime, if they are old enough. You may have to be there with the younger ones. Give them a list of things to get and send them with an amount of money that should cover the items on the list, and have them go work it out. If you really want to be surprised, tell them they can keep whatever money they come back with. The only requirement is that they get everything on the list. This is a great way to tech kids about handling money. They will also be more aware of what things cost.

A common question at tax time is "What should I do with my tax refund?" One of the best things you could possibly do is use it to pay off debt. But what if you have several debts, and your refund will not cover them all? Where should you start?

While every poll I’ve seen shows that the majority of Americans strongly oppose the health care bill, the Democrats decided to shove down our throats anyway. Many are outraged about this, and think the government has gone too far with this one. One thing no one is talking about though is the problem at the root of this. We all want and need affordable health care, but many Americans expect it to come without cost.

The other night I was watching Rocky II on TV (I love the Rocky movies), and I noticed something interesting. In fact there were two things that really stood out to me. And as I thought about this, I realized that all champions have this in common. You will find these two things in anyone who achieves great success in any field.

Wednesday Feb. 23, the Senate approved a bill that is focused on getting unemployed Americans back to work. The bill passed in the Senate by a vote of 70-28. The bill now moves on to the House and is expected to be passed shortly.

    This bill allows for tax credits and exemptions for businesses who hire unemployed workers. Under this bill, businesses hiring the unemployed will be exempt from the 6.2% Social Security payroll tax through December, and it also gives them an additional $1000 credit if those new workers stay on for a full year.

On Feb. 22, the new credit card laws went into effect. This means new protections for you. But before you get too excited, there may be things to watch out for. Here are some of those changes, benefits, and things to watch out for.

Many people ask me whether they should continue saving or investing while they are getting out of debt. That’s a great question, because it is very important to save and invest for your future. So, is it right to keep building your savings when you’re in debt and if so how much should go to each?

Buying in bulk can be a great way to save money when you are buying things you know you are going to need anyway. Over the long-run it can save you a lot of money, and every little bit adds up. Why would you knowingly pay more money for anything?