Before you can get into things like investing and saving for the future, you've got to figure out how you are spending it.

This is laying the groundwork of future, more extensive review of the recovery planning process.

Companies should offer value- and growth-style investing so the employees can choose.

The spouse with the more stable job should consider taking out the loan.

If you're off by $100 a month on what you really spend, that oversight then is $1,200 every year. Think about this. If you can invest $100 a month over 20 years, and assuming an after-tax return of 8 percent, it could amount to as much as $60,000.

The term 'budget' has almost become equivalent to a four-letter word. I like people to look at it as a spending plan.