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

People get mad when it comes to money.

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.

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