Cover -- Contents -- Chapter 1: The Path -- You're in a Sandwich -- What You Will Learn -- Debt -- Spending -- Budgeting -- Major Purchases -- Credit -- Saving and Investing -- Insurance -- A Plan -- Your Removable Guide -- Get Started -- Chapter 2: The Past: Debt -- The Cheap-Money Fallacy -- Types of Debt -- Student Loans -- Parent Student Loans -- Bank Credit Card Debt -- Store Credit Card Debt -- Car Loan -- Home Loan (Mortgage) -- Medical Debt -- Lines of Credit (Secured and Unsecured) -- 401(k) Loans -- Personal Loans (from a Financial Institution) -- Personal Loans (from a Family Member or Friend) -- Tax Debt -- Collection Debt -- Judgments -- A Closer Look at Debt and Paying It Down -- Your Relationship with Debt -- Debt Pay-Down Process -- The Math Method -- The Momentum Method -- The Shotgun Method -- Getting Out of Debt -- Step 1: Map Out Your Debt -- Step 2: Build Momentum with Small Debt Victories -- Step 3: Commit to a Debt-Payment Schedule -- Your Perspective Needs to Shift -- What Now? -- Chapter 3: The Present: Spending -- How Using a Credit Card Complicates Spending -- If Not a Credit Card, Then What? -- Should You Select Debit or Credit When Swiping Your Debit Card? -- How Do You Actually Reduce Spending? -- Groceries -- Dining Out -- Utilities -- The New Necessities -- Is It Ever Okay to Splurge? -- Chapter 4: The Pie: Budgeting -- Is It Time to Relent? -- The Ideal Household Budget -- Rent/Mortgage, Including Property Taxes and Property Insurance: 25 Percent -- Transportation: 15 Percent -- Groceries and Dining Out: 12 Percent -- Savings: 10 Percent -- Utilities: 10 Percent -- Charity: 5 Percent -- Clothing: 5 Percent -- Medical: 5 Percent -- Entertainment: 5 Percent -- Holidays and Gifts: 5 Percent -- Miscellaneous: 3 Percent -- The Expense Categories You Don't See -- Student Loans -- Education -- Debt Reduction -- Vacation.

Kids -- But I Do All My Shopping at One Store -- How Do Your Expenses Stack Up? -- Chapter 5: The Possessions: Major Purchases -- Housing -- Your Monthly Commitment -- Five Signs That You Bought Too Much House -- The Key to Housing Success -- The Importance of a Good Realtor -- Home Improvements -- What Really Adds Value to Your Home -- Car -- But Really, Should You Buy or Lease a New Car? -- Your Next Car Purchase -- College Education -- The Final Factor in Making Big Purchases -- Chapter 6: The Picture: Credit -- How Do I Find Out Where I Stand with Creditors? -- What to Look for on Your Credit Report -- Repair and Build Your Credit -- What Your Credit Score Means -- Is It Really Fixed? -- What Credit Scores and Dieting Have in Common -- Three Steps to Improving Bad Credit (or to Maintaining Good Credit) -- How Your Score Is Calculated -- Your Kids' Credit -- What If Your Kids Have No Credit at All? -- Beyond Credit -- Chapter 7: The Piggy Bank: Saving and Investing -- The Role of Net Worth as a Wealth-Building Tool -- The Three Buckets -- Bucket #3 -- Bucket #1 -- Bucket #2 -- Types of Investments and Investment Vehicles -- Stock -- Bond -- Mutual Fund -- Exchange Traded Fund -- Index Fund -- Target-Date Fund -- IRA -- Roth IRA -- 401(k) -- 529 College Savings Plan -- Annuity -- Why You Can't Wait to Invest -- One More Note on the Match -- Saving for College -- Hiring a Financial Advisor -- Fees for a Financial Advisor -- Evaluating Your Financial Advisor -- Risk -- Dealing with Reality -- Chapter 8: The Pitfalls: Insurance -- Consider Getting an Insurance Agent -- Types of Insurance -- Health -- Car -- Renters -- Homeowners -- Life -- Disability -- Review Your Coverage Annually -- Chapter 9: The Plan -- Choose Your Own Adventure -- Questions -- Plans -- Extreme Solutions -- Get an Additional Job -- Sell Your House.

Your Diligence and Discipline Will Pay Dividends -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W.