Owning a home is a keystone of wealth - both financial affluence and emotional security.

It's easy to underestimate the real cost of home ownership.

I get so frustrated when people tell me it's unrealistic to create an eight-month emergency savings fund, or have money saved for a home down payment, or pay off their $5,000 credit card balance.

Like your home's closets, your financial clutter needs an overhaul every now and again, and the payoff will go far beyond the psychic satisfaction of neatening up.

People first, then money, then things.

If you are worried about job security and do not have an adequate emergency fund (ideally eight months' worth of living expenses stashed away in a federally insured bank or credit union), you need to focus more on saving money than paying down the balance on your credit cards.

Opposites may attract, but I wouldn't put my money on a relationship of financial opposites.

Many people are in the dark when it comes to money, and I'm going to turn on the lights.

Take free money. No matter how in debt you are, if your employer offers a matching contribution on a 401(k) or other retirement vehicle, you must sign up and contribute enough to get the maximum company match each year. Think of it as a bonus.

The key to making money is to stay invested.