In 2007 Suze Orman warned us that a financial meltdown was on the horizon. Not many took heed to her warning, and as a result those who spent far too long living beyond their means found themselves hit the hardest when the economy went sour.
Indeed, many Americans who played a little too much with their plastic didn’t know what to do once their well of ever flowing credit tried up.
Although the current administration is doing everything it can to help put the U.S. economy back on the path to prosperity, on yesterday’s episode of Oprah, Orman argued that when it comes to your own finances only you can bail yourself out of personal peril.
As she sat on Oprah’s couch the financial guru introduced what she’s calling the “Save Yourself” movement.
The five steps are as follows:
1. Live on half.
2. Stash your cash.
3. Make the stimulus package work for you.
4. Make your home affordable. (http://makehomeaffordable.gov)
5. Look at What You Have, Not What You Had
You can go to Oprah’s website to get more additional information about the steps, as well as areas not discussed on the show.
I love Suze Orman. She talks about financial planning in a way that doesn’t make me to give up and stuff all of my money in a mattress. And more importantly, she advocates a level of discipline that I believe many of us should embrace.
Typically people only save 3-6 months (if anything) worth of their salaries to survive a layoff. Suze, on the other hand, stresses saving at least 8 months because it could possibly take on a year to find a new job.
Not to mention, the TV star and author constantly reminds us all to see the bright side in our plight – even if the only light we’ve seen lately is a pink slip or red mark reading “past due” on a bill.
Any other Suze fans out there, or at the very least, people willing to take her advice?
If I were you, I’d listen, girlfriend/boyfriend (© Suze Orman).
Leave your comments below and send your own examples of financial discipline to therecessiondiaries@gmail.com.
Michael Arceneaux hails from Houston, lives in Harlem and praises Beyoncé’s name wherever he goes. Follow him on Twitter.