If you've lived your life believing that hard work, ethics, observing the golden rule and fiscal responsibility will be rewarded, you're probably a little ticked off right now. Okay, you're probably roiling with rage (especially if you stopped taking your anti-depressants because your insurance company canceled you for being depressed).

Last year at this time you were probably at the seamstress putting the final touches on your Marie Antoinette/Sarah Palin/Henry VIII/Joe the Plumber costume. Unless you're a Wall Street or Insurance executive or one of their lobbyists, you may be feeling some trepidation as to how to deal with the...

Maybe you have to pay your past due Citicard balance down so you can charge some food on it. Or you need an emergency appendectomy but your insurance company canceled your policy because you need an emergency appendectomy. Or you desperately need...

I know it's hard to believe this right now, but for everything dear to you that you've lost or cut back on during these times of economic strife, there IS a silver lining.

I'm listing some of the painful losses I've...

Judging by the letters from my readers, the new financial reality is creating a lot of social questions and issues that didn't exist the last time we heard from Miss Manners. I thought it might be helpful to answer some of the...

Regardless of how the health care debate turns out, one thing has become very clear. We're going to have to step up and start taking care of our own health. The people spending over 60 million dollars to debate it sure won't.

The obvious place to start is establishing some...

Even if your clunker didn't qualify for any cash, it's a great time to pick up a new fuel efficient vehicle suited to your current needs. Since I've already been through the drill, I thought I'd share my research to help anyone...

During these difficult financial times, most of us have been focused on things like paying the bills, keeping a roof over our heads and feeding the children.

Being an empathetic person, I thought it only fair to devote a little attention...

It's a a shame that in our culture, being broke and unemployed with no future is often equated with being a loser.

People who used to identify success and happiness with material possessions and the ability to acquire them at whim,...

If you're out of work, or about to be, there's no better time to get your face out there and circulate.

Not a pleasant prospect when you have stress induced cold sores, no clean clothes, haven't showered in days and the...

There's only one thing worse than going to the dentist: not being able to afford going to the dentist when you need one.

While the health care crisis is a hot topic these days, people remain tight lipped about the dental...

In a volatile economic market I can think of no better cushion (aside from cash and gold bullion) than duct tape. And the good news is, you probably already have some lying around from when you stocked up after 9/11.

Aside from...

Economic and demographic figures show a rapidly growing segment is tuning out Twitter, Facebook and other social networking phenomenon in favor of isolation, gazing blankly into space and weeping a lot.

The question facing marketers is how to reach the emerging "impoverished isolator" demographic; people who rarely leave their homes,...

Say you've been paying citibank/chase/amex/bofa $700.00 a month for the past eight years. Despite the fact that you've charged nothing on the card since 1999 and have paid them over twice the original debt, your balance has essentially remained the same.

Say you...

1. You put a tablecloth over the stack of bills in the corner and are using it as an ottoman.

2. Suddenly, spending three hours on the phone with your bank demanding an explanation for a $35.00 late fee is the most profitable...

Whether you're a President or a pauper, everyone needs a best friend. Someone you can trust with your deepest darkest secrets. Someone who won't sell you out for money or status. Someone who is always excited...