The CBS Early Show got a dose of Dave Ramsey financial advice yesterday when DR made his weekly appearance. The usual questions were there ... some 52-year-old dame wants to know how to save for retirement, a dad co-signed for his son's student loans (which now top $100K) and a question about reverse mortgages. It's great being able to see Davey boy do his work coast-to-coast ... just like he does each day on The Dave Ramsey Show.

Word to the wise, ladies and germs: it's better to take advice from someone who has built legit, debt-free wealth over time than it is from your broke brother-in-law who thinks the lottery is the surefire cure to all your ills, baby. Dave says to create a budget. Then work hard to pay off debt. Then save an emergency fund and invest smart. Simple stuff, simon; so get to it.

It's a real-life "Ding, dong, the witch is dead" party, baby. The word from Miami is that they're planning a bash for when Cuban President Fidel Castro checks into the pine overcoat hotel, whenever the day comes. They're gonna party in the city where the heat is on, all night in the Orange Bowl, 'til the break of dawn. Bear in mind ... this isn't some neighbor down the street that's planning the festivities, but city officials and taxpayer dough. And the public can't get enough of it.

Now, when a man's number is up, I'm not one to start throwing confetti, see? But you wanna be remembered for doing good in this crazy world. And if people are planning a party for when you take the big six-foot dive, it ain't a good sign. Helping people out is the best way to be remembered. A good way to help is to use your moolah for a good cause. But you can't give away too much until you pay off debt. It helps to create a personal budget so you can have a plan to deep-six your payments. Do it ... and listen to The Dave Ramsey Show while you're at it.

Where else can one finger cost you 5,000 smackers? That's the story in the National Football League, where running back Reggie Bush was fined for wagging his finger at Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher after scoring a touchdown in the Bears'39-14 playoff win. As far as I know, Bush was lucky that Urlacher didn't snap that finger off and have it as an appetizer. There's finger food for ya, baby.

Point being, ladies and germs; part of the way to be good is not letting other people know how good you are. Showing off by getting yourself into a bunch of consumer debt with fancy cars, designer clothes and a house the size of Chicago may make you look good, but it's gonna cause you pain in the long run. Now, getting out of debt is a different story. It hurts in the short-term, while you're making a monthly budget and sacrificing, but the payoff is more than worth it. Just ask the host of The Dave Ramsey Show ... he talks about it all the time.

Ever been this close to a dream come true, and it didn't happen? That's what happened to Brian Emmett, who wanted to do some space travel. He wins a contest and gets a chance to sleep amongst the stars, see? Then Uncle Sam pulls him back down to earth. Seems the space travel trip would have cost him 138 grand, and the IRS counts that as taxable income, which means he'd have to pay $25,000 in taxes. So, rather than go 25Gs into debt so he could pull 5 Gs in space, Emmett decided to forfeit the trip.

It was a tough choice to make, but he did the right thing. Think of it this way, ladies and germs; the space trip would have taken a week of his life, the IRS would take the rest.

Never get so crazy about having something that you make debt or trouble to get it. It's much better to get out of debt than to go into it. If you learn how to make a budget and save some dough, then one day you can pay for a space trip with cash. They don't talk about space much on The Dave Ramsey Show, but they do about money. Listen in.

Behold, joes and jills ... the next great way to waste money and time. A new thing has been set up on the Internet, where you can borrow money from total strangers. People put up their own cash for others to borrow, and they get paid back with interest. Well, for my money, the only interest I've got is for getting suckers out of debt.

Just like Dave talks about on The Dave Ramsey Show, if you borrow money from one place to pay another, you're just moving the debt. You're treating the symptom, not the problem, jack. You want to deep-six debt, not move it from A to B. Create a budget and pay off debt; that's the key to wealth-building. Do that, and you won't have to worry about getting stiffed by someone you don't even know, or haven't even seen their mug. Simple, simon.

Have you driven a Ford lately? Not many joes and jills have, by the looks of it. Thanks to a restructure of the company and SUV sales that are sinking like a federal witness wearing cement shoes in the Hudson River, the auto giant took a $12.6 billion hit in '06. It's the biggest loss in their 103-year history. Ford Motor Company is bleeding green right now, jack, and the owners figure that it'll take a year or two before that stops. Ford 2007 is not a pretty sight.

No matter how big-time you get, you can always face hard times, baby. Car wrecks, illness and job layoffs happen all the time to all the people. That's why you need an emergency fund. You also need to mind your Ps and Qs when it comes to the dough, so learning how to make a budget should be tops on your list. Make it happen. Listen to The Dave Ramsey Show for more.

MY NEWEST CASE TUGS ON THE HEART STRINGS. CHECK OUT THE STORIES PAGE!

Running back Reggie Bush might have some explaining to do. The New Orleans star RB is the subject of an investigation to find out if he and his family received about 280 grand in cash, gifts and benefits while he was toting the pigskin at Southern Cal. From the sound of it, Bush should head for the mountains.

Here's my question: If all this jazz turns out to be true, why would Bush put himself anywhere near this position? You're gonna be a millionaire anyway, and you're high-profile enough as it is. Why get involved in all this junk and risk it, along with a national title and a Heisman to boot? Makes about as much sense as ... well, ... it doesn't make much at all.

Stick to doing things on the up-and-up. Be patient and honest when it comes to making dough. Once you do, use it to pay off debt, then make sure to invest smart. And never pass up the chance to give money to people who are down on their luck. Give what you got, and you'll never want. Got that from The Dave Ramsey Show.

MY NEWEST CASE TUGS ON THE HEART STRINGS. CHECK OUT THE STORIES PAGE!

You heard of being house-poor? Well, here's house-rich for you. Some London apartment is going for 335,000 bucks ... and it's only 77 square feet. Not a misprint, ladies and germs. This apartment in London costs over $4,300 a square foot, but it's not big enough to park a couple of cars in. That's where location, location, location comes into play, baby. The flat is smack dab in the middle of one of England's pricey neighborhoods, so it's got a price tag to match.

I'll tell you this ... never get so crazy over some house that you buy more than you can afford. Quit worrying about the Joneses being impressed with your digs, or your wheels, or your threads, or any of that other jazz. Don't go crazy-ape so much about looking rich that you forget what it takes to retire rich. Make some dough by learning how to make a budget, so you can pay off your consumer debt; then invest smart in mutual funds. Learned that one on The Dave Ramsey Show.

Well, well ... some Paris Hilton heiress gear is being sold off on an auction web site. Don't get me wrong; old PH isn't strapped for cash. Some of her things found their way, legally, into the hands of a broker looking to make a quick buck. Before you know it, you got a gallery of Paris Hilton for sale.

You know there are some joes and jills out there who will be looking to own a piece of Paris because they're looking to give their ego a boost. 'Look at me, I'm important ... I've got a fridge magnet with a picture of a ditzy blonde.' Here's a news flash, jack; if you get out of debt and invest smart, you can have all the dough of a Paris Hilton and all the peace of mind that your brain box can handle. That's what Dave talks about on The Dave Ramsey Show. Tune in and listen up, baby.

Anyone who follows me knows I'm a sucker for the movies. Nothing like kicking back after a long day of debt-fighting to watch a good flick. Speaking of good flicks, a certain musical is bound to be a big winner at the 2007 Academy Award ceremony. No need to see the Dreamgirls trailer ... rest assured it's a first class feature. Heck, it's leading the pack with eight Oscar nominations. It's a great movie with a lot of heart. See it when you can.

When you do good, you get rewards, baby. Be it movies or real life. It feels good when you know that you've helped out the single dame with three kids down the street, or bought food for a soup kitchen with some hard-earned cash. Remember, boys and girls ... how do you make cash and keep it? By creating a budget and deep-sixing your consumer debt. You learn about this stuff on The Dave Ramsey Show, so tune in.

The lab boys are always coming up with some crazy new "research". Case in point, ladies and germs ... scientists now think they can find out how selfish or giving you are. The behavior is called altruism. Some science boys did an experiment and found out that when you know you're giving, you react differently than if you make money for yourself. Wild stuff, if you ask me.

Just remember, before you go taking Altruism 101, let me clue everybody in. I can tell you the best way to find out how giving you are. Give. You don't need to be hooked up to some fancy gizmo to find out if you like dishing out the feelgoods. Of course, the sooner you pay off debt, the more dough you can donate. In fact, when you learn how to make a budget, you should take 10 percent off the top so you can give it away. Spreading the wealth like that; it's the stuff that dreams are made of, baby. You hear about giving all the time on The Dave Ramsey Show.

The Bears vs. the Colts. Windy vs. Indy. Choose your metaphor, but choose it quick, baby ... we're at two weeks and counting until we find out who the next Super Bowl champion is. It's an ESPN Instant Classic just looking for a place to happen. Now, while I don't have to tell you joes and jills which team I'll be waving the pom-poms for, let's learn a lesson before we head into Super Bowl 41. A lesson about preparing.

You think Peyton Manning, Brian Urlacher, and those 20 other guys on the field haven't been selling out and getting themselves ready for this game, jack? They've been preparing, studying, and minding their Ps and Qs from the opening kickoff back in September. You need that same attitude when it comes to the dough. Learn how to make a budget so you can deep-six your consumer debt, then prepare for a major life change. No more using credit cards or loans. Whatever you make, live on less than that. It's not something you do once and then forget about ... it's a way of life, like listening to The Dave Ramsey Show.

So much for champagne and orange juice. What do I mean by that? Have a seat, ladies and germs, and I'll explain. Lots of oranges are costing big-time green in California, baby. Seems the plants in the northern part of the Golden State took such a hit from the freezing temperature that lots of the fruit is ruined, and croppers stand to lose about 1 billion smackers (that's not a misprint). They'll make up the difference by charging more. That makes for a sour taste in your mouth ... almost as sour as when you brush your teeth and then drink a glass of orange juice.

Some customers might be feeling the pinch in the pocketbook from higher prices. Not just from juice, either. It could be groceries, higher gas prices or some other jazz. That's why it's so important to learn how to make a budget ... a monthly budget. If things cost a lot of dough, you can't afford to be wasteful. Know where your cash is going at all times. Common sense stuff like this comes from your grandma and The Dave Ramsey Show all the time.

Here's the latest Keith Urban news ... he's out. Mr. Down Under has made it through a three-month stretch at an alcohol rehab center. Now he's back on his feet and planning a world tour, ready to break some more records and hearts along the way. As far as making the dames swoon, I could give him some tips; but instead, I'm gonna give him some props. Any time you're willing to ask for help with something, and do the work to get yourself better, you deserve a handshake and a salute, jack.

As far as the battle through adversity goes, money can be the same way. Lots of joes and jills reading this might be knee-deep in trouble with the banks and credit card companies, see? But just like the Urban legend, you can get help and get out. If you listen to The Dave Ramsey Show, or talk to someone who's a Dave fan, you'll learn all sorts of good stuff. Want to pay off debt? It can be done. Create a budget? You betcha. It'll be tough, but worth it. Get started and get there, baby.

Looks like Ted Ginn and Antonio Pittman are throwing themselves into the 2007 NFL draft order. The Ohio State juniors decided this week to skip town and head for the National Football League draft. Seems like everyone and their mother is leaving school early for the pros nowadays. They say they've thought long and hard about it, and it's the best thing for them. If they've done that, I say ... kudos to them. Good luck in the '07 NFL draft, baby.

When you do something in your life that's big-time, whether it's a career move, making a plan for getting out of debt, or any other jazz, you need to put good preparation into it, jack. Don't just throw some dough into a bank account and call it saving money for your golden years. Look at what it takes to invest smart and do it. If you're making a family budget, don't just give your bills the once-over. Look at the cash you spend each month ... EVERYWHERE. That's step 1. Step 2? Listen to The Dave Ramsey Show.

Is poker a game of skill or chance? Whatever the answer is, don't bet on it. Playing cards for kicks is one thing ... but lots of joes and jills out there have a big-time gambling problem and blow all their dough at the tables, leaving them with broken hearts, broken marriages and broken wallets. I don't care if it's an online gambling addiction or just a case of spending too much time at the slots, if rolling the dice is something that you can't get enough of, then you've had enough, bub.

Lots of people think that hitting it big in Vegas or someplace like that is their ticket to the big-time. Bull. Just like Dave talks about on The Dave Ramsey Show, the best way to get rich quick is to get rich slow. You get piles of dough by choosing debt free living. It's simple, simon. You learn how to make a budget, then you pay off debt. Then mind your Ps and Qs and watch the cash roll in.

Even when you win the lottery, you don't win. The host of The Dave Ramsey Show said it best when he said that, jack. Need proof? Then here's the pudding. Jack Whitaker held the winning power ball lottery numbers on Christmas Day 2002 and took home a cool 113 million (after taxes). Just over four years later, he's as broke as a bootlegger after his speakeasy gets raided by the feds. Lottery winner? I don't think so. Now he's asking himself 'Where is the cash?'

You have to know how to handle the dough, baby. I don't care if it's $1 or 314 million of them. There's making money and there's keeping it. And even if you earn money instantly (dumb luck), odds are you're gonna lose it before you even know what to do with it. The best way to make the dough is to invest now and invest smart. When payday rolls around, use the dough and pay off debt. It's good advice, and free at that. Want more? Come back anytime, baby.

Here's looking at you. That's what I'd say if the man himself, Dr. Martin Luther King, were standing next to me today. As the Martin Luther King holiday rolls around in '07, remember that MLK made lives better, so it's a good idea if you do the same.

I'll say this ... when it comes to making this crazy world a better place, it doesn't matter about black or white ... but having green helps. There are tons of charities and people who are down on their luck who could use a helping hand. So help 'em out. The sooner you eliminate debt, the sooner you have dough to give away. That's when you can really bring some smiles to the mugs of people around you.

The only problem is, you don't have any cash to give away if you don't figure out how to make a budget. Gotta know where your dough is going, jack. I know a good place to learn about a personal budget ... The Dave Ramsey Show. Check it out on the radio.

Big-time weekend in the big-time football league, baby. Take a look at the NFL playoff schedule that starts tomorrow. You have more storylines than a corny daytime soap opera. One team survived a hurricane. Quarterbacks facing off against their old squads. Experienced Brady vs. wet-behind-the-ears Rivers. And, of course, da Bears. Get ready for a hot time in the old town.

Even though a lot of drama is coming your way tomorrow, let's be smart here, boys and girls. You want drama on the television, not in the checkbook. Don't go so crazy over the free football game that you pay out the nose for some party with your buddies. A lot of dough is gonna be spent on pizzas, hoagies and tailgating, so don't break the bank to make it happen for you. Just like DR talks about all the time on The Dave Ramsey Show, if you're gonna spend money, then create a budget. And if you're gonna save dough to fund a football romp, then save some more to pay off debt.

You want a tax refund calculator? Here's one ... don't get an advance on your income tax refund. First off, you don't even know if you're getting any cash from the government. Don't count on something that isn't there. Second, with the fees and interest rates, you'll be paying a big chunk of the refund to the tax service instead of yourself. That's double dumb, jack.

You want to do your taxes so that, when April comes calling, you don't have to pay anything and you don't have to receive anything. If you're paying, it's bad for obvious reasons. If you're receiving, you just let the boys in Washington use your dough interest-free for one year. You're not getting money from them, you're just getting back what you overpaid. Bad math, baby.

This is just basic advice about the moolah. Even more basic? Four words ... get out of debt. Lots of joes and jills sweat bullets when springtime comes and Uncle Sam calls. But if you've done your part to pay off debt, you'll sweat over your cash about as much as an Eskimo in Alaska in January. Got that one from The Dave Ramsey Show.

Don't know how many joes and jills out there are hoping to see "The Hobbit by Peter Jackson" anytime soon, but it's got about as much of a chance as Donald Trump starting a debt-free business. The reason, you ask? Simple, simon ... a fight for money. There's a squabble between Jackson and New Line Cinema about how much dough the studio owes Mr. Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Before you know it, harsh words are flying like bullets at a Tommy gun range, baby.

It may not exactly be family, but the premise is the same. When moolah is involved, things change. If you loan 100 bucks to your brother, and he doesn't pay you back, there's big-time tension. Money and family mix together about as well as oil and water. Put your cash to better use. Use it to eliminate debt. If you donate money to a worthy cause, you'll help out some people who are having hard luck. Want more money advice? Then tune in to The Dave Ramsey Show.

Let's face it, jack. Everyone who follows baseball has an opinion about whether Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro or any other juiced-up joe should get into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Some are nice guys, some are not. But getting mixed up in all this baseball steroid jazz does nothing but smear the players and the game with big-time shame.

Now, let's look at a different set of names. Cal Ripkin, Jr. Tony Gwynn. Hank Aaron. All these guys decided to just say no to pill-popping, and look what it got them ... a one-way ticket to Cooperstown. They got there through hard work, hefty support, and more hard work.

Do things on the up-and-up. Earn your dough honestly, and you'll never have someone pointing fingers at you and calling you a cheat. Work hard to get out of debt. How do you do that? By learning how to budget money. Where do you learn that? From The Dave Ramsey Show.

Don't get any ideas when you read this blog, baby. I'm not turning into the fashion police when I write about Britney Spears and Paris Hilton wearing threads that a loony circus clown wouldn't be caught dead in. So what if they're tied for the top spot on the worst dressed list?

What I have a beef about is this: when joes and jills spend so much moolah on their duds that they don't have any left to save, or invest, or give. What's wrong with this picture? The fact that if you blow all your dough on things that make you look good (and go into debt to do it), that makes you just like the Joneses ... BROKE!

Bad plan, stan. If you listen to The Dave Ramsey Show, you learn all about the best things to do with your cash. If you learn how to make a budget and work at it so you can pay off debt, you won't need to break the bank, or pull out a credit card, to buy the nice things.

May have to side with Donald J. Trump on this one. Some 49-year-old joe by the name of Richard Hewett is claiming that he was the victim of age discrimination when he applied to be on "The Apprentice", but was turned down. Thinks Trump violated the Federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act, see?

Now, I hate it when joes and jills don't get a fair shake. If someone can do the job and does it on the up-and-up, give 'em a shot, I say. But there's this other thing called being a sore loser. I think this mug is angry that he didn't get picked for the show, so he's trying to get back at The Donald any way he can. 40-year-olds have gotten on that show before.

Don't be a sore loser, baby; in life or in money. If you learn how to make a budget and get accustomed to getting out of debt (which you will if you listen to The Dave Ramsey Show), then you won't have to whine and moan to everyone else about how life gave you the short end of the stick. Do your best, and the breaks will come.

First, a 47-year-old late fee, and now this. I tell you ... this is what I love about honesty, jack. Joes and jills doing something just because it's the right thing to do. This is a lost and found story to end all. Some joe in Missouri named Ray Heilwagen got a phone call late last year. The man on the other end, Stephen Breitenstein, said he found Heilwagen's wallet and would send it to him. The catch? Heilwagen lost his wallet 62 years ago in France, while he was serving in WWII. When it was returned to him, it was fully stocked ... not a franc or document missing.

The old saying is dead-on; honesty is the best policy. If you do things on the up-and-up, it'll never come back and bite you below. A certain host of The Dave Ramsey Show talks about this jazz all the time. If you make your dough honestly, that's the best way. Keep your nose clean as you pay off debt, which you do by learning how to make a monthly budget. Think about it, jack.

Well, here we are, jack. The college football national championship. All of us act out tonight's game between Ohio State and Florida on a PlayStation all the time, but for 100 or so youngsters, tonight's showdown in Arizona is the real deal. But remember this, bub ... it's just a game. It ain't the end-all-be-all; and it certainly ain't the way to score a big pile of dough, see?

You know as well as I do that some yahoos out there are gonna try to make some big-time moolah off of the game tonight. It's that way any time there's a national championship game or other title on tap. But trying to gamble your way to the top of the money mountain is stupid any way you slice it. Odds are, you'll lose your shirt, your hat, and a whole lot of other stuff. Then where will you be?

Here's a sports betting tip ... don't do it. Invest smart; work hard, create a budget. That's the key to wealth-building, not the point spread. You hear good advice like that on The Dave Ramsey Show all the time. Check it out.

Here's a library book search for you. Some joe in Michigan was cleaning out his attic, looking for a book. He found one that he wasn't looking for, see? Here's the kicker ... he checked it out from the library 47 years ago! He handed the library book back in with a late fee check for 171 bucks. The book was so old that even the library had lost all record of it. Sure, the story may make for a good laugh on the front page, but losing track of something for that long will come back to bite you, baby.

Doesn't matter if it's library books or the local bank ... you need to be on the ball when it comes to the cash. When you invest money, (and I mean invest smart), it means more than just picking good mutual funds. It means staying on top of what your dough is doing, just like they talk about all the time on The Dave Ramsey Show. Be aware of what your money is doing. Do that, and you'll never have to worry about late fees, overdraft charges, or any of that other jazz. Like them apples, jack?

I read this, then I laughed and cried and the same time. Just in case any of you joes and jills don't believe me when I say the credit card companies are a bunch of morons-in-training, take a look. Some dame in Australia wanted to test her bank's ID theft security, so she sent in a credit card application form. The catch? She put her cat's name on it. Sure enough, a couple of weeks go by and, bada-bing, bada-boom; kredit kard for kitty kat.

It's just one more reason to not do business with the plastic companies, jack. Before you know it, Fee-Fee will be paying fees-fees, to the tune of 30 percent.

You hear all the time on The Dave Ramsey Show about how cards are issued to animals and dead people every year. They don't care about who they send them to, just as long as they get some dough from it. When a credit card company sends you an offer, refuse it. Shred it or burn it. That's the best advice you've heard since learning that you need to budget money and take steps to pay off debt. Take it to heart, baby ... and to wallet.

Ever hear the saying 'when you reach for the stars, there's a long way to fall'? Whoever said that was a pessimist, jack. You want to go all out when it comes to achieving your goals. Take a look at this joe who was trying to sail around the world all by his lonesome. Was the deck stacked against him? You bet. He hit some rough waters around the southern tip of South America and floated for three days on the ocean before a Chilean trawler picked him up. He didn't make it around the globe, but he showed enough guts to go around.

Aiming for big things in life doesn't mean you have to hit the high seas. It means not being afraid to do what you need to do. If you're looking for work, don't just do a part time job search; be knocking on doors left and right. If you've got mountains of debt to beat down, then create a budget so you can get out of debt. It's all up to you, baby. Nothing stops you. That's free advice, so take it. For more, listen to The Dave Ramsey Show.

Hard work gets you ahead, while showing up late gets you canned. Think I'm kidding? Then just take a look at the latest Paris Hilton scandal, jack. The blond blank has been fired from her association from Club Paris, a hotspot in Orlando and Jacksonville that bears her name. The reason? She never showed up for scheduled appearances, including being six hours late for the GRAND OPENING! Seems to me that Club Paris has become Snub Paris.

You heard me talk about this a while back when Tom Cruise got the axe from Paramount Pictures. No matter how big-time you feel, you can always get knocked off. Even after you pay off debt and have a bunch of extra cash saved up, some yahoo can still bring you down. So don't make the mistake of thinking your untouchable, baby. Be humble, do the work and enjoy the rewards. For more info, tune in to The Dave Ramsey Show.

Ever have so much of a good thing that you want it to keep going? Yep, happens for me too, jack. That's why I got myself tickled when the word got out that they renewed the "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy" game shows through the year 2012. Sure, too many joes and jills out there think that lightening rounds and lotteries are the way to big piles of dough. But for my money, it's good, cheap, clean entertainment.

Nobody wants good stuff to run out. The most important stuff, like time with your family, goes without saying. But lots of people forget that money runs out if you let it. When you eliminate debt and learn how to create a budget, your moolah stays with you-la. Saving money and investing money is the surefire way to make money, honey. You hear that jazz on The Dave Ramsey Show all the time. Check it out.

The U.S. of A. said goodbye to Mr. 38 today, as the Gerald Ford funeral made its way to Michigan to lay Ford to his final resting place. You've heard me say it before, ladies and germs: when your number is up, you want to leave the world with good memories of you. You get good memories by being good in this crazy world. Helping people out, especially when you're out of debt and have some money, is one of the best things about life on this mudball called Earth.

Credit card companies will only remember your name when they call you up wanting payment. And even after you check out, they'll still send you offers. They're a bad place to send money, jack.

You don't need to be president, but be a servant of the people, baby. You don't have to help change the laws, but you can help that single mother down the street when times get too tough for her. Live right, pay off debt so you have dough to give away to the less fortunate, and everything else will fall into place. Good advice, see? So get more of it by listening to The Dave Ramsey Show.

Underdogs winning? Right up there with Mom and apple pie, jack. Even if you're a Sooner fan, watching the Boise State Broncos upset Oklahoma in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl last night was something that makes you shake your head in awe. It's the stuff that dreams are made of. Everyone thought that Boise State was small-time, but getting to a BCS bowl and beating a national powerhouse is about as big-time as you'll get, baby.

Lots of joes and jills out there right now may feel like they're up against an Oklahoma in terms of debt. All you hear is "debt can't be beat, debt will hold you down" and all that other jazz. To all the naysayers out there who feel like life has whipped them, I say this: You may have a big mountain to climb to get out of debt, but nothing stops you except you. You learn how to deep-six debt by learning how to budget money. You learn about budgeting and other stuff like that by listening to The Dave Ramsey Show. So, in 2007, go Boise State on your debt!

Time for the traditional New Year resolution. Yours should be to pick something on the up-and-up and get started. Lots of things are going on in this crazy world. As 2007 rolls into town, lots of joes and jills are concerned about things like terrorism, global warming, natural disasters and other things that'll put a frown on your face. I haven't seen this many negatives since the truth about Enron's bottom line came out.

Don't worry about the stuff you can't change, but be ready for it. You can't tell when a tornado is gonna destroy your home or send it to Munchkinland, but you can be ready for the unexpected with an emergency fund, jack.

News flash: it's the new year, so everyone gets the slate wiped clean. Second chances, all around. So why not think about the positives? Think about getting out of debt. Think about how to start saving money. Think about setting goals for being debt-free, like they talk about all the time on The Dave Ramsey Show. Look on the bright side of things and get going on making them happen. Make '07 a big-time year, not a big-time fear, baby.