It may be the most useless holiday out there. But here we are ... almost to April Fool's Day. You're bound to have some lame co-worker or old friend come by and try to put one over on you. Much like these yahoos who pulled a fast one on the public on April Fool Day. I once had a date with this cute little number on AF'sD, but when I went to pick her up in the Debt-no-bile, she took one look at it, told me that the date was an April Fool joke, and busted a hump back into the house. Still don't know what that's about.

The fools are the ones who think debt is the way to get ahead with the dough. Don't believe that jazz, jack. Nothing will get you behind the money 8-ball faster than bad credit card debt or some student loan debt. To boot, if you don't have a car payment, you can invest that moolah and make a ton. That's sound advice coming straight from The Dave Ramsey Show.

Don't be a fool ... put me on your blogroll.

They're sure to put this one in the Lebron James biography. The hoops star is building himself a 35,000+ square foot mansion south of Cleveland, and it's got all the trimmings. Bowling alley, pool, casino, theater, a two-story closet to hold all of those Lebron James shoes ... I almost wonder if it's got its own chocolate factory, see? King James here will have a big-time house, and won't need to worry about keeping up with the Joneses (hope the yahoos down the road don't try to keep up with the Jameses).

Impressive digs? No doubt. Worth going into debt over? Not at all, baby. It's OK to enjoy money that you have (within reason). It's another to be so concerned with showing up your neighbors that you get a bunch of bad credit card debt and car payments to look good. C'mon, don't be a sucker. Do the Dave Ramsey Show thing; Learn how to make a budget, save a baby emergency fund and get out of debt. Simple, simon.

This one almost knocked the wind out of me. But it knocked the air back into her. Some dame in Maryland started choking on an apple and couldn't perform the Heimlich maneuver on herself. Enter Toby, her 2-year-old golden retriever. He saw her choking on the floor and started jumping on her chest until she popped out the produce.

Here's some irony for you: having the apple that day almost caused her to NEED a doctor. Good thing Toby knew the Heimlich. That lady dodged a bullet, baby. I'll bet it shook her to her core. She was in a spot but had a way out of the emergency.

See where I'm going with this one? You should. Have an emergency fund for when life throws you a curve ball or gives you a rotten apple. If you deep-six your consumer debt and have a rainy day fund saved up, Murphy and his bad luck will pick on somebody else and leave you alone, just like Dave talks about on The Dave Ramsey Show. How do like them apples, jack?


This blog is a breath of fresh air, bub … add it to yours.

Insert your Rocky and Bullwinkle joke here, see? The tallest man in the world, 7'9" Bao Xishun of China, finally found his soulmate in 5'6" dollface Xia Shujuan. Funny thing is, Bao looked all the way around the world for that special someone, and it turns out she was living in his hometown the entire time.

It ain't the first time Bao has touched the heart of another ... in December, he reached down the throats of a couple of dolphins to pull out some plastic that they swallowed. Talk about the tallest man touching a heart!

Point being, ladies and germs, is that sometimes you're looking for something that's right there. The same can be said for saving money. You don't get ahead with the dough by using credit cards or fancy-schmancy 90 days same-as-cash. You get ahead by living on less than you make, making a family budget and being smart. If you can't afford it, don't buy, baby. Need more advice like that? Listen to The Dave Ramsey Show.

The good news? Movie big-shot Eddie Griffin wasn't hurt after he introduced a $1.5 million Ferrari Enzo face-first into a concrete barrier while practicing a race for charity. The bad news? The same can't be said for the wheels. The car now looks like a crumpled up wad of paper in the can. The boiler belonged to Daniel Sadek, who's producing the latest Eddie Griffin flick "Redline".

It brings up a good example, bub. Don't let your money situation look like a car wreck. You may be down after having a bunch of bad credit card debt and car payments out the wazoo, but you ain't out. Take back your life. Learn how to make a budget so you can start saving money. Once you have a plan for your dough, (learn about it on The Dave Ramsey Show), you can start paying off your consumer debt. Do it, and you're on your way.

I didn't show up today to pitch the latest Jessica Simpson video or the Jessica Simpson hair styles, jack. I came to rap about the lady herself. Pop princess Jessica Simpson headed across the border yesterday to give a van to an orphanage. Here's a dame with some class and character, baby. She's sharing the wealth and spreading the love to some kids who need plenty of both.

You don't need that kind of dough to make a difference in this crazy world ... you just need that kind of kindness. Having some extra cash wouldn't hurt, though. Once you start by creating a budget and living on less than you make, you'll find money that you didn't know was there. Use it to save an emergency fund and use it to pay off debt. But also use it to give away, see? Got that one from The Dave Ramsey Show. Listen in sometime.

It's pride, freedom and strength rolled into one ... it's the American bald eagle, baby. The national bird is nesting in Philadelphia for the first time in 200 years. The City of Brotherly Love is one of the big-time cities in American history, and seeing the bald bird back in action there brings a smile to the kisser, jack. The bald eagle picture should do that to anybody.

Getting out of debt is a long walk ... but it's a long walk to freedom. And it's worth it. If you have to sell the car and get rid of the car payment, then that's what you do. But don't forget that you're getting something for your efforts, see? When you pay off debt, you don't have to worry about jerk collectors or sky-high interest rates.

With every step you take to deep-six your consumer debt, you're making your situation better. Don't forget that ... and don't forget to listen to The Dave Ramsey Show.

Dave says on The Dave Ramsey Show that, if enough bad things happen to you, your life sounds like a country song. Hip hopper Marshall Mathers may not be country, but he and his ex-wife Kim are singing the blues right now, see? They've split up more times than a piece of wood at the lumber yard, but the Eminem song meister and his dame agreed to not talk trash about each other in public for the sake of their little girl, Hailie.

Every relationship in this crazy world has something that can make it uglier than a blind date with a good personality. For most joes and jills, it's money. Learning how to make a budget and paying off consumer debt can be the first step to getting things back on track. Once you get on the same page, it will spread to other areas of your life. Sit down with your spouse tonight and start talkin', baby. It makes all the difference in the world.

It may be a good burger, but it's a big-time burger, baby. McDonald's is test-driving their new 1/3 lb. Angus beef sandwich in Southern California. They're not the first food joint to have a patty this size, but the restaurant will have to start bumping cows off by the bushel if they want to have this on the McDonald's food menu.

It may just be a hamburger recipe, but let's get one thing straight ... bigger doesn't really mean better. What good is getting a super-sized luxury SUV if you get a $600 car payment to go with it? Why eat out every night and break your family budget?

Don't be a sucker, jack. Learn how to make a budget, then save money and get out of debt. Just like Dave talks about on The Dave Ramsey Show; you don't need all that jazz. It'll bring tons of debt, and that'll take you under. Don't let it happen.

J.R.R. Tolkien started it, and now his kid is finishing it. The word is out that Christopher Tolkien, whose dad made a name for himself with the Lord of the Ring trilogy, is finishing a book that his old man started in 1918, see? The new book may not be connected with any Lord of the Ring character, but the point is this, baby: the dad did something big and noble, and the son followed suit. Now that's a legacy.

What sort of legacy will you leave to your kids? Will it have a lot of consumer debt in it? Will you teach your kids how to invest smart and save an emergency fund? Most of all, will you raise your kids to be people who give money away? It needs to be, jack ... it's the stuff that dreams are made of. Your name will get put into songs and tales for it. Don't take my word for it; listen to The Dave Ramsey Show and you'll see what I mean.

For a long time, these homeless people had it rough. Now, they've got it made. Real estate big-shot Genshiro Kawamoto has a big wallet and a bigger heart, and decided to fork over the keys to eight of his 22 Hawaii homes to homeless and low-income families. Those joes and jills can live in the houses rent-free for 10 years, but have to pay utilities, see?

I tell you what ... being a homeless man or homeless woman and going from a shelter to a chateau will have you grinning ear-to-ear, baby. Kawamoto is a great example of how to handle the dough. It's random acts of kindness like this that make your ticker thump more than a vacation or a set of wheels ever could.

Give your money or give your time ... but give. Even if you're just now learning how to make a budget or getting out of debt, find a way to spread some good cheer. It's the stuff that dreams are made of, jack. There's some Dave Ramsey Show material for you.

Spread some good cheer right now ... add me to your blogroll!

Don't know if anyone's heard yet, but 20-year-old Tinsel Town starlet Lindsay Lohan has been having some problems with partying. Her mother Dina Lohan has been taking some heat from folks for being a party mom, see? And with Lindsay's 20-going-on-40 clubbing lifestyle, who could blame them for thinking it? Seems like in that family, parenting is at a premium.

Raising kids can get ugly sometimes. They may resent you or tell you off. But that's what comes with that Mommy and Daddy tag you're wearin', baby. Don't waver; stand strong. Teach your kids about right from wrong and about responsibility. And few things will learn 'em better than showing them how to handle moolah. Teach them about debt free living.

When kids learn how to make a budget and how to earn money and give money away, it spreads to other areas of their lives, jack. They don't go running around with the wrong crowd. They know what to look for in a partner. Heard that one on a kids and money theme hour on The Dave Ramsey Show. Check it out.

This is more than a fact ... it's a Chuck Norris fact. I get a kick out of it when some big-time celeb speaks up for a good cause. Now Walker, Texas Ranger himself is getting into the action. Read this A-OK Chuck Norris quote sheet about debt laborers and the dirty games they play. It hits harder than one of his roundhouse kicks to the face, baby.

Dave says on The Dave Ramsey Show that the borrower is slave to the lender, and he's right. When you use debt, you're helping out the scumwads who hold people in debt bondage. Just another reason to stay away from plastic, if you ask me.

Want out of debt? Learn how to make a budget and save piles of dough. Want to learn about how to invest smart and find out about life and money? Listen to The Dave Ramsey Show. Want to know how to shut down a major credit card company with a single roundhouse kick? Contact ChuckNo, then get back to me.

Put me on your blogroll, baby ... it's a kick in the can.

One of the worst things to have to do is jump out of college and into student loan debt. It's like sitting on a tack. And here's what Davidson College has to say about it. The liberal arts college in North Carolina is dropping student loans from its financial aid package. Talk about smart ... they should get a degree for doing it.

It's a good alternative to a student loan if there ever was one, jack. You can go to most any college in the U.S. of A. without debt. And on average, it'll save you about 30 or 40 grand in payments. Don't be a sucker ... work part-time, go for scholarships and grants ... but stay away from Sallie Mae loans.

The sooner you learn to live without debt, or pay off debt, the better. Once you get out of debt, you can call The Dave Ramsey Show and scream that you're debt-free. Feels almost as good as getting that sheepskin in your hand. Make it happen.

I love it when the little guy wins and makes good. It's even better when it's a little horse. Wonder what I'm talking about? Then have a seat and I'll explain, bub. Thumbelina is the world's smallest horse, checking in at 17 inches. She's gonna be making the rounds across the country pretty soon, appearing at hospitals, churches, summer camps and more to raise a million bucks for children's charities. Sounds like the Mini-Me mustang has a big-time heart.

When you have more dough, you can give more dough. Been sayin' it from day one, baby. The sooner you pay off your consumer debt, the sooner you can take more of your hard-earned cash and help others out. If a horse can work for a good cause, you can too.

So what are you waiting for? Someone out there needs ya. Get to the important stuff, like learning how to make a budget, getting out of debt and listening to The Dave Ramsey Show.

Have a heart, baby ... or a liver. Some jill on the organ donor list was due to receive a new liver, and was asked by the doc to have part of it cut off to save a wee baby. So the organ receiver became an organ donor herself. That's the stuff that dreams are made of. If I wasn't so busy helping people to deep-six their debt, I'd spend all my time listening to stories like this one.

You don't have to give your right arm (or your internal organs) to help somebody out. But you can donate money to a worthy cause. You can help people who are down on their luck. Even if you don't do it with the dough, do it with your time. Volunteer to help somewhere.

Start your Baby Steps and get your baby emergency fund up and running. Then start blowing away your consumer debt. All the while, don't forget to give. If you need someone to light your fire, listen to The Dave Ramsey Show.

Put me on your list, jack ... add me to your blogroll.

Computer crash? Fuggetaboutit. How would you like to be this guy? A computer technician for the Alaska Department of Revenue was doing some routine maintenance work, see? What happened next is fuzzy ... except that he accidentally wiped out a disk drive with a $38 billion account on it. What's worse, he reformatted the backup disk. Can I hear a "D'OH!"?

Honest mistake made, good lesson to learn. You never know when the bottom is gonna drop out from under you, jack. Murphy will stroll into your life and make you have a car wreck or a job loss. So what's the best remedy? An emergency fund. Learn how to make a budget, save a baby EF (about a thousand smackers), then go to work to get out of debt. If disaster hits, your rainy day fund will hit back; harder.

One more thing. You don't have to listen to The Dave Ramsey Show to get fired up about doing all that jazz ... but it helps.

When you mess up, you learn from it. Need proof? Then here's the pudding, baby. After Jet Blue airline pulled the mother of all fiascoes last month and left dozens of joes and jills stranded in a plane for 10 hours on the runway, they made a smart move. More than 210 Jet Blue flights were canceled today because of another upcoming storm. They saw that a brick wall was headed straight for 'em, and they swerved out of the way.

Just goes to show, jack. Anyone and everyone messes up. But learn from it and move on. If you buy a bunch of stuff with plastic and run up a huge bill, then get out of credit card debt with the Debt Snowball and get on with your life. If you don't know where your dough is going, then learn how to make a budget and start getting out of debt (after you save a baby emergency fund). The Dave Ramsey Show is full of good info like that; listen in.

Don't cancel me out, jack ... add me to your blogroll.

Ladies and germs, meet the man. That's right ... Chris Gardner, stock broker. You may have seen the flick based on him, "The Pursuit of Happyness" starring Will Smith. The Chris Gardner story will bring a tear to anyone's eye. Not only was he homeless and a single father, but he got hit with enough hard luck to fill an album full of country songs.

You know how he responded? Hard work and unstoppable persistence led to tons of dough, popularity and success. Most important, he's still got the humble heart to give back to the community. He should be featured on The Dave Ramsey Show for that.

If a homeless man and father who's having a tough time can work hard and get it together, then you can too. Get into some career that you dig. Learn how to make a budget so that, when you earn dough, you know how to use it. Give money away, and don't forget how to save money, get out of debt and take care of yourself, baby. It's the stuff that dreams are made of.

It may not be the best pizza you ever laid your lips on, jack ... but it's the priciest. Some pizza store in the Big Apple has come out with a pie plastered with cavier, lobster and all sorts of costly goodies. The price tag? A cool thousand smackaroonies. That breaks down to 125 bucks a slice.

Let me clue everybody in. It doesn't matter if it's a pricey pizza or Momma's meatloaf ... your belly is full either way. So don't make your wallet empty by buying food (and other stuff) you can't afford. Don't drive a fleeced SUV and gripe about how gas is so expensive. Drop the car payment and drive a beater until you get out of debt.

Make a home budget and know where your dough goes, baby. Here's some info straight from The Dave Ramsey Show: Save up a baby emergency fund, hit your debt snowball hard, and you're on your way!

The Stardust has bit the dust. The legendary Stardust Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas got the axe earlier this week, blown up to make way for some big-time gambling house on the Strip. Even though there are better places in the world than casinos, there's always a little part of you that hates to see the classics gone, see? But that brings up a good lesson to learn, jack.

Buildings and cars and toys and all that other jazz is just stuff. Don't get so wrapped up in your "stuff" that you miss the good things in life, like time with your family, or when you get a chance to give money away. When you learn how to make a budget and pay off debt, you get your life back and get the chance to help out joes and jills who are down on their luck, like Davey boy talks about on The Dave Ramsey Show. Don't be remembered for bricks and mortar, baby. Be remembered for being a good person.

Here's a good bet ... add my blog to yours!

Do you hate making a late payment? Sure, we all do. But they're happening, bub ... at the highest rate in 3 and a half years. Those late payments also pave the way to a record number of foreclosures, said the boys at the Mortgage Bankers Association. Joes and jills who've had "tarnished credit histories" (read: too much debt and not enough know-how to fix it), get loans for their houses, but are falling behind again.

I've said it before, and here it is again. If you don't handle the dough, it'll handle you. If you don't learn how to make a budget and say "no" to stuff you can't afford, you'll spend all your time running around making payments, dealing with jerk collectors and sky-high interest rates. Life's too short, baby. For my money, I'm spreading the word about getting out of debt and how to invest smart.

If that ain't enough for you, check this. The host of The Dave Ramsey Show says the best things in life can't be bought. Spend time with your family at the park or the dinner table and you'll see what I mean.

Yesterday, I was raving about the NCAA tournament. Today, I'm raving about being so into the tourney that you waste time at work. Do you waste time at work? Sure, college hoops may be calling your name, but that's no excuse to goof off on company time, baby. An approach like that won't get you far, in life or with the boss.

Odds are, if you attack your job with a slacker attitude, that carries over into other parts of your life. You won't be busting your hump to get out of debt because you'll be too busy watching TV or moping around. That ain't gonna cut it, jack.

You'll hear it on The Dave Ramsey Show ... you gotta bust it on whatever you do. Work, family, create a budget or pay off debt; go all out. When you're done and retired, you can waste time all you want. Until then, stop reading this blog and get back to work.

Quit wasting time ... put me on your blogroll!

OK, time out. Here's something that may not go in the Donald Trump biography. The real estate mogul made an appearance last night on WWE's Monday Night Raw (it was a slow night on the tube and I was flipping channels). Trump and WWE owner Vince McMahon each picked a wrestler to represent them ... loser gets his head shaved at Wrestlemania 23. It's a WWE photo op if there ever was one. If you ask me, the Donald might look better with a cue ball (what am I saying ... MIGHT look better)?

It may involve more moolah than most of us will ever see, but as far as yours truly is concerned, it's a stupid thing to do for money. Among the stupid things to do WITH money: using plastic and dealing with paying off credit card debt.

Don't get me wrong, I've done stupid, just like Dave talks about on The Dave Ramsey Show. But the sooner you learn how to make a budget, get a baby emergency fund and deep-six your consumer debt, the sooner you can get your life back. Make it happen, jack.

Don't wrestle with the idea ... add my blog to yours, baby.

Shall we dance? You bet, baby. It's NCAA basketball tournament time ... one of the most wonderful times of the year. You got #1 seeds, Cinderellas and enough buzzer-beating shots to sink a ship.

But you know what the best part of the whole 2007 NCAA Tournament deal is? When some small-time school upsets a big-time program. A 13-seeded team that knocks off a 4 seed puts a smile on my face any day of the week. Nobody gives 'em a chance, but they believe in themselves and take care of business. That's what makes the NCAA Tournament great, jack.

Getting out of debt feels the same way. Those student loans and credit card bills look like a 7'4" power forward. But when a big-time challenge comes up ... be bigger. The small colleges don't back down from a fight, so you shouldn't either. Get fired up about getting out of debt. Get gazelle-intense, learn how to make a budget and pay off debt, and pretty soon you'll bench your bills. There's some Dave Ramsey Show material for you.

This blog is a #1 seed ... so add it to yours, jack.

Is time travel possible? Sounds like something out of a cheesy 1980s sci-fi flick, but time travel is a hotly debated subject, jack. Some lab boys are debating right now if it's something that can and should be done. I chuckled when I first heard about this, but then it brought something to my mind. Life doesn't have do-overs, but if you do things right, you won't need them.

I've made mistakes that I wish I could take back, especially when it comes to the dough. When you make a stupid move, you can't take it back. What you can do is move forward, like Dave talks about on The Dave Ramsey Show. The more time you spend belly-aching about bad choices, the less time you have to right the ship.

If you've gotten into debt ... pay off debt. Don't whine about learning how to make a budget. Spend more time on saving extra cash and getting your baby emergency fund started than you do finding out who gets thrown off the island. Then get out of debt. Everyone messes up, bub ... the winners keep fighting until they make things right. Have you got what it takes?

Don't let this chance get away. Put me on your blogroll, baby.

Here's a bright idea. Some Duke graduate wanted to keep part of his college lifestyle, so he invented a machine that chucks beer cans from 20 feet away. Now he can lie on the couch and watch the tube, and when he gets thirsty, he uses a special remote control and gets 12 ounces of liquid refreshment delivered right to his hand.

That's a bright idea that not many people get. But here's a common-sense one that even fewer joes and jills understand ... if you create a budget and get out of debt, you'll have tons of dough. Why do you pay a credit card interest rate of 18% when you can just save up the cash and buy something? That's like buying 40 bucks worth of gasoline for $55. And what about car payments ... who needs 'em?

Bottom line: you don't need to invent some two-bit contraption to call yourself successful. Dave talks about it on The Dave Ramsey Show; you do things on the up-and-up, save money, pay off debt and give money away. Sounds good to me, baby.

Add my blog to yours, baby ... and check out my new case on the stories page!

You have the overweight man, the obese man, and this man. Mr. Manuel Uribe, your average Mexico joe, just took a victory lap around town. Why, you may ask? Because he's got something to be proud of. He stepped on the scale a year ago and checked in at 1,235 pounds. But now he's fighting back. As a result, he told 395 pounds to take a hike. And he ain't done yet, jack.

See where I'm goin' here? That's right ... moolah. You may feel like your consumer debt is one big crushing weight on you. But when debt starts pushing ... push back. Create a budget, pay off debt and show your bills who's boss, baby. If some guy with more folds than a paper airplane factor can get his act together and get back in shape, then you can do the same with your dough. He's losing guts (and showing them); you do the same. Get more info from The Dave Ramsey Show.

Add my blog to yours, baby ... and check out my new case on the stories page!

The boys in Washington may have the plastic companies over a barrel. Seems the credit card companies are worried about new government regulations. So they're easing credit card fees and blowing up the fine print on their card applications, see?

There's a reason that credit card companies have all that "small print" jazz. It's because they don't want you to know that using plastic gets you into trouble. The best credit card company is no card company, baby. Cut up your cards in a New York minute.

If you learn how to make a budget, you don't need credit cards. When you pay off debt, you'll have a lot more dough to work with. And the last time I checked, cash was accepted at more places than sky miles or brownie points. All the more reason to get out of credit card debt, if you ask yours truly.

You'll hear stuff like that all the time on The Dave Ramsey Show. You don't need plastic. Learn about budget living, about living on less than you make, and you'll always have enough dough. Sound good? Then get started!

No fees on my blog, baby ... so add it to yours!

This one's almost too funny. I cracked up when I heard it on The Dave Ramsey Show. Seems Dave went into a well-known home appliance/electronics store, see? He and his dame Sharon wanted to get a new washer since the old one broke down (good thing he has an emergency fund for stuff like that).

The salesman pitched an extended warranty to him, and DR refused (he hates 'em). Then the salesman landed the haymaker ... "Dave Ramsey recommends our extended warranties, so you might want to reconsider."

This yahoo didn't even know who Dave was! And he's sitting there, lying about Dave straight to Dave's face. I guess that's what happens when you tell enough joes and jills to deep-six their consumer debt; retailers start lying about you so their bottom line doesn't go into the red. Don't buy into that, baby. Don't believe the bull that goes around. You don't need debt. Create a budget, then after you save a baby emergency fund, start to pay off debt. No warranty needed on that, jack.

Get me on your blogroll, baby!

The report is in and the word is out, baby. The situation in Darfur Sudan tops the U.S. list of the world's worst human-rights abuse. It's not just some hungry people, either. The genocide in Darfur ought to make your teeth grind like old gears.

People in that area (and a bunch of others) need help. If you have some dough, you can help. If you have no debt, then you have a bunch of dough and can help big-time. When you donate money to a worthy cause, it's a better feeling than just about anything in this crazy world. Think of some joe or jill that you know who could use some extra help. Now picture bein' the one who gives them a lift.

Sound good? Then make it happen ... create a budget and pay off your consumer debt, then you can give money away like there's no tomorrow. Dave may not talk about the Darfur crisis on The Dave Ramsey Show, but he talks all the time about helping out. So help out, jack.

I'm all about an honest living and doing things on the up-and-up, jack. The same can't be said for these two-bit bank robbers who knocked over a bank in Atlanta. The surveillance tape caught them laughing it up as they demanded the cash, but they probably won't be doing that for a while. Hopefully, these bank robber boneheads will spend a few years cooling their heels in the pokey.

On top of it all, the mother of one of these dames said her daughter is a good person who made a bad choice. If that's the case, then let's all take a lesson. Know what your kids are doing.

Have the backbone to step up and correct them if they're messing up, before the law has to do it. Teach 'em how to be responsible and do good stuff like give money away. And what better way to teach them about responsibility than to have them create a budget and handle their own dough? Then maybe they'll be too busy saving money to get in trouble. Got that one from The Dave Ramsey Show.

This is a first-class blog, baby ... add mine to yours.

Here we go again. Lotto fever is hitting joes and jills everywhere right where it hurts ... in the pocketbook, baby. All over the U.S. of A., people are hoping to have the Mega Millions winning numbers in their hand and take home the record $355 million jackpot, and they're coughing up big-time cash to buy tickets.

These people think the Mega Millions lotto is a surefire way to make money, but it's just the opposite. Chasing the odds of 146 million to 1 your entire life will keep you broke as a guy who invests all his dough in Enron and WorldCom.

Here's the secret recipe to retire rich: save money. Create a budget and live on less than you make. Wipe out your consumer debt. Work the Baby Steps that Dave talks about all the time on The Dave Ramsey Show, and when you get to Baby Step 4, go nuts and invest 15% of your gross into growth-stock mutual funds. Simple, simon.

Let's have our blogs get together. Add mine to yours.

Car payments keep you broke, baby ... no two ways about it. That's why stories like this one on Pet Peeving (written by a close-knit buddy of mine) get me smiling ear-to-ear. This bub likes to buy used trucks and he gets some great deals doing it. Read his story about upgrading his wheels for almost nothing.

Used car and used truck prices are great because some other yahoo has taken the rear-kicking in depreciation, so you can get a sweet ride for a steal. Just goes to show, it pays to drive crap.

The less dough you spend on cars, the more you have to make an emergency fund. All the more to get out of debt, my dear. Invest smart and retire with dignity? No problem. Then save for the kids' college, deep-six the mortgage and you can give money away to help others out. If I was too fast on that, then listen to The Dave Ramsey Show and learn all about it.

Don't forget ... add my blog to your blog, baby.

Mr. Moonwalker himself don't come cheap. Think I'm kidding, jack? Then feast your eyes on this little tidbit of Michael Jackson news. At some Tokyo shindig, if you want to spend 30 seconds of time face-to-face with MJ in a King of Pop discussion, it'll cost you 3,500 smackers. That's right ... three and a half grand. Turns out, the Super Bowl ain't the only place where half a minute can cost you a hunk of moolah.

Nothing against the Neverland man, but there are better things to do with your dough than spend so much for so little. Think about all the good stuff you can do with that money. You can start an emergency fund or pay off debt. You can be one of those people that give money away to joes and jills who are down on their luck. That's even better than an autograph, jack. Tune into The Dave Ramsey Show for more info.

Shaun Livingston needs a doctor, I presume. NBA basketball player Shaun Livingston tore up his knee pretty good in a game a few days ago. By the looks of it, his season is over and his career could be shot. It was a freak accident, but it's still one that he'll have to deal with. It ain't fair, but such is life in this crazy world.

Here's some more good advice straight from The Dave Ramsey Show. You NEVER know when Murphy is gonna swing by for a visit, baby. Knee injury, car wreck, job loss ... pick your poison.

But you can be ready, if you have an emergency fund. The typical emergency fund covers 3 to 6 months of expenses, and it's worth every penny 'cause it gets you to breathe easier. It's a soft cushion in hard times. Car wreck? No problem. Job loss? Bring it on. Don't wait for life to hit ... hit first. Create a budget and start saving money.

Keep safe this weekend, jack ... and link this blog to yours, while you're at it.

How's this for a God gift? Forget manna from heaven ... this is truly bread that came from the sky. Some yahoo in Indiana tried to cash a check worth 50 thousand from ... you guessed it; The Man Upstairs. I don't know if he was down on his luck or something else, but I'll say this: you gotta be one sick joe to try and make money off The Big Guy.

Money can be given to you, but there's something special about earning it, see? When you put in the sweat and work for the dough, it gives you a big-time feeling of accomplishment, baby. And once you earn it, you gotta know how to keep it. That means learning how to make a budget and becoming one of those people that give money away. Do that, and you'll never run short and have to try and con some bank into cashing a bogus check for you.

The Dave Ramsey Show would say the same thing. Check him out. And don't forget to add yours truly to your blog.