“Money doesn’t buy happiness, but it buys the kind if misery you may prefer”, is a quote often attributed to comedian Groucho Marx.  I would like to say that Groucho is wrong, BUT in my 25 years writing the consumer financial column, $uper $aver and another 23 as a mortgage banker the sad truth is that if you are experiencing money problems and are not “financially healthy” it negatively affects your “health” in other areas. No money for healthy groceries? There goes your physical health. No money for rent, electric bill, school fees? There goes your emotional health. No money for an emergency cushion? There goes your psychological health.  The bottom line is that your financial health is directly or indirectly tied to your physical, psychological and emotional health. So where to start?

My own financial health, while probably at any given time is not much different from your own, did not improve until I started to look at it...