Sheryl Garrett Money Quotations

Many young couples are so busy being romantic that they forget to talk about anything practical like personal finance. Money isn't a romantic subject, but marriage should be seen as entering into a financial as well as a romantic partnership.

Give your student the opportunity to earn money while under your roof. Agree on a reasonable split of your child's earnings--save most for school, but don't forget some fun. Allow your child to make decisions on how to spend some of the money on a car or a trip to Europe. You want to start early so you can guide your children and have some influence over their decisions.

I think people are reluctant to talk about money because there's always a scorecard--a bank statement, a credit report, a pay stub--and if you screw up, it's right there. But with sex, it's easy to be Don Juan or Donna Juanita. I think the record of past transgressions in black and white is why money is our last taboo.

Try to remove as much emotion as possible from the housing decision. When considering a house, go through it room by room and make a list of repairs that need to be done immediately and then add things you'd like to do if money were no object. Be cautious and do the math.

With time on our side a couple of months in advance of the holidays we have the opportunity to step back and ask, 'What's a reasonable amount of money I can spend on holiday festivities, gifts and donations?'