Suze Orman's Quotes

I am a big believer that orderliness begets wealth.

If the only way you can build an emergency fund is to pay the minimum due on your credit card, that is what you need to do.

If you're going down the street and you're going the wrong way, remember - God permits U-turns.

Make it a priority to have at least eight months of living costs set aside in a federally insured bank or credit union account.

Never cosign a loan. Once you have cosigned, you cannot get out of it - even on your deathbed.

Private student loans should be avoided at all costs.

The foundation of a financial fresh start actually has nothing to do with money or specific financial dos and don'ts.

The less money you owe, the less income you'll need and the less you'll have to save for tomorrow.

Every portfolio benefits from bonds; they provide a cushion when the stock market hits a rough patch. But avoiding stocks completely could mean your investment won't grow any faster than the rate of inflation.

Consider a 15- or 20-year fixed-rate mortgage instead of a 30-year, if you can afford the monthly payments - they may not be as high as you think.

Cut back your spending now.

Find $50 a month for savings. No excuses!

Get rid of debt now.

I always say, 'People first, then money, then things.'

I love the Roth IRA. Tax-free income in retirement is a truly great deal.

I think they've been baby bummers.

If you have debt I'm willing to bet that general clutter is a problem for you too.

If you're not staying on top of your money, you are putting your financial well-being at risk.

Ignore the annual percentage rate when shopping for a mortgage.

In order to create lasting security you must learn to stand in your truth.

It pays to be a fee fiend.

It's easy to underestimate the real cost of home ownership.

It's impossible to map out a route to your destination if you don't know where you're starting from.

Late payments also hurt your FICO score. And never, ever take out a cash advance on your credit card.

Look everywhere you can to cut a little bit from your expenses. It will all add up to a meaningful sum.

Make this the year you tackle that credit card debt once and for all.

Never, ever invest money that you will need prior to three to five years - minimum.

Opt for a fixed-rate rather than an adjustable-rate mortgage.

People often panic when the markets go down and sell off their stocks - but then they aren't in the game when the markets are doing well.

Put your financial life on autopilot as a form of 'forced' saving.

The world does not need another credit card.

The world needs another vehicle to get people to pay in cash.

Those carrying a credit card balance should scale back to making the minimum payment each month so they have more money to put into savings.

To make the most of your money, I recommend sticking with mutual funds that don't charge a commission when you buy or sell.

We women know how to take care of everybody so well. But the one person we have written out of the equation is us.

Your goal should be to pay off your credit card bills in full at the end of each month and set aside money toward your emergency savings.

Credit card companies are jacking up interest rates, lowering credit limits, and closing accounts - and people who have made timely payments are not exempt. So even if you pay off your balance - and that's tough when interest rates are insanely high - there's a good chance your credit limit will be slashed, and that will hurt your FICO score.

I have never been a fan of bond funds. Unlike a direct investment in an individual bond that you can hold to maturity and be assured you will get your principal back (assuming no default), a fund has no finite maturity date and most funds are actively traded.

The chances of a bank going out of business are extremely slim, but it's always a good idea to spread around major sums so every penny is backed by insurance.

The most important loan to pay is your student loan. It's more important than your mortgage, car and credit card payments. You cannot discharge student loan debt in the majority of cases.

Everybody in America started to define themselves by all these things they had around them. And all of a sudden it came tumbling down. So the old American dream has died, and that is a good thing.

I get so frustrated when people tell me it's unrealistic to create an eight-month emergency savings fund, or have money saved for a home down payment, or pay off their $5,000 credit card balance.

I have always advocated doing everything possible to pay off credit card balances; it's good financial management and the ticket to a strong FICO credit score.

I love, love, love that you want to use your debit card. But to keep your credit score solid, you still need to keep a few credit cards and use them at least once every few months.

If you wait until your children are high school seniors to spring it on them that there's not a whole lot of money for school, they won't have too many options.

If you're saving for the long run, it's actually a good thing when the market is down because the more shares you have, the more you can potentially make when markets rise. And over time - decades, not months - the markets rise more than they fall.

Like your home's closets, your financial clutter needs an overhaul every now and again, and the payoff will go far beyond the psychic satisfaction of neatening up.

A big part of financial freedom is having your heart and mind free from worry about the what-ifs of life.

A wise woman recognizes when her life is out of balance and summons the courage to act to correct it, she knows the meaning of true generosity, happiness is the reward for a life lived in harmony, with a courage and grace.

When you lose something in your life, stop thinking it's a loss for you... it is a gift you have been given so you can get on the right path to where you are meant to go, not to where you think you should have gone.

When you are grateful - when you can see what you have - you unlock blessings to flow in your life.

If a child, a spouse, a life partner, or a parent depends on you and your income, you need life insurance.

People first, then money, then things.

Owning a home is a keystone of wealth - both financial affluence and emotional security.

When you're happy you find pure joy in your life. There are no regrets in this state of happiness - and that's a goal worth striving for in all areas of your life.

No one's ever achieved financial fitness with a January resolution that's abandoned by February.

If you pay off your mortgage before retirement, you take a huge financial load off your shoulders. You also become eligible to take out a reverse mortgage once you turn 62.

The only way you will ever permanently take control of your financial life is to dig deep and fix the root problem.

Don't let what others think or say get in your way; their actions reflect on them, not you.

Just because you can afford it doesn't mean you should buy it.

Many people are in the dark when it comes to money, and I'm going to turn on the lights.

You must recognize, embrace, and be honest about what is real for you today and allow that understanding to inform the choices you make. Only then will you be able to build the future of your dreams.

People have got to learn: if they don't have cookies in the cookie jar, they can't eat cookies.

Opposites may attract, but I wouldn't put my money on a relationship of financial opposites.

We never had it as rough as the kids have it today. Look at the price of a gallon of gas or a piece of real estate or a college education.

Even if you were to fall into extreme financial hardship and file for bankruptcy, you need to understand that your student loan debt will not be discharged in bankruptcy. It is the Velcro of all debts.

Money is such an amazing teacher: What you choose to do with your money shows whether you are truly powerful or powerless.

If you're going to live in the house make it your goal to just pay off your mortgage.

Thoughtful financial planning can easily take a backseat to daily life.

The key to making money is to stay invested.

If you are worried about job security and do not have an adequate emergency fund (ideally eight months' worth of living expenses stashed away in a federally insured bank or credit union), you need to focus more on saving money than paying down the balance on your credit cards.

Rather than saying, 'My checking account is a wreck,' change it to 'I will learn how to track my spending and balance my checkbook.'