Suze Orman quotes:

True generosity is an offering; given freely and out of pure love. No strings attached. No expectations. Time and love are the most valuable possession you can share.

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.

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.

Understand and accept the cycles of money. The setbacks you may have today or next year will not keep you from financial freedom. If you hold on to your goals and dreams, you will get there.

For seven years after college, I was a waitress at the Buttercup Bakery in Berkeley, and from there I got a job at Merrill Lynch as an account executive, from where I went to vice president of investments for Prudential-Bache Securities. I started my own firm in 1987.

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.

In all realms of life it takes courage to stretch your limits, express your power, and fulfill your potential... it's no different in the financial realm.

Here's my gift-giving rule: Respect your current financial situation.

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.

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.

Prenups are so unromantic - a sign of distrust, not love. Time for a reality check, my friends. First, drawing up a prenuptial agreement together is a sign of incredible trust and financial openness - you're fooling yourself if you think you can achieve complete intimacy without it.

The new American dream is one of responsibility. What is the bottom-line number that you're going to be able to pay back toward a student loan responsibly if you're doing it yourself after you have a job? That dictates the amount of money you can borrow. That dictates the school you can go to, if you can even go to a four-year college at all.

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.

I generally encourage people to make good on debts when they have enough money to repay them. But once a delinquency has been reported to a collection agency, paying it off won't help your FICO score. The damage has already been done, and the blemish will remain on your credit report for seven years.

Every financial worry you want to banish and financial dream you want to achieve comes from taking tiny steps today that put you on a path toward your goals.

So many financial dreams are thwarted by the failure to act upon good intentions.

Money you won't need to use for at least seven years is money for investing. The goal here is to have your account grow over time to help you finance a distant goal, such as building a retirement fund. Since your goal is in the future, money for investing belongs in stocks.

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.

While a reverse mortgage can indeed be a viable way to generate income, it is very important to understand that after you take out a reverse mortgage, you will still be responsible for paying the property tax, the insurance premium, and all the maintenance costs for your home.

Pay off your mortgage before retirement, and that's one less bill you'll have to worry about when you're on a fixed income.

The prenup needs to be drawn up months before the wedding, not days - it's not something you slap together and sign in the car on the way to the ceremony. A shotgun prenup might not hold up in court.

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 do not think I am successful just because I have money. I'm successful because I love who I am and I have no regrets, and I'm successful because I have a great heart and I have compassion and I care and I would be happy with or without money.

I am a big believer that orderliness begets wealth. A pile of bills and statements - whether paid or not - is a sign that someone is clueless about what's coming in and going out. When you consciously open, read, and file away your bills and statements, you are connecting with your money and taking control of your life.

Estate planning is an important and everlasting gift you can give your family. And setting up a smooth inheritance isn't as hard as you might think.

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

I want to conquer the unknown. I really, really want to live on the water and captain my own boat. I have dreamed of going around the world on a boat.

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

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

If you can't afford the upkeep of your home, it makes no sense to do a reverse mortgage. You will just end up having to sell eventually when you realize you can't afford the home, and whether you have any equity left after the sale depends on the size of the reverse loan that must be settled.

Money is kind of just like air - if you don't have air, you can't breathe. If you don't have money, I don't think you'll want to breathe - you won't want to live.

I simply want you to give to yourself as much as you give of yourself. By taking care of yourself financially, you will truly be able to take care of those you love.

There is no law saying you have to die before your assets can be passed to loved ones. In fact, gifting earlier can be a lovely way to witness how your money helps your family thrive.

You should keep a copy of your tax return indefinitely, but you need to save supporting documents for only three years.

Grace is above praise and blame. I never read the bad stuff people write, but I never read the good stuff, either. Ever. I know who I am, and I know that God looks down on me and smiles. I know that - without a shadow of a doubt.

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

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.

Yes, your kids should go to school. No, you shouldn't bankroll their degree whatever the cost. You've spent your life creating a sound financial plan; don't upend it by suspending your retirement savings or taking out a home equity line of credit to pay for a pricey college.

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.

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

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

In January we start saving money, getting out of credit card debt, funding our retirement accounts, and we're doing wonderful. Then, every single year like clockwork, starting in November, all of you fall into this trap that says, 'I have to buy this gift... I can't show up at this party and not have something for everybody.'

It wasn't until I stood in my truth and told everybody that I had $250,000 in credit card debt. At that point, everything turned around for me. I had to reveal the truth about what I didn't have, more than pretend about what I did. That was interesting.

Credit unions are often a better deal than banks and tend to pay higher yields on deposits.

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

Take free money. No matter how in debt you are, if your employer offers a matching contribution on a 401(k) or other retirement vehicle, you must sign up and contribute enough to get the maximum company match each year. Think of it as a bonus.

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

Credit card issuers and HELOC lenders are like fair-weather friends: They cozy up to you in good times, but when the economy heads south, they abandon you faster than Usain Bolt runs the 100 meters.

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

Money you know you need or want to spend in the next few years is savings. Money you keep handy for an emergency belongs in savings. Money you hope to use soon for a down payment on a house belongs in savings. And all savings belong in a low-risk bank savings account or money market account.

Your credit score affects the interest rates you're offered on credit cards and loans, can be used to vet your job application, and in some states may influence your insurance premiums.

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

A revocable living trust allows your heirs to avoid probate entirely and keeps you in complete control of your finances while you're alive. You can always make changes to what's in the trust and to how you'd ultimately like it managed or disbursed.

Cash - in savings accounts, short-term CDs or money market deposits - is great for an emergency fund. But to fulfill a long-term investment goal like funding your retirement, consider buying stocks. The more distant your financial target, the longer inflation will gnaw at the purchasing power of your money.

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.

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.

Never invest emergency savings in the stock market.

Learn how to prioritize all your debt. And did you know student loan debt is the most dangerous debt any of us can have?

Learn to recognize true wealth. Money itself will not make you financially free. That comes as a result of only that powerful state of mind which tells us that we are worth far more than our money.

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.

Give a portion of your money to others. By releasing an anxious grasp on your money, you will open yourself to receive all that is meant to be yours.

Financial advice needs to change according to what is happening in the economy.

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

The last thing family and friends want is for you to spend money on them that you don't have or that you can't really spare.

I want to work with the Philippine people and make life better there; there are systems I can work with.

If you're financially responsible, your children have a much better chance to grow up financially responsible.

Every time you overhear something hurtful, I want you to do something kind for someone else.

A wise woman knows how to summon her courage and do what is right, rather than what is easy.

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

Success is not how many zeroes your bank account has. It's about making the most of the life you have.

The key to making money is to stay invested.

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

You must trust yourself more than you trust others. Pay attention to your inner voice - it will tell you if how and in what you are investing is right for you.

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

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.

The middle class has disappeared. We have a highway to poverty and no roads coming out.

We tend to focus on assets and forget about debts. Financial security requires facing up to the big picture: assets minus debts.

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

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.

The American dream is dead for the majority of America.

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

When someone chooses to value herself over the things she can buy, true transformation begins.

Courage is not always about action. It takes courage to do nothing rather than do something that you do not believe in or understand.

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

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

A pile of bills and statements - whether paid or not - is a sign that someone is clueless about what's coming in and going out.

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.

When you give, give from the place of the heart because it is the right thing to do, not the easy thing to do.

The way to build your savings is by spending less each month.

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.

If you make time each month to give your money some attention, you'll start the next year in fabulous financial shape.

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

People first, then money, then things.

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

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

Give to yourself as much as you give of yourself! This means you have to put yourself first.

Focus on what you have.

For all your long-term investments, such as retirement accounts that you won't touch for at least ten years, you need a mix of stocks and bonds. Stocks offer the best shot at inflation-beating gains. But stocks don't always go up. That's where bonds come into play: They have less upside potential, but they also do not pack the same risk.

I have a million dollars in the stock market, because if I lose a million dollars, I don't personally care.

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

I'm a big advocate of a work-for-pay setup rather than an allowance that isn't attached to chores - it's a great way to impart the value of money to your children.

Structured settlements are a common way for people who have been injured to receive an insurance payout. The periodic payments provide ongoing income and reduce the risk of blowing a lump sum through poor financial choices.

Recast your current problems into proactive goals.

Cut back your spending now.

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

Once your kids are grown and you know that you're completely healthy, consider canceling your life insurance policy.

I look around and there are needs that people have. Places have needs. These times have needs, and I have the education and the ability to communicate with it and help to solve those needs.

In order to live a rich life, everything about who you are must be one, in alignment, and in pure harmony.

What's keeping you from being rich? In most cases it's simply a lack of belief. In order to become rich, you must believe you can do it, and you must take the actions necessary to achieve your goal.

In January we start saving money, getting out of credit card debt, funding our retirement accounts, and we're doing wonderful. Then, every single year like clockwork, starting in November, all of you fall into this trap that says, 'I have to buy this gift... I can't show up at this party and not have something for everybody.

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

There is nothing more beautiful than a confident woman.

If you're in poverty and all you have is a debit card or a prepaid card or you pay in cash, it does not report to a credit bureau. If it doesn't report to a credit bureau, it cannot create a credit score for yourself.

Imagine you waking up tomorrow and you can't get a bank account; you can't get a credit union account. Everything has gone away and you're now living in poverty.

America has a broken spirit, that the people that are saying, "Please help me, please let me keep my home, please let me keep my car, please recognize me as a vital human being," they are falling on deaf ears.

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.

Oprah deserves the best. I am not the best when it comes to divorce. What do I know about divorce? Nothing at that time.

Believing you are worthy of love means that you believe I deserve to be treated well - with respect and dignity. I deserve to be cherished and adored by someone. I am worthy of an intimate and fulfilling relationship. I won't settle for less than I deserve. I will do whatever it takes to create that for myself.

They got married, they got divorced, and half their money goes out the window.