Eight Tips for Gaining Financial Freedom

Follow this road map and kiss your debt goodbye.

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8 Tips for Gaining Financial Freedom

Photo By Photo: JGI/Jamie Grill/Blend Images/Corbis

Shopping Spree - Who doesn't love to spend a little without feeling guilty? Take your special someone out on a day full of shopping and let them know money is no object (for this particular occasion that is). (Photo: moodboard/Getty Images)

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Don't Keep Up With the Joneses

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Get Ya Mind Right - Unknowingly, mental clutter has the largest impact on our daily lives. It paralyzes our actions and causes high levels of stress, anxiety and sometimes forgetfulness. The benefit of having a clearer mind is similar to having an uncluttered home: it helps you to think, function and relax more efficiently. Here are 10 tips to help you alleviate the mental clutter, lessen the stress and better organize your thought process. By Dontaira Terrell(Photo: Michael A. Keller/Corbis)

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Have a Rainy Day Fund

What Are the Drawbacks? - One word: fees. People who use prepaid cards can be charged for transactions that would usually be free at traditional banks. They could be charged a fee to withdraw cash from an ATM, even if the ATM is in their card's network. There might be a fee to set up online bill payments or a fee to reload the card. There are often limits on the amount of money that users can put onto one card. Charges can vary greatly among cards so people should shop around.While many prepaid card issuers provide protection if a card is lost, they are under no legal obligation to do so.The FDIC insures up to $250,000 of a customer's account if a traditional bank goes out of business. There's no such guarantee with a prepaid card. Generally, card issuers use what's known as a "custodian bank" to insure their users' accounts, but it's not like a bank where...

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Avoid Credit Card Traps

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Keep a Watchful Eye

Train - The National Breast Cancer Coalition runs online advocacy training for folks who want to learn how to work the system to prevent and cure breast cancer. (Photo: Matt Dutile/Corbis)

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Educate Yourself

Photo By Photo: Matt Dutile/Corbis