Table of Contents
Acknowledgments 9
Introduction 11
1 Debt-Proof Living 17
What It Means, What to Expect
2 Two Kinds of Debt 35
Intelligent Borrowing, Toxic Debt
3 Caught in the Debt Trap 47
Red Flags and Warning Signs
4 A Plan to Debt-Proof Your Life 57
The Only Plan You Will Ever Need
5 Where Does All the Money Go? 69
Tracking Is the Way to Find Out
6 Step Away from the Edge 83
The Contingency Fund
7 Break Out of the Debt Trap 95
The Rapid Debt-Repayment Plan
8 Expect the Unexpected 115
The Freedom Account
9 Create Your Spending Plan 139
It's Not a Budget
10 Debt-Proof Your Attitude 155
Your Most Powerful Tool
11 You Deserve Some Credit 171
Credit Reports, Credit Scores, Credit Repair, and Credit Counseling
12 You Are Worth What You Saved 181
Discover Your Net Worth
13 The Proper Handling of Hazardous Materials 189
Credit Cards, Charge Cards, and Debit Cards
14 Don't Jump from the Frying Pan into the Fire 217
Debt-Consolidation Loans
15 A Home of Your Own 225
Mortgages and Home Equity Loans
16 The Overlooked Safety Net 243
Disability Insurance
17 Student Loans, Student Debt 251
Paying for a College Education
18 Building Wealth on an Ordinary Income 273
Basics of Responsible Investing
Afterword 287
Notes 289
Glossary 291
Index 309
