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Just like how a house needs a strong foundation to withstand the elements, you need to have a solid financial foundation. Creating your financial foundation requires that you have the basics covered. Here's what you need to know.

 Does it always seem that your money never goes as far as it should? One of the main culprits are the slow money leaks that we all have. These are generally recurring monthly expenses for a subscription or service that by itself appears quite small, but when you factor in dozens of these potential leaks, it can drain hundreds of dollars from your budget each month.

Credit card debt is one of the biggest problems most people face when trying to get a handle on their finances. Credit cards make it easy to spend more money than you have, and then the crippling interest rates and fees make it seem impossible to get out from under. While there isn't an instant cure for credit card debt, there are steps you can take to put yourself on a path to becoming debt free. It takes a little planning, a little budgeting, and some time, but if you keep at it you'll find that you're getting out of debt faster than you had imagined

Graduating college is a monumental event for young adults. It typically marks the true beginning of the "real world" and with that comes a mountain of new financial concerns. Making the right money moves after graduation can mean the difference between financial independence and bankruptcy. If you've recently graduated or plan on graduating soon, here are a few smart money moves.

A while back I covered 10 tips to help you prevent identity theft, but since it is an important topic I wanted to highlight a few more quick tips. This has become an important topic around where I live lately as there has been a string of reports where people have had their bank accounts cleaned out thanks to some thieves. You can never be too cautious when it comes to your personal and financial information. Here are a few more quick tips and reminders to help prevent you from becoming a victim:

·         Shred or tear up pre-approved credit card offers, bills, canceled checks, bank statements, and other documents that contain personal or financial information before putting them in the trash.

·         When using an ATM, make sure nobody can see the numbers you punch in. If somebody is behind you, shield your hand when entering information.

·         Don't carry your PIN numbers with you, and never give your PIN to another person.

·         Never give out your credit card number to anyone who calls you unsolicited.

·         Guard your Social Security number. Don't give it out to salesmen, vendors, or others who have no legal need for it.

·         Don't carry your Social Security card with you.

·         Don't use your mother's maiden name, your birth date, or the last four digits of your Social Security number as a password on credit card or bank accounts. This information is too easy to obtain and can be used by thieves to access your accounts.

·         Use a locked mailbox to prevent checks, credit card offers, and other financial information from being stolen.