Author: Peter Dunn, Special to USA TODAY

I want to help you find your breaks – when you experience an unordinary influx of money or the disappearance of a monthly obligation.

Think you need a perfect 850 credit score? You’ve been bamboozled. Tricked. Hoodwinked. We all have.

At the start of each year, I declare goals that can be quantified. And by New Year’s Eve, I’ve either delivered or not. Here’s how I succeed.

Are you too tolerant of your suboptimal financial decisions? And how do you mask your bad habits?

Spending money on something you don’t need is a poor choice. But the fast-paced nature of life makes home cooking more unrealistic than you think.

Doing theright thing financially is hard. It’s OK to acknowledge this from time to time, but don’t talkyourself out continuing to do it.

What are the moral and practical obligations to consider when inheriting “quite a bit of money?” Quit work or finance the kids education?