I recently read an article stating that 62% of Americans have less than $1,000 in savings. What's worse, 21% of them don't even have a savings account! Supposedly, Americans have been saving more since the global recession, but the stat above doesn't seem to bear that out. One of the most discussed topics on this forum is consumer behavior, as my background is in psychology and marketing. It's imperative that Americans -- and people throughout the world, for that matter -- practice saving responsibly. The best way to save money is by living below one's means. Spending hundreds of dollars on clothing and food every week doesn't help your pocketbook in any way,  especially if you have the tendency to run up your credit card bills and pay late. I'm not saying you can't treat yourself to a good meal here and there, but spending -- just like eating amd drinking -- should be done in moderation. As I tell many of my cash-strapped friends, sometimes ...

The easiest (and quickest) ways to build wealth include winning the lottery, robbing a bank, or getting an inheritance. Since these methods are either unusual or flat-out illegal, we have to resort to more practical ways that involve a level of effort and judiciousness. Enter the practice of saving. Unfortunately, saving money seems alien to many people I know. No sooner do they get a paycheck than they squander it on expensive things they may not need, like $500 shoes or handbags. What's worse, some blow it in even more egregious ways (think booze, drugs, and casinos). I am a firm believer that every college student -- hell, maybe even high school students -- should be required to take a class on personal finance. Far too many of us go out into the real world not having a clue as to ways we can save money and why it's important to begin doing so at an early age. (The same goes for job hunting, which will be the subject of a future post.) Think about it: If you get in...