The author lost her credibility with me with this statement.

[quote=flu]Moreover, people don’t rack up thousands of dollars in credit card bills because they buy too much, she says. Unexpected and costly medical emergencies, divorce or long bouts of unemployment are the main reasons Americans find themselves drowning in debt.[/quote]
These unexpected cost will only hit you hard if you didn’t save up for it to start with or have proper insurance. Although I don’t agree with everything Orman or Bach said, they have the right premise. Spend less than you earn. Especially Bach with the Latte factor. I’ve read his book and make perfect sense. It’s not that hard to save when you live well under your mean. When you do that, along with proper insurance, their unexpected costs will not affect you as much if at all. I like the “Can you afford it” portion of Suze Orman’s show. Her message those those callers and viewers is that, don’t buy junk unless you can truly afford it and already have your savings and retirement set. Her stock tips is as good/bad as anyone else.