1) Get a library card and FIND AND MAKE TIME to be responsible for you and the well being of your family. Red, yellow, black, white, rich, poor, middle, low, or upper class. If you can read and walk you are qualified here.
2) Go to the sections that have books on how to manage your finances, real estate, investing, how to budget, how to DELAY THE GRATIFICATION of things in life, types of mortgages, anything having to do with these subjects and check them out for FREE!
3) Turn the TV off and do a TV fast for 30 days. The time you would have spent WASTING TIME watching TV shows that won't help you plan to put your kids through college and the SLICK NO COST MARKETING ADS FROM COUNTRYWIDE you can spend READING THE BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY.
4) Now take all this knowledge that you have accumulated over the 30 days and put it to use and use it in such a way to not get taken advantage of anymore by liars, slicksters, the govt, American Express, or your lender.
5) Never do RE business with friends and family. It never works, and there is always assumptions and misunderstandings and obligations involved.
6) Quit blaming people for your problems. Take responsibility,learn from mistakes, build character and integrity, and teach others who are younger than you the same.
7) Get a financial calculator. Use it. If you are spending more than you are earning, this will become a problem soon…