After six years of unemployment, Maria once again has a steady paycheck. She is ready to budget responsibly and save for the future, but how should she factor in spending money on her wants as well as her needs?

Two years after a tornado ripped through Joplin, Mo., the town is rebuilding its infrastructure and community.

My wife and I have been saving money in an HSA (along with the required HDHP) for the past 6 years or so. We've accumulated around $42,000 (we never take money out of it, instead use it for a long-term IRA-like savings vehicle). Is there a realistic risk of having too much money saved for healthcare down the road as we age into Medicare? We are both in our mid-40s.

I teach high school. Although I am a science teacher, I assigned a personal finance project to my students. I was horrified to find out they didn't know what loan terms were or in some cases what interest rates were… Many objected to paying taxes, which I set at 30% for state, federal and Social Security combined. They didn't understand that there were some bills they HAD to pay each month, and a few didn't understand why they couldn't get everything they wanted and just spend as much as they wanted each month, even if it was more money than they made. My question: How do we teach kids these things — these kids are not learning at home — and in conversation, some of their parents may need the training, too. Are there (free- since K-12 schools have no money) programs to teach kids? I'm sure a program designed by a professional finance person would be better than the one I designed. Can you share you ideas what the kids need to know? Thanks, Judi

The new face of debt is young and worried. Student loans affect nearly 15 million Americans under the age of 30 and many debtors are facing tens of thousands of dollars in repayment.

What can you do if a debt collector is after you? Take some advice from someone in the industry and know your consumer rights.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York says the country now owes close to $1 trillion in student loan debts. But in some states, the problem is worse than others.

From "The Payback" by James Brown to The Smiths' "I Don't Owe You Anything" to "Bills, Bills, Bills" by Destiny's Child, we've compiled a playlist of tunes all about borrowing and lending.

Paying off student loans can be a long and scary venture. But one way to get a handle on how to make it an affordable experience is to take a tip from the Pilgrims.

Does debt have to destroy family ties and friendships? Personal finance expert Liz Weston weighs in on whether its a good idea to mix personal finance with personal relationships.