It amazes me how the haves always have advice for the have nots, how to books (that they charge for), seminars (that they charge for), financial advice (yep...chi ching!), etc.  Look at this financial mess our advisers have led us to and blame on the poor, the financially irresponsible, the greedy, and the just plain clueless.  There's one truth to our society.......if you need help or funding for anything, these so-called advisers will make it harder than need be to "weed out the unscrupulous", but if you appear to be doing well and need funding they'll throw money at whatever project your proposing.  And that's how the housing market, business lending,  & investing markets got this way, it wasn't the single parent trying to buy their first house, it was the lenders/investors who wanted to cash in on the new market of sub-prime loans.  My question has always been why is this burden laid on the home owner in trouble and not the lender?  Who wouldn't want to own a house, and if someone tells you all they need is a down payment regardless of your credit history and they can put you in a home for your family, wouldn't you take it?  Putting that aside, the problem as I see things is that there hasn't been an investment into WE the PEOPLE in too long a time, its always been invest in the quick turnaround, invest in big corporate funds/CD's/money market accounts, and trust that your advisers will do the right thing with the profits.  How's that been working out?  All I see is "Chickens coming home to roost", for every small business owner who was turned down for a legitimate loan to start or expand there probably was 100 sub-prime home loans made by the same banks and since this is probably a low estimate, why is it surprising that banks are closing/merging at record paces.  Your advisers told you to not panic and take your money out the market(s), while that's exactly what THEY did!  They put their money in the Caymans, Swiss accounts, etc. using the average persons funds as a smoke screen, so do me a favor when you see these money guru's on TV call in and ask them who pays their salaries, then ask if you're paid by credit companies and investment firms.........who are you really looking out for?