Paying for something that you can do yourself might bring about the question: “Do I really need this?”. In today’s world where you can “YouTube” just about anything, someone who is looking to save money might cut out the personal trainer or gym membership and opt to throw Richard Simmons on the Smart TV to get a quick workout in before work.

“Defense wins championships” is a common phrase used in the sports world. While high-powered offenses are “flashy” and can certainly carry teams to success, oftentimes the teams with the most stout, consistent, and opportunistic defenses reach championship levels. As I was reading the book, The Millionaire Next Door, by Thomas J. Stanley, I found a lot of parallels to this sports truism and the world of personal finance.