Is the long-term value of an education worth the short-term cost? -- What's the point of saving money for ever? -- How much debt is too much and how much is too little? -- Are kids investments and can marriages diversify? -- Government tax authorities : partners, adversaries, or bazaar merchants? -- Can you eat your house or will it ever pay dividends? -- Insurance salesmen and warranty peddlers : are they smooth enough? -- Portfolio construction : what asset class do you belong to? -- Retirement : when is it time to shutter the well and close the mine?