One of my favorite sayings is that personal finance is far more personal than it is finance. Simple math would tell you the wisest course of action is putting extra cash to work in the market, but the best advice isn’t always driven by cold hard math.

Instead of suggesting the likelihood (or unlikelihood) of a recession, I'd like to offer this: If we ultimately experience a recession, consumers are in a far better position to weather the economic downturn than they have been in decades.

If you're an investor (and I hope you are), it's probably time for a mental check-in. How are you today? How do you feel about everything going on in the world?

If you’re a frequent reader of this column, you know that I’m a large proponent of good investor behavior. Though I’ve spent a great number of column inches espousing the traits of investors I admire or those who have done well by adopting…

Even with a rising paycheck, people feel inflation. Whether it's the cost of a can of soup or the price of gasoline, everything feels (and is) more expensive. Inflation puts a dent in household budgets and a psychological dent in attitudes. While the U.S. economy may be booming, the smaller economy of household budgets and expenses takes a hit.