A rapid-fire round of fifteen things to never buy, take, or sign. One through-line ties them together: if someone is pushing a financial product hard, it is usually for them — not you.

01 — Don’t bank on gift cards

Hundreds of millions of dollars die unredeemed every single year.

Do instead: Give cash — it never expires.

Gift cash, not cards.

02 — Skip the extended warranty

On a tool or a used car, it’s a bad bet for you — and pure margin for them.

Do instead: Self-insure: bank what you’d have spent.

Warranties are a seller’s product.

03 — Refuse reverse mortgages

They’re built to prey on older homeowners who don’t see the full cost.

Do instead: Shield elderly relatives from the pitch.

Keep your parents far away from these.

04 — Beware the hard sell

If an expensive financial product is pushed aggressively, it’s probably bad for you.

Do instead: The harder the pitch, the faster you walk.

Aggressive pitch = their commission.

05 — Don’t pay 1% every year

General advisors are expensive hand-holders — not worth 1% of everything, annually.

Do instead: Use flat-fee advice, or index it yourself.

Every point of fee compounds against you.

06 — Avoid weak private schools

Around 3,000 medium-to-low-rated private schools simply won’t pay you back.

Do instead: Pick a strong public school — or skip it.

Don’t buy a degree that won’t pay.

07 — Ditch the dealership repair

The OEM dealer charges a steep premium for the exact same fix.

Do instead: A reputable indie shop runs about a third of the price.

Same repair. A third of the cost.

08 — Never take a payday loan

It is the most expensive money you will ever borrow — by a wide margin.

Do instead: Build a small buffer before you ever need one.

A payday loan is a trap, not a bridge.

09 — Don’t carry a credit balance

A revolving balance is paying a premium for the privilege of staying broke.

Do instead: Pay the statement in full, every month.

Carry a card, not a balance.

10 — Too good to be true? It is.

Hot stocks and crypto “sure things” are pure speculation — not a plan to build on.

Do instead: Invest on a plan, never on a tip.

Speculation isn’t a strategy.

11 — Don’t lend what you can’t lose

Assume from the start that you will never see the money again.

Do instead: If losing it would hurt, don’t lend it.

Treat every loan as a gift.

12 — Don’t build with friends or family

Going into business with people close to you usually ends up costing you both.

Do instead: Keep the friendship; skip the partnership.

Protect the relationship.

13 — Don’t lease the car

A lease is a permanent monthly payment for something you will never own.

Do instead: Buy used, then drive it paid-off for years.

Own the car, not the payment.

14 — Don’t co-sign

When you co-sign, their missed payment quietly becomes your debt.

Do instead: Their loan, their name, their risk.

Co-signing makes their risk yours.

15 — Don’t let lifestyle chase income

When spending climbs with every raise, you never actually get ahead.

Do instead: Bank the raise. Widen the gap.

The gap you create is the wealth you keep.