Clark has long believed that debt is a disease when it becomes your way of life. It can eat at you, lead to anxiety, hurt your confidence and so much more. The New York Post recently ran a story about how members of Generation X (aged 30 to 45) are saddled with debt. Some of their debt stems from educational loans, but even more is attributed to lifestyle debt. Some 33 percent are so deep in debt that they'll never get out. About 20 percent are depressed over the financial obligations stemming from their lifestyle. The irony here is that Gen X got into lifestyle debt because they were doing something that was called "keeping up with the Joneses" back in the 1950s. People want to live large and have all the things their friends have. But the folks who ride in BMWs with the fancy houses may not own -- rather they owe through financing.

If you watch TV during fall season premiere week, look at all the local ads for furniture with no money down or no payment until whenever. It feels like it's free, but it builds a burden in your life. The pleasure of the possession is eclipsed by the burden of the debt. It is the very freedom to borrow today that has created this burden. Past generations like the baby boomers had to put money down to buy their first homes; today you can finance 100 percent. But just because the freedom to borrow and get buried in debt is there, it doesn't mean you have to use it. The Post article quoted a Charles Schwab employee who said that they expected Gen X to be saddled with debt, but they didn't expect them to develop anxiety over it. That's funny, because Clark has been hearing about debt anxiety for 20 years doing the show. As a parting thought, Clark said home is defined by where you are with your family and loved ones. It's not defined by square footage, crown moldings or a huge stainless steel fridge in your kitchen.