I became interested in money and the effect is has on people's lives when I was a teenager. It seemed to me that either people controlled their money, or their money controlled them. Most people want to be in control, but they don't want to have to worry about dollars and cents all the time. They just want to get on with their lives.It would be great to not have to think about money, but unfortunately if we don't, our creditors will remind us. That doesn't mean we have to obsess over money all the time, however. We can strike a balance. In fact, by learning some basic personal finance principles and paying attention to our money when it counts, we can reach a point where we have to think about money less and less.I wrote "Help! I Can't Pay My Bills" (St. Martin's Press, 2007) for people who find themselves in financial crisis. I hope it helps people take control of their finances so they can eventually think about money less - and enjoy their lives more.