Flags fly outside of the General Motors Corp. in Detroit, Michigan.

In my new book Gimme My Money Back, I explain why the world runs on credit. The current financial mess depends on that fact: ever since the housing bubble popped, lenders have increasingly lost faith in businesses and individuals, no longer trusting that they will be able to repay loans. That means that potential buyers of homes and cars and dishwashers have not been able to go out and spend, which in turn choked those industries. And businesses that depend on loans to cover day-to-day costs were forced to delay expansion plans and cut corners, which is partly why we are seeing huge rounds of layoffs nowadays.

The government recognizes that freeing up credit is a must to restore our economy. That explains why late Monday the Treasury announced it will invest $6 billion in GMAC, the financing arm of General Motors. The hope is that this massive cash infusion will jumpstart the lending process, putting more money in the hands of consumers who want to buy cars.

Let’s take a closer look at the new $6 billion initiative.

1. The plan comes in two parts: firstly, the Treasury will directly buy $5 billion worth of preferred equity shares in GMAC; and secondly, the Treasury will lend $1 billion to General Motors, which will then direct the money to GMAC. The second move will allow General Motors to participate in a rights offering during GMAC’s reorganization and comes as a loan, so the government receives no shares in exchange.

2. The whole of the $6 billion will come out of the Troubled Asset Relief Program. This program was originally intended to help U.S. banks, but the Treasury is being forced to draw on it to prop up U.S. automakers as well due to the Senate’s rejection of the proposed auto bailout bill earlier this month.

3. As a result of this new cash injection, GMAC says it will ease its lending standards and resume financing for a broader range of car buyers. In the third quarter, GMAC issued 22% fewer loans compared to a year ago, and raised its credit criteria for customers.

That last point gets to the heart of the credit issue: if customers can’t borrow money, then everyone suffers: the customer, the producer, and the lender. This latest government initiative was key for General Motors, which depends on GMAC to help get customers shopping for cars again.

Now we have to wait and see if consumers, jittery about the current recession, are ready to get back out there.

Ali Velshi is CNN's chief business correspondent and author of the new book "Gimme My Money Back: Your Guide to Beating the Financial Crisis," published by Sterling & Ross. Read an excerpt from the book.

Are you one of those people who makes a New Year's resolution, but can't seem to stick with it? Maybe you're taking the wrong approach.

Clinical psychologist Mark Crawford of Atlanta, Georgia, has some tips that might keep you from falling off the wagon.

1) Be specific. State a specific goal. For example: If you want to lose weight, start with 10 pounds at a time.

2) Get real. Be sure to set a realistic goal. Very few people will be able to lose 50 pounds or more in a year.

3) Step by step. Come up with a plan for achieving your goal. For instance, if you're going to start an exercise program, decide how many times a week you'll work out.

4) The clock is ticking. Set a realistic time frame. It might be hard to stick with a resolution for an entire year, so why not start with two weeks and see how you're doing?

Crawford says if you stay on track for four to six weeks you have a pretty good chance of sticking with your goal and succeeding.

Judy Fortin's Health Minute segment runs daily on Headline News from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET weekdays.

College costs keep rising. Today tuition at a private, four year college is up 6 percent from last year to $25,000. Public college tuition is up almost six and a half percent. If you haven’t set up college savings for junior—here is your guide on getting it started.

1) The 101 on 529s

These are state-run accounts that allows investment of after-tax dollars specifically for college. The money grows tax-deferred, and it’s not taxed when you take the money out—(if it’s used for qualified college expenses.) Most 529 savings plans offer a menu of age-based portfolios, and some also offer a small selection of stock and bond funds. And 32 states have tax breaks for residents in the state 529 plan. Investment minimums are low: $25 bucks in some cases. And there is no restriction on how much you may contribute every year unless the account is nearing the lifetime cap which can range from $100,000 to $400,000.

2) Watch the fees

Fees have been going down thanks to competition in the industry. You’ll want to choose a plan with the lowest fees—in that case you’ll want to invest in direct-sold plans over broker-sold plans. Direct-sold plans have administrative fees of .3 percent to to 1 percent. Advisor sold plans: fees can be 2-3 percent for administrative fees. As a general rule, you don’t want to pay more than 1 percent administrative fees.

3) Your options

Of course, 529 plans are vulnerable to market forces… and you may already be invested in a 529 that has suffered a significant decline. If your child has 8 years or more before college having 50 percent or more in stocks is still your best bet to grow your money at a rate faster than college cost increases. In 529 plans, you can only change your allocation once a year. If you've already made your yearly allocation change, there are several other things you can do. You can move the account to another state's plan, which will allow you to choose a new asset mix, but only one rollover is allowed in a 12-month period. You can also change the beneficiary of your existing plan, which frees up the account to allow an investment change. There are no restrictions on how often you can change beneficiaries so if you have two children you can switch the account between them as often as you want.

A new year…a new you. Get control of your financial life. From fixing your 401(k) to wiping out debt — Gerri Willis has your guide to financial resolutions all this week on CNN's American Morning.

Stressed about the economy? You certainly aren’t alone.  According to a recent survey from the American Psychological Association, 74% of Americans say work or money cause them stress and anxiety.

The thing is, stress has a huge impact on your body. It can cause headaches, impair your immune system, disrupt your digestive system and can even affect heart function.

Here are some stress-busters you can start today to help curb your symptoms.

RESULTS-ORIENTED ACTIVITIES: Reduce financial stress by starting projects that give you a sense of completion. Perhaps plan a budget then have a family meeting to discuss your goals or even your concerns for the months ahead. You can't change the global economic situation but you can get your own finances in order.

START LAUGHING: Long-term studies prove that laughter decreases stress hormones, improves your immune system and boosts endorphins, which provides you with more energy.  If you find it hard to start laughing by yourself, think about joining a laughter club. There are more than 5,000 laughter clubs around the world, including many in the United States.

MEDITATE: Many studies have shown simple meditation techniques can lower your stress hormone levels. To get stress-busting benefits, researchers suggest a person meditate 20 minutes a day, 4 to 5 days a week.

During times of economic crisis, some people may become depressed. The red flags of extreme anxiety or depression are: Difficulty concentrating, insomnia, suicidal thoughts and unusual irritability.  If these signs persists more than two weeks, you or your loved one should seek professional help from a licensed counselor or clinical psychologist. For more information on where to find help, click here.

Be sure to tune in to Dr. Sanjay Gupta every weekend on HOUSE CALL. You'll find the answers to your medical questions Saturday and Sunday at 8:30 a.m. ET on CNN.

If your retirement account is down 30, 40, 50 percent, here are some essential steps to kickstart your savings.

1) Get some perspective

If you haven’t already checked out your retirement account’s performance this year – do it now. No doubt, your losses are scary looking from this year with the S&P 500 down some 40 percent – the reality is that is the new normal. Your job: comparing where you are with where you need to be.

2) Boost your savings
You can’t control the stock market or even whether your employer will continue matching your contribution. In fact, 7 percent of employers in a recent poll said they are eliminating or trimming 401k matches. But you can control your own behavior. Most people aren’t saving enough to retire on – the average 401(k) investor is socking away 7 percent of their salary versus the 10 to 15 percent most advisors would recommend. It’s time to save more –set aside more money out of each paycheck for retirement saving.

3) Invest outside your 401(k)

401(k)s are great – but if you really want to make a difference in how much you are socking away – contribute to the max in your 401(k), locking in every precious dime of your employer’s match, if they are still matching, then set up your own investment plan above and beyond that.

A new year…a new you. Get control of your financial life. From wiping out debt to saving for college — Gerri Willis has your guide to financial resolutions all this week on CNN's American Morning.

An anemic economy and poor job prospects means one thing for consumers – that getting rid of your debt is key. But how to start? Here's your guide:

1) Get a grip

Determine whether your debt problem is run of the mill or out of control. One signal that you have too much debt is that you borrow from one credit card to pay off another credit card. Others are: You can only make minimum payments on your credit card. You don’t know how much total debt you have.

2) Stop the hemoraghing of money

Get out of paying “courtesy overdraft fees” of as much as $20 to $35 by linking your savings account to your checking account. Better yet, don’t write a check for more than your balance. Out of network ATM fees are brutal these days, with some banks charging three bucks for the privilege of getting access to your own money. Use a bank with a large network.

3) Handle debt collectors the right way

If you are being asked to pay a debt you don’t think you owe, write a letter stating the facts. That will force the collector to investigate and clarify the debt. Remember, there is a statute of limitations on debt of seven to 10 years. (Check with your state attorney general’s office to see what the rules are in your state). If you pay even a dime on debt that you aren’t sure is yours, the remainder of the bill will be due and owing.

A new year…a new you. Get control of your financial life. From fixing your 401(k) to saving for college — Gerri Willis has your guide to financial resolutions all this week on American Morning.

The Securities and Exchange Commission now believes the “Ponzi” scheme that big-time financial advisor Bernard Madoff stands accused of spanned some three decades.

The SEC estimates the losses from this scheme could top $50 billion for some of the world’s leading financial firms, individual investors, and charitable foundations. If proven true, the crime Madoff stands accused of could turn out to be one of the biggest frauds ever perpetrated on Wall Street.

Given that we are currently deep in a recession and that many of the nation’s largest financial institutions are struggling just to stay afloat, it may come as no surprise that most Americans are not particularly optimistic about our economy. In fact, a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll reflects just how disillusioned many Americans have become.

1- 74% of Americans polled said they believe Madoff’s behavior is par for the course on Wall Street. That means that 3 out of every 4 Americans think the deception and dishonesty surrounding the Madoff’s case are endemic in the financial system. Dear God let’s hope that’s not the case!

2- 59% of Americans polled think there is too little regulation of financial institutions. That’s a 9% increase from when this question was asked only three months back. No doubt that jump is fueled by the dismal economic headlines of late and the shock and scope of Madoff’s alleged scheme.

3- 29% of Americans polled would keep their money under the mattress, if they were handed a thousand dollars. Just under a third of those polled told CNN they would rather keep their money at home, instead of depositing it in a bank or investing it in stocks or bonds. With numbers like these, you got to wonder how much the Madoff case will cost financial advisors their business.

That last finding may be the most troubling of all, given that our financial system depends on investment and savings to finance loans for everything from building houses to buying cars. Remember It’s a Wonderful Life– the scene where George Bailey tries to stop a run on the bank by people scared witless about their personal finances? Those people aren’t that different from many of the Americans CNN polled. Here’s what George says trying to calm the townspeople:

“…You're thinking of this place all wrong: as if I had the money back in a safe. The money's not here. Your money's in Joe's house… and in the Kennedy house, and Mrs. Macklin's house, and a hundred others. Why, you're lending them the money to build, and then, they're going to pay it back to you as best they can. Now what are you going to do? Foreclose on them?”

In the movie, the people all see the point and agree to keep their money in the bank. If only today we had a George Bailey figure to counteract the scheming that Madoff and others stand accused of.

You can't get a handle on your money life unless you know what you owe AND what you own. Here is your ultimate guide to organizing your financial life.

1) Create a budget online

Track your income and your outgo: Software like Quicken and Microsoft Money can help you organize yourself when it comes to your savings and your spending. Currently, Quicken has a FREE online version where you can track all of your MONEY… on one page you can see your retirement and checking accounts at one time.
What's more the program will calculate where you're money is being spent and how you're progressing towards goals.

2) Get rid of the clutter

Cut down on the amount of paper that comes into your house and clutters your home. One way to do that: Opt out of credit card solicitations. Here's the number: (888) 5 OPT OUT.
You can also opt out of mail from companies for five years.
When you register with the Direct Marketing Association mail preference service, your name will be put on a "delete" file. To register go to DMA choice.org.

3) Online bill pay

This is a great way to cut down on clutter AND ensure that you won't have to pay late fees. There are two ways you can do online bill pay: either through your bank or through individual service providers-like your credit card issuer or your utility company.
To pay through your bank, go through the bank's website.
You'll just need a copy of the bill. This way, anytime you want to pay, you just enter the amount that you owe and the bank will pull money from your account to pay the bill. You can also set up your payments to make them automatic…meaning you don't have to click anything-but make sure you are really on top of your budget so you always have enough to cover the bills.

A new year...a new you. Get control of your financial life. From fixing your 401(k) and wiping out debt to saving for college - Gerri Willis has your guide to financial resolutions all this week on American Morning.

Slipping on a pair of safety glasses may be the last thing on your mind if you're working around the kitchen or in the yard, but the American Academy of Ophthalmology says that's just what you should do to protect your eyes.

The group estimates that nearly half of all eye injuries occur at home and more than three-quarters of the people surveyed were not wearing protective googles. Many of the accidents happen in the kitchen while people are cooking or cleaning. A large percentage of injuries also occur while people are doing yard work and home repair projects.

Here's how to protect yourself:

1) Chemical caution. Common household products such as dishwasher power, laundry detergent, bleach and cleaners can be caustic. Read the labels before using. Wear protective googles to guard against splashing. Wash your hands well after handling products.

2) Watch out – it's hot. Food cooked in hot grease or oil can splatter into the eye causing serious injury. Be careful when using hot curling irons or hair straighteners around your face.

3) The great outdoors. Protect your eyes while mowing the lawn, edging or clipping hedges and bushes. Watch out when securing loads with bungee cords. Take precautions when using hand or power tools.

Finally, if an eye injury occurs seek medical help immediately. Even if an injury appears to minor, delaying medical attention could result in permanent vision loss or blindness.

Judy Fortin's Health Minute segment runs daily on Headline News from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET weekdays.

Many people will be taking ski vacations this holiday season and with that comes a common ailment: Altitude sickness. It occurs when your body doesn’t get enough oxygen. It is common when driving through the mountains, hiking or anytime you increase your altitude over a short period of time.

A few months back I was in Peru shooting a story for CNN’s Planet in Peril and we drove up a 14-thousand foot mountain in about two hours.  One thing I learned quickly is altitude sickness can happen no matter how old you are or how in shape physically you are.  In fact, our entire crew got sick!  I experienced all the common symptoms- dizziness, headache, shortness of breath and fatigue.

If you find yourself in the same position as I was during your next vacation, try these remedies to curb the symptoms:

DURING THE TRIP: If you can decrease your altitude, do that first. If not, try taking a diuretic, which can help get rid of the fluid in the brain. Breathing in pure oxygen for about 15 minutes really did the trick for me. Also, in Peru, the local remedy for altitude sickness is chewing on coco leaves.

PRIOR TO TRIP: If you’re prone to altitude sickness, you can take a drug called Diamox prior to the trip, which is known to ward off symptoms. Also, filling up on carbs and staying hydrated will help.

To see the video of me experiencing altitude sickness, click here.

Be sure to tune in to Dr. Sanjay Gupta every weekend on HOUSE CALL. You'll find the answers to your medical questions Saturday and Sunday at 8:30 a.m. ET on CNN.