Most of us know what it takes to retire -- save a lot, pay your bills on time, and invest wisely. But even if we know what we should do, we don't always do it. Eric Tyson knows this, and he set out to change it. He's the author of several of the most popular books in the Dummies series, including Personal Finance for Dummies, Investing for Dummies, and Home Buying for Dummies. At one point in 1999, four of his books were on BusinessWeek's best-seller list. As a fee-only financial counselor, Tyson found that many people sabotaged their financial futures with bad habits and faulty money mind-sets. In his non-Dummies book, Mind Over Money, Tyson describes the major hang-ups he's encountered and offers some excellent advice for overcoming the behavior.

1. The Shopper "Without a doubt, the No. 1 personal financial problem I've seen over the years is excessive spending and accumulation of high-cost consumer debt," writes Tyson. The cost? Smaller nest eggs, wealthier credit card companies, and higher taxes (because many purchases are subject to state and local taxes).

The solution: If you have a spending problem, get rid of your credit cards and use cash, checks, and debit cards. Learn from your frugal friends, don't shop with people who have bad spending habits, and don't use a trip to the mall as a source of entertainment or stress relief.

2. The Workaholic A good work ethic is important, but working too much can cost you, financially and personally. Children of workaholics exhibit the same problems (depression, anxiety) as children of alcoholics, and the divorce rate is much higher.

The solution: Look at your expenditures and see what can be cut; the less you spend, the less you have to work. If you're a two-income family with kids, evaluate if it's really paying off, once you consider child care expenses, a higher tax bracket, and less time with your family.

3. The Herd Follower and Information Junkie Studies have shown that many investors extrapolate the recent past into the future, dumping what has not performed well and buying what's hot. This is a surefire prescription for buying high and selling low. This behavior is far more prevalent among people who compulsively check the prices of, and news about, their stocks.

The solution: Tyson recommends a "financial-news diet" (it should be pointed out that he did not recommend a retirement newsletter diet). Too much monitoring can lead to too much trading, which leads to lousy performance. Develop an asset-allocation plan and stick with it. Investing as a hobby is fine -- especially if it pays off. But there's a difference between a hobby and an obsession. "[I]t's not just about how much time you spend at something but also about the consequences of that time spent," writes Tyson.

4. The Obsessive We're talking addictions, here -- the virulent behaviors that can destroy health and wealth alike, such as drugs, alcohol, smoking, and gambling. According to Tyson, Americans spend more on gambling than they do on tickets to concerts, sporting events, movies, plays, and theme parks combined. He also calculates that smoking is a million-dollar habit, since that's how much someone could have if they invested their money instead of inhaling a pack a day.

The solution: This isn't a do-it-yourself job. If you or someone you know has addictions, you'll need professional help. Tyson lists many resources in his book.

5. The Supersaver When it comes to retirement, most news is about people not saving enough. But there are folks on the other extreme -- they go beyond frugality and begin hoarding. "[O]versavers believe that if they could reach a certain level of assets, they'd be more relaxed and do what they really want with their lives," writes Tyson. "The bar, however, continually gets raised, and the level of 'enough' is rarely attained."

The solution: If you're a supersaver due to anxiety about the future, paying off debt can help ease your mind. Use retirement-planning tools to get an objective view of how you're doing.

6. The Avoider These are the folks who really don't like dealing with their finances. They tend to be disorganized -- papers piled high on their desks, including unopened account statements and bills that won't get paid on time (incurring late fees). They keep their heads in the sand about their futures, perhaps because they feel embarrassed or incompetent or anxious, or maybe because financial planning leads to marital strife.

The solution: Don't get overwhelmed by a long "To Do" list. Prioritize and break each seemingly mammoth task into manageable steps. Many tasks can be put on autopilot, such as bill-paying and investing. Set up an automatic payment and investment plan, which can electronically transfer money from your checking account to, for example, your mortgage provider, phone company, or IRA custodian. Many couples think they have planned together, though what they have done is more akin to talking out loud. Such planning usually consists of statements that start with, "Someday we should . . ." or "If I didn't have to work, I'd . . ." But thorough preparation for retirement requires more than "Uh-huh" as a response; it requires dialogue.