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I learned a costly, yet valuable, lesson this week. The cost was $40, which to me is a lot of money to pay to learn something. On a busy Sunday, while running around trying to get all kinds of errands done, I lost $40. In the great scheme of things, this is not a big deal. But it still hurts to do something foolish and in turn lose money because of it.

I don’t know where I lost it … whether I left it at a store or dropped it on the ground somewhere. I spent most of my Sunday trying to figure out what happened to it, and wondering how I could be so careless (I am usually very careful with my money).

So this is the lesson I learned: Slow down. Don’t rush. Take your time. Think things through. I always seem to make my biggest mistakes -- whether at work or at home -- when I feel rushed.

This is especially true when it comes to money. Have you ever made a rash decision to purchase something? Has someone forced you to make a quick decision that cost you money? I think we’ve all been there. The key, I think, is to slow down. Think things through. Sleep on it. You don’t have to take forever to make a decision – like buying a car, making an investment, purchasing something big – but it is wise to take the time to do your research, think it through and then make a decision.

John Wooden, the great college basketball coach at UCLA, used to tell his players: "Be quick, but don’t hurry."

I wish I could’ve remembered that last weekend. I’d be $40 richer.