The residents of states in America vary so much in the culture about how they handle money.

People have historically handled money well in states like Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. New Englanders have always talked about how thrifty they are. People in Connecticut often call themselves "cheap Connecticut Yankees."

There's also a new frontier of states with people that handle money well. These states include Wyoming, North Dakota, Montana, and Minnesota. It's that whole Canadian border thing going on!

Where are we stinking it up? Mississippi, Arkansas, Georgia, and Nevada get flat Fs in the latest tally in the 2013 Assets & Opportunity Scorecard.

If you look at those states, they've historically had a high level of bankruptcy filings. It is a culture that is based on borrowing. It's not related to how the state's economy is doing or the level of unemployment; it's much more based on culture.

I've long said that it's not about the money you make, but the money you save. So keep in mind some simple rules like never borrow for lifestyle and always put money aside for the future.