Personal finance is not a mandatory subject in U.S. schools. We have to take gym, but not learn the basics of how to handle money. Why does PE trump PF?

Since graduating from high school I have never played crab-ball. But knowing about compound interest sure would have helped.

My monthly health insurance payment has risen by $40, starting now. The increase was anticipated, or at least announced. I’d managed to block the amount, though, so I was still surprised.

My bimonthly electric bill was $22 higher than the previous one, thanks to a Seattle City Light rate increase. An extra $11 per month won’t kill me. But it got my attention.

Want free stuff? Look for it on social media.

I’ve outlined the basics over at my day job, MSN Money’s Living With Less column. “Freebies on Facebook and Twitter” shows how savvy users can get everything from free pancakes to free iPads. Or laptops or $2,000 shopping trips.

Want to drop a bad habit or develop a good one? You need a plan. Or, rather, you need a list.

We Americans love our lists. We especially love short lists. Just check the headlines on magazines, features sites or blogs. You’ll almost certainly see ones like “Three easy steps to lose weight/stop smoking/become a millionaire.”

Having a list makes us feel we’re already halfway to achieving our goals. Lists make us feel confident and in charge: I’ve got it all figured out! Now I just have to implement it!

It’s never really that simple, of course. If three steps were all it took, we’d be surrounded by thin, rich people whose fingers were unstained.

Not a counselor — a coach. That’s the subject of my latest “Living With Less” personal finance column, now up over at MSN Money.

“Find a personal money coach, free” explains how you can work to make your finances match your dreams. Generally speaking, counseling is about an issue and coaching is about an individual.

While some programs are set up for low-income workers, others are for whoever needs help. One of the people I interviewed said she and her husband made $95,000 a year but one month they couldn’t pay a utility bill. Their coach helped them clean up their act and now, less than a year later, they’re about to close on a house — with a mortgage that’s $450 less than the rent they were paying.

I’d be interested in hearing any feedback on the column. You can leave a comment there, or here, or in both places.