A seemingly endless stream of people are prepared to tell you how to start a business.  Most of them should push off and eat there own dog food as they say.
 
To start something from nothing firstly requires a certain blindness of faith in ones self, some might call it misplaced self confidence.  Add to that as much of an unfair advantage as you can muster and shower the opportunity with lots of drive and hope for a bit of luck.
 
Oh and don't get into bed with your banker!

I would agree with the financial planner 100 percent. I know people on great money  who are in the crap financialy. Its easy to see where they're going wrong, but I say nothing. I have found that it is better to say nothing, as people do not like to hear where they are going wrong. One example is a couple I know. The man on 95k, the woman on 40k. Every month they get interest and a new total to pay on their credit cards, and only ever pay off the minimum amount,  the card always has around 10k owing on it.  No wonder the banks are rolling in it. I'll bet there are thousands out there like them.
As to getting rid of the landline. When I suggested it to the dragon, She said over her dead body. On reflection, I suppose it was a silly idea.  How the hell is every female in the world going to yak to their mother and friends all night long without it.

I think most people who visit a financial planner are looking for a certain amount of inspiration and magic when it comes to getting rid of debt and saving for the future.  Therefore they are disappointed when they hear something they 'actually know already', and consign it to the too hard basket.  It's like smoking, unless you really decide you are going to give up and have made that move psychologically then no amount of someone else lamenting on at you (about the right thing to do) is going to make any difference whatsoever. 
The light normally comes on in the realms of behavioural finance which there is a significant life event that makes you really think about where you are, where you want to be and what YOU need to do to get there.  My "enlightenment" came when my marriage broke up and I knew I was solely responsible for my lifestyle, my children and it was up to me to "make it work" for us.  I was also toally fed up with moaning about how hard done by I was, when in reality I was doing absolutely nothing to help myself! 
There was nothing as hard as sitting down that first time, really looking at things and planning a course for the future.  The adjustments later on to streamline the process were a breeze compared to making myself look at the issues and to seriously address them. 
Now the saving/debt free mentality is so heavily engrained I find I have a psychological struggle to spend money on something as frivilous as a holiday.  So I have to force myself and reward my good behaviour with a few pleasures :-) 
     

I totally agree with you here Ivan, was greeted by a couple of very wholesome looking indiviudals on the weekend along with their toddlers - belted tightly into and squirming in their strollers, the other kids just looked resigned.  They came on mass to the neighbourhood in several people movers and when unable to rasie anyone at the front-door wandered through the side gate and peered through the ranchsliders at the back! 

I'm not mortgage free or even close.

My mortgages are the cheapest finance I could get.  So why would I get rid of them.

I started my current company on $10.00. Three years ago.  It's net worth (on paper probably about 200k).  Ok I work 10-14 hour days, 7 days a week, 365 days a year; with occasional trips home on the kids birthdays. 

But I do this because how else does one get off a benefit, or get a business started from $10.   borrowed $10, at that.
Likewise I make the majestic figure of 24k a year (and all the kicking and shit I can take) so I'm a little unsure how that income would go paying off the mortgages, let alone do any of the research that I undertake.
So yeah - if you're getting a fat cat salary of 35k or above, paying off the mortgage and sitting on your job security might be a good option.  If for some reason you think you should get more out of life (or give more back) then a mortgage is the opportunity, not the threat.
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Now having said that THE BIGGEST MISTAKE people make with mortgages (aka home/property loans) is they take it to the max.
The old adage is "buy the most house/property you can afford" but that doesn't mean the most you can currently pay.  AFFORD, not pay.

A mortgage should be the cheapest loan you can arrange (otherwise go for the cheaper one and kick the mortgage, duh!).  Which means if you're mortgaged to the hilt... and you need extra cash (repairs, health, opportunities, whatever the need) then you'll have problems get extra finance - and by definition of mortgage being "the cheapest" - all other finance will cost more!!  So if you have maxed out on the cheap loan - how the heck are you going to afford to pay off more expensive ones.  The f-ing classic is listening to a certain PM, and maxing out on a 1yr 4.xx% starter deal (eg at 80+% finance) - you KNOW that it's a rock bottom price, it's GUARANTEED to go up.  so if you squeak in on 4% then you'll be destroyed 5yrs later at 6% & defferred repairs (or career opportunites come up)
 
sum up:   Mortgages are totally great.  Just learn to handle your money before you commit to ANY debt. (especially cc)