Jim Cramer is looking forward to next week because he will finally be able to think, study reports and make decisions to be ready for the retail group if it makes a major comeback.

"I like this next week, and even though we're now headed into incredibly thin volume territory where a 20-cent air pocket in oil could move the whole market dramatically, it's joyous to have some time to mull things over," the "Mad Money" host said.

With this in mind, Cramer outlined the stocks he will be watching next week:

Disney: With the stock well off its highs because of concerns over slowing sports network ESPN, Cramer's issue has nothing to do with whether ESPN has recovered growth. The question will be when ESPN's slowdown will stop hitting Disney's share price. Taking a long-term perspective, investors won't even notice ESPN, he said.

"Those who think more short-term may end up trading this thing right into the poor house. I reiterate, though, that if you take a long-term view, Disney will be just fine," Cramer said.

The truth about money in the U.S. is that unless you are born with a silver spoon in your mouth, there aren't many ways to become really wealthy. That is why Cramer is so passionate about helping investors plan for a viable financial strategy.

"Thanks to the magic of compounding, the earlier in your life you start investing in the market, the bigger your long-term gains can be," he said.

Cramer is confident that even if an investor doesn't have a high-paying job, as long as they save a decent chunk of their paycheck and invest it wisely each year, they can grow their wealth and become at least financially independent.

The 10 percent average return on the S&P 500 may not seem impressive at first, despite the fact that it's more than double what one can expect from a 30-year Treasury bond and way more than what a certificate of deposit from a bank pays.

However, with an understanding of the magic of compounding, it is impressive. For instance, if $100 is invested in the S&P 500 and it gains 10 percent in a year, that will generate $110, after another year it's $121 and after a third year it's $133.

Ever since the Great Recession, interest rates have been so low that Cramer hasn't been recommending that investors buy bonds. That isn't because "Mad Money" is just about stocks, it is because stocks and bonds play very different roles in a portfolio.

"In general, for the last few years, even when the stock market has been getting absolutely pounded, bonds simply haven't represented very good values versus equities," Cramer said.

However, as investors grow older, owning Treasury bonds becomes absolutely essential because bonds are simply safer. So, once investors have used the stock market to make themselves financially independent, they should put more money into U.S. Treasuries for protection.

How much of a retirement portfolio should be kept in bonds versus stocks? Cramer broke it down by age:

• 20s: None
• 30s: 10 percent of your retirement fund; 20 percent if you are conservative
• 40s: 20 to 30 percent
• 50s: 30 to 40 percent
• 60s: 40 to 50 percent bonds
• Post-retirement: Increase bond exposure to 60 to 70 percent

Additionally, Cramer doesn't subscribe to the "buy and hold" mantra that most do. He's all about "buy and homework." That means that no matter how confident one is in a company, they must keep checking up on it regularly to make sure nothing has gone wrong in the story.

When taking these investments into consideration for the long term, one thing became very apparent to Cramer: if you know what you're doing, a bear market is an opportunity.

A bear market refers to when the averages are down by more than 10 percent from their highs and seem like they could go lower.

"What I am saying is that when you are faced with a bear market … it probably makes more sense to start buying most stocks, rather than selling them, as long as you are willing to take some short-term pain," Cramer said.

The key is to be patient enough to take advantage slowly — so you don't buy too close to the top — and to be careful about the stocks chosen in a bear market. Do your homework and pick the stocks of companies that are doing well, or doing OK and could be doing better in a stronger environment.

And to really take advantage of a monster decline, Cramer said to keep cash on the sidelines to make your move. Then you can buy high-quality stocks in small increments on the way down.

While Cramer loves the public school system, the truth is that it cannot be relied upon to teach children about money.

"If you want your children to become fluent in the language of finance, you are going to have to do it yourself," Cramer said.

That means not waiting until after kids go to college to teach them about financial literacy. Once kids go to college, they will be bombarded by credit card offers which could be irresistible. Credit card debt on top of student loans could send someone into debt for decades.

Cramer started with the recommendation that parents give their children the gift of stock in a high-quality company that resonates with younger people. One option is Disney, which has blockbuster movie franchises like "Frozen" and "Star Wars" under its belt.