In a recent Gallup poll, 60% of those surveyed said they worried about their financial future.

There are a few simple steps you can take to help reduce your worries:

Stick to what you know.  The better informed you are, the better your decisions will be.  If you don't want to learn about this yourself, consider hiring an outside professional and paying him or her to do the work for you.

Diversify your holdings.  Keep some of your money readily convertible to cash in case of emergencies.

Prepare annual net worth and cash flow statements.  This is mandatory to see where you are and whether your financial goals are going to be met.

Don't use credit to purchase consumption items.  Wait until you can pay cash for things which decrease in value.  Borrowing money to purchase a home is usually a sound idea.  Using credit to purchase household furnishings is not.

Pay off your credit card balance every month.  Your credit card should be for the convenience of purchasing, not a source of permanent finance.  The interest rates are much too high.

Have your insurance reviewed at least annually to determine that you are neither under- nor over-insured.  Be sure to contact your agent when you buy or sell any property.