Any era can be described as "uncertain", but this one more than most. Many

"things" of value aren't as solid as we thought. Jobs vanish, even from

profitable companies. College tuitions rise faster than a parent can save.

An offer of early retirement may carry the subliminal message "take it or

else". And, after September 11th, we dare not count on being totally safe.

Yet neither can we put our lives on hold. Our days progress toward personal

goals that are deeply held and widely shared: to enjoy our work and our

homes; raise and educate our children and grandchildren, and provide for our

futures. We hope to improve our standard of living and secure our older

age. We have choices to make about when to borrow, what to save, and where

to invest. A shiver of doubt may urge more caution than we felt a few years

ago. But life can be long and assumptions change. In good years, we should

build safety nets, in case our prospects take a turn. In bad years, we

should be laying plans for the better times that lie ahead.

This book was designed to help find a balance point between safety and

enterprise, to address our fears without putting limits on our hopes. It's

a step-by-step system for being responsible for your own lifestyle and

financial planning. By working with these chapters one by one, you will

master the fundamentals of money, build a base to keep you and your family

safe, then begin to accumulate the kinds of investments that best suit your

age, goals and circumstances. Don't hesitate to make these decisions by

yourself. The chief difference between you and a professional planner is

information. This book, I hope, will close that gap. Some of the details

will change over the years that you use this information, but the broad

principles of personal finance will stay the same: save money, borrow

intelligently, invest for growth.