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.