The most important aspects of financial planning can be placed into three broad categories, which are the three legs of financial planning: (1) Budgeting and Saving, (2) Investing, and (3) Retirement and Estate Planning.

Budgeting and Saving

There's no getting around it: a budget is a requirement for good money management. There's no need to have a negative attitude about budgeting. Stop thinking about budgeting as a chore or a punishment. Stop thinking about it as a financial diet. A budget is simply (1) a tool to increase your consciousness of how and where you spend your money, and (2) a guideline to help you spend your money on the things that are most important to you. A budget is to successful money management as a rudder is to a ship. Without it we muddle through, unable to stay on course because we have no course charted and we have no tool for steering through the currents that constantly swirl around us.

The Budget Zone is a collection of articles about the basics of successful budgeting: setting one up, sticking to it, and making the necessary changes and adjustments along the way.

Your saving plan goes hand-in-hand with your spending plan (budget). Without a savings plan, the chances of ever saving enough money to meet long-term financial goals or achieve financial security are very slim. Following a budget creates money for savings where you thought there was none.

The Secret to Saving Money will show you the 7 keys to successful saving. The real secret is that there's no magic involved. The key is to start now and stick with it.

Investing

Just as many people have a negative attitude about budgeting, many also feel intimidated by investing. Do you hear others talking about their investments and wonder how they got started? How'd they come up with the money? How'd they know what to invest in? Many people don't know where to start, so they never start at all. Don't be one of them.

You only need to know a few basics to get started, and you can find them at Get Started in Investing.

Retirement and Estate Planning

Do you envision your retirement as a relaxing time spent traveling around the country (or the world), taking a cruise, enjoying hobbies and interests you never had the time or energy for while you were working and raising a family? Without wise planning, you could end up spending your golden years working at the golden arches for minimum wage instead. And if you're planning on Social Security to pull you through, think again. For information and inspiration on investing for your retirement, see Think Retirement! and You Can Retire Rich.

As for estate planning, it sounds more complicated than it needs to be. It begins with a will, a revocable living trust so that your property goes to those you choose instead of those the state chooses, and a durable power of attorney for health care. Wills are not just for the rich. To find out if you need one, read Where There's a Will.... For information on living trusts and durable power of attorney, visit Nolo's Wills and Estate Planning site.

Ensure that your financial stool is sturdy and secure by following these basic steps to strengthen the three legs of financial planning.