smart money clip

Dilbert creator's nine steps to financial security (Smart Money Clip)

The Wheaties for Your Wallet blog found 9 financial goals in an unlikely place - a book written by the creator of the Dilbert cartoon. What I like about this list is that each item is very tangible and specific, like:

1. Make a will.
2. Pay off your credit cards.
3. Get term life insurance if you have a family to support.
4. Fund your 401(k) to the maximum.

Catch the rest over at the Wheaties site. How many of these 9 have you achieved so far? Anything you'd add or take away from the list? Let us know in the comments. — Gina Trapani

Tax time is right around the corner, and as the W-2's, 1099's, and countless other numbered forms gather in our mailbox, the perennial question raises itself again: Should I hire someone to do my taxes for me?

The Queercents money blog has a 9-point evaluation that'll help you figure out the right answer for you. One good reason for going for it:

Developing rapport with a tax pro now eliminates scrambling for reliable advice when your tax questions arise. This is crucial if you own a business or are self-employed. A trusted tax advisor can even save you money by alerting you to your eligible deductions and providing customized strategies for your success.

Having someone to ask tax questions throughout the year really is an advantage to plunking down the cash for a tax pro. How did you decide to hire or forego help with your income tax? Let us know in the comments. —�Gina�Trapani

Finance blogger No Credit Needed uses cold hard cash to pay for everything and anything and hasn't swiped a credit card in two years.

I love to stand in line, with people behind me waiting to check out, and count out my exact change to the cashier. Contrary to popular belief, this takes just about the same amount of time as it does to swipe a card, grab a pen, sign a receipt and put the card back in your wallet. Also, spending $100 in cash "hurts" a little bit more than swiping a card for $100, and it keeps me disciplined.

While it must be nice to not get a credit card bill every month, the opposite argument goes like this: use your credit card whenever possible to track your spending without having to write it down or organize receipts (just download it into Quicken every few weeks). Then again, that way you've got to have the discipline and cash to never carry a balance either, so it depends if credit card usage turns you into a financial Mr. Hyde. Credit cards: yay or nay? Let us know what you think in the comments. —�Gina�Trapani