It only takes a little to make a lot of difference, jack. What do I mean? I can answer that with two words ... Joe Torre, manager for the NY Yankees. He's got four World Series rings, 1,000+ wins and a resume that makes him a lock for Cooperstown. But the recent rumor mill has it that he could get the axe from Yankee General Manager George Steinbrenner because of an "unacceptable start to the season". Now, GM GS has said that Torre's job is safe, but it wouldn't even be an issue if it hadn't been discussed, see?

Even with all he's done, Torre could still be collecting unemployment checks if he messes up. You may think you're doing great with the dough, but if you decide to do stupid with the moolah (like get a unsecured loan or a bunch of credit card debt), your situation can get uglier than a bookful of "yo mama" jokes. Get a plan for your money and knock it out of the park. Have a budget in place and working your debt elimination plan (aka the Dave Ramsey Show Baby Steps, baby).