SNR recently wrote to me — in a context unrelated to personal finance — saying, “It’s not the ‘planning and being organized’ that brings to you success in life. Rather, it’s how you deal with ‘uncertainties’ that moves you ahead in life.”

But with personal finance, it’s definitely the planning and being organized that helps you deal with any uncertainty (that [often] has a financial impact) and that helps you to move ahead in life.

At the very least, you ought to have a tick against each of the following:

• An emergency fund.
• Adequate health insurance for you and your dependents.
• No consumerism-related debt.

What do you think?