Hey bossman, lose my phone number the next time you need someone to come in last minute.

Of course everyone knows the obvious must-haves like health or car insurance, but a much more overlooked must have insurance is renters insurance. Most people just starting out do not own homes, but that does not mean that their belongings are any less valuable. For those who can’t make an extra mortgage payment (because they don’t own a home) consider checking out renters insurance. (Yes, contrary to popular belief, landlords are not responsible for any of your valuables ruined in a fire, or stolen during a break-in.) Renters insurance also covers your valuables when you are traveling. Should your car get broken into, or your luggage and/or expensive equipment lost during vacation, you can recoup any losses with a renters insurance policy. Since policies are extremely easy to come by and cost about the price of a pizza per month, there’s little excuse not to get one. You can search online for a policy but a pretty cool website is Liberty Mutual’s http://www.youcovered.com , because you can get a free quote without putting in any personal information.

Whatever you do with your holiday bonus, make sure some of it goes toward your financial security!

The only bonus I get, though, is the occasional income tax refund. It goes into savings. Having watched laid-off friends take upwards of a year to find a new job, I try to keep at least a year’s worth of living expenses in a reasonably safe investment.