Many of us depend on our spouse, our parents, friends or advisors to monitor our investments.  Sure..they may be very capable but ultimatlely thing change.  We'll need to understand our own IRA accounts, 401k plans, savings and critical estate issues.  Humberto Cruz has provided sound investment advice for years.  Here's his latest:

As I retire from The Savings Game, I leave you with these four key words: It is our job.

Over the course of 1,028 weekly columns, dating back to April 1991, I have emphasized basic principles for financial success. They all entail personal responsibility:

• Spend less than you make

• Save and invest the difference wisely for the goals most important to you.

• Identify those goals clearly. Calculate how much you have to save and the investment returns you need so you don’t take more risks than necessary.

• Never forget that money is only a tool. True happiness comes from commitment and relationships, not material wealth.

All this is very simple but not necessarily easy to accomplish.

Human nature conspires against us, tempting us to blow our money on useless "stuff" or on fleeting pleasures with no lasting value. Or we succumb to the siren song of promised fat and fast profits and gamble our money in high-risk, complex and questionable, if not fraudulent, investments.

Without financial discipline and common sense, we can be our own worst enemies. Worse than any "fat bankers" on Wall Street, "evil" credit card companies or unscrupulous "advisers" pitching unsuitable high-commission products.