Saving and investing. Those two words can dredge up fear and frustration in the hearts of even the most well-educated, competent adults. Why? The list of reasons is long. See if any of these ring true for your situation?

“It takes more time and expertise than I have to figure out where to invest,”

“My paycheck barely covers my current expenses, how can I possibly think about saving?”

“A budget is too restrictive. I'll earn more money later in my career and I'll invest then.”

Whatever the excuse, there's no way of getting around the fact that saving and investing are the two keys critical to your future financial security.

It used to be that people worked hard at their careers for 40+ years, put a little money aside, and then retired comfortably off their savings, Social Security and maybe a pension at the age of 65. No longer. Today Americans live longer, need more money to maintain their lifestyle as they age, and yet save less than any other industrialized country. On top of all that, fewer people these days have fixed-amount pensions to count on. The reality is that you'll need to make your hard-earned savings work for you by investing that money wisely, with both your short and long-term financial goals in mind.

Saving and investing will give you the upper hand when faced with unexpected problems. It can cushion the emotional and economic blow of a divorce or accident. It will enable you to take advantage of opportunities you may otherwise have missed out on, like actually taking that second honeymoon instead of just talking about it. In a word, saving and investing gives you options.