Problem: Article: Before you can create a solid financial plan, you need to be clear about your goals. Common financial goals include: planning for retirement, paying for education, purchasing a home, creating an inheritance for beneficiaries, or developing a financial "safety net" to guard against unexpected expenses, disasters, or life changes. You can find templates for worksheets to help define your financial goals by searching online. Ensure your goals adhere to the SMART acronym. That is to say, specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. For example, you may not be saving any money and your goal is to save more. Changing this goal to save 5% of your monthly income is not only specific, but it is also measurable (you can easily tell when you have achieved it or not), and likely attainable in a reasonable time frame. Write your goals down. This not only ensures you will remember them, but it keeps you accountable. A good system is to write short, medium, and long-term goals. For a financial plan to be successful, it is essential to quantify your goals. That is to say, take a specific goal, and translate it into a dollar figure. For example, a common financial goal is retire by 60 or 65. Although it is often stated that 70-80% of current income is a reasonable goal for retirement income, others have suggested 50-60% of income for couples, and 60-70% for singles is more reasonable. If you are currently making $80,000 per year and are single, your retirement income should be around $40,000 per year using the 50% figure above. This would be an example of translating a goal (retire by 65), into a specific dollar figure ($50,000 per year of income). Once this amount is known, it is possible to create a plan to determine how much money saved and/or invested you will need to supplement your other sources of retirement income to hit the $50,000 year mark. You can find templates online to help you calculate your needs for retirement and other goals.
Summary: Determine what your key personal and financial goals are. Be accurate in your goals you want to accomplish. Determine how much you will need to achieve your main goals.

Problem: Article: If a boat, dock, or some other solid object you can climb upon is no more than a few yards away, swim to it and get out of the water. Otherwise, stay put. Even strong swimmers can end up drowning when they try to swim in cold water. When too much body heat gets lost, hypothermia sets in very fast. Hopefully you're wearing a life jacket or personal flotation device (PFD), because it's imperative that you stay afloat. You don't want to have to do the doggie paddle to keep your head above water, since that uses up too much energy. Make sure your life jacket or PFD is fastened tightly, and lean back a bit to make it easier to keep your head above the water's surface. Look around for something that may be floating in the water that could help you stay afloat. If your boat capsized, you may see a lifesaver ring, seat cushions, or other items you can grab. If you don't have anything to keep you afloat, you'll have to use your hands and feet. Try to move as little as possible, making only as many movements as necessary to keep your face out of the water. The Heat Escape Lessening Position, called HELP, keeps your body as warm as possible and conserves energy while you wait to be rescued. Draw your legs up to your chest and cross your feet. Wrap your arms around your chest and keep all your appendages close to your chest. Now "sit" in this position and bob on the water's surface. HELP only works if you're wearing a PFD that keeps your head above the water without your having to move. Don't attempt HELP unless you're wearing a PFD. If you're wearing a life jacket that's designed in such a way as to make it difficult to assume HELP, assume the "survival position" instead. Keeping your head above the water, hold your body vertical with your arms straight at your sides, and your legs straightened and held together. If you're in the water with other people, the best way to stay warm is to huddle together. Get close to each other and lock arms and legs so that you're forming a big group hug. Make as much bodily contact with each other as you can. This uses up much-needed energy for survival. Have faith things will turn out if you are in need of rescue and keep as clear-headed as possible. As soon as you get out of the water, dry, off, warm up, and get treated for hypothermia. If you were in the cold water for more than a minute or two, you could sustain organ damage, so it's essential that you get checked out as soon as possible.
Summary:
Swim only if a boat or solid object is in reach. Keep your head above the water. Assume the HELP position. Huddle if you can. Avoid panicking. Get medical attention.