The Swine flu, also known as the h1n1 virus, is the latest pandemic to hit the news. Now, my $.02 view on this (and I have zero medical history besides watching Grey’s Anatomy) is that the scare, for the US, is just that – a scare. The news has scared everyone into thinking that this swine flu is the second coming of the black plague. Well, most recent news is that the swine flu virus is no more dangerous than the regular old flu.

I couldn’t help but draw a parallel between swine flu news and personal finance. When emergencies occur in both the medical and financial world, it pays to be prepared. Here are some ways to protect yourself from the h1n1 virus or swine flu:

• Wash your hands.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Cough in your sleeve or tissue and dispose of immediately.
• If you do feel sick, seek medical attention and get help.

These four precautions and steps for swine flu avoidance are very similiar to handling your day to day budget. Here is my list of equilavent solutions to avoid a monetary swine flu:

• Know your spending. Just like washing your hands, you have keep track of where your money is going and what it is touching.
• Avoid excessive spending. Buying that $2.50 Coke at Bob’s Quick Stop is like picking your nose. Sure, it might feel good at the time but the feeling is short lasting and you end up with a booger on your pointer. Plan your spending wisely, just like plan on bringing some pocket wipes to help that booger habit.
• When you do have a cough or bump in your finances, make sure it does not spread into other areas. Confine your emergency to one area. Use your emergency fund (aka tissue) to stop the advancement of debt.
• If you find yourself financially sick – excessive debt, constantly borrowing, unable to pay for your basic needs, please seek help! Chances are that by yourself you can’t overcome this financial virus. Learn about financial planning, budget setting, and debt reduction from the experts.

The moral of the post is this – be cautious with your spending, prevent mistakes with budgeting, be prepared for emergencies, and if you do get the financial swine flu, get help.