Shortly after college graduation, living on my own in Los Angeles, my father called from Ohio and informed me that I would have to buy my own car insurance. I could no longer be on my parents' plan.

Because I hadn't started my job yet and was carefully watching my shrinking bank account, I knew that I didn't want any expensive insurance, which seemed like such a waste of money to me, and so when I heard an ad on the radio, touting inexpensive car insurance, well... I felt like fate had intervened. That nice radio announcer was talking directly to me.

I made my call to the 1-800 number, dickered with the person over the phone about the price and what plan I would receive, or so I believed, and then signed up for my car insurance. I can no longer remember the name, but they seemed like a reputable group. After all, they were in the phone book, and they had the money to make radio commercials, and the bill statements I received every month sure looked professional.

You can probably see where this is going.

Next: Start saving for retirement

Years ago, when I lived out west, there was this giant tree stump in my yard. For what must have been months, I wanted to get rid of it, and I kept trying. I had an axe, and I'd chop and chop, but I could never finish off the stump or pull the roots out -- well, not until this gunslinger came along and helped me...

Oh, sorry. I just described a famous scene from the western Shane, and not an actual life experience that I had. Boy, sometimes I really do watch too much TV...

But the point I was going to make was that trees have roots, and once they're planted, boy, are they difficult to remove.

If you've graduated recently, I'd like to give you some advice. If you want to live somewhere other than your college or home town, make the move now. Not later, now. Now. Well, wait a second -- if you're utterly broke, I don't want you to be homeless in Seattle or New Orleans or Des Moines, or wherever you want to go. If you have nothing saved up, move in with your parents, or your grandparents or someone who cares about you and will let you have free room and board, get a job and save up every dollar and dime you make, and then within a year, move.