Be concerned but not scared

In the midst of all this market volatility, the "bailout" plan from the government and scary news about banks and brokerages failing, we know many of you are more concerned than ever about the safety of your money.

We won't sugarcoat it. You should be concerned. There will be more bad news before the excess is fully wrung from the system.

But being concerned does not equal being scared. Here's how you can protect yourself in these turbulent times in seven steps: