How many of you have seen at least one movie that involves the security of an impenetrable fortress being compromised?

-Sean Connery breaks into Alcatraz in “The Rock”

–Will Smith flies an alien craft into the mother ship in “Independence Day”

–Saruman’s Orcs breach Helm’s Deep in the “The Two Towers”

–Luke Skywalker slides a proton torpedo down a heating vent to destroy the Death Star in “Star Wars – A New Hope”

Okay, so this is just Hollywood, not real life but I think these stories represent a very real concept.  No matter how secure we feel about our finances, we all have a weakness somewhere.

In all of these cases, the people on the inside of the protective wall thought they were safe but found out otherwise.

In reality, no one is safe.  Given enough time and dilligence, marketers or just bad luck will find the trapdoor into your wallet.

So if it’s inevitable, what can we do about it?  First off, don’t be overconfident.  Don’t assume, “that won’t happen to me”, or “I’d never do that”.  Review your financial defense for potential holes.

• What are the things you’re most likely to spend money on with impulse purchases?
• Are you over-weighted in a certain investment?
• How stable is your job, your company?
• Is your home/apartment and health insured?

Then follow up your analysis by beefing up your defenses in the appropriate areas and making contingency plans for situations where something like a Jedi Knight or nasty orc slips through the cracks.