Five not-very-exciting (but practical) money moves

According to George Will, we're not in a recession. Or at least we won't be for another eight weeks. In his Sunday column he points out, "The 9.9% first-quarter decline of the Standard & Poor 500 barely ranks among the 40 worst quarterly losses in the index's history." So, chill everybody.

As the financial world -- including housing, credit, energy and lattes -- tosses and turns, there's really nothing you can do. However, you can make a few moves to ensure a little security in coming years. AOL's latest Top Five! covers smart money moves you can make right now. As in, now.

Before we begin, just remember one thing: This won't be fun. Whenever these what-to-do-with-your-money lists come up, you always hope to see something that justifies your latest whim; like, "buy a new snowboard" or "splurge on an inflatable hot tub." But, no. That never happens. So, brace yourself for practicality, frugality and savings. Yep, it's that kind of year. And here we go: