Elaine,
If you're looking for more finance information, check out the
Carnival of Personal Finance that got started at Consumerism Commentary. It will give you a variety of views and a spectrum of expertise (from newbie to certified financial planner). Also it will introduce you to some sites for regular reading. They cover everything finance related and way more on the practical side.
As a freelancer, you might also want to look into a
SoloK (link provides a comparison of retirment plans available to self employed). My understanding is that a Solo K is a 401K for the self employed. You can also start with a traditional IRA if you want to defer the taxes like a 401K. The IRA limit is set much lower than the 401K and SoloK limit.
Also, sounds like you might need to establish a cushion. You can open a
high yield savings account (rate comparisons) with 0 dollars. The money is fairly liquid. It's not as accessible as having a debit card, but if you need it you can do a tranfer into your checking. The interest is now 4+%.
My favorite finance blogs are:
I Will Teach You to Be Rich - He doesn't post much now, but there is a treasure trove of practical newbie information.
Consumerism Commentary - He posts his P&L and balance sheet once a month so that you can see the numbers. He also posts very regularly and provides up to date info.
All Things Financial - He is, currently or formerly, a fianancial planner.
Blueprint for Financial Prosperity
I'm not affiliated with any of those sites. I just found them helpful in my financial journey. I am still very much a newbie. My financial goals for 2008 are to save 10% of all my income, have $1000 stashed for emergencies, generate $3000/month in income outside my day job, and be completely insured. That's what I consider the round off to the secure level and a bit at the comfortable level of Rich Dad.
Hope that helped,
Nneka