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Invest Wisely Have you been playing along with Wall Street’s favorite new game “Cut or No Cut?” Fed-watching has practically become a full contact sport with wild stock market swings after each new rate announcement. In September, rates were cut by one-half percent, and the Dow soared 335 points. In October, another quarter of a point reduction, and the market shot up 132 points. Well suit up, because tomorrow the Fed will make its last announcement of 2007, and many are predicting another cut as Bernanke & Co. try to keep the economy going in the face of the continuing subprime mortgage meltdown. Our Dolans.com family agrees, with a whopping 70% of you who took our survey predicting a rate cut tomorrow. Wall Street would view another rate cut as a good thing, but the truth is lower interest rates are a mixed blessing. After all, the Fed’s decisions affect much more than the stock market – starting with your wallet. Click here for the full story of the untold impact Fed cuts have on you, as well as four smart moves we recommend you make now to get the most out of your money when interest rates are dropping.
The stress of holiday shopping over the years has finally worn us down! This year, our family has decided not to exchange gifts in hopes of avoiding the rush and anxiety that always seems to accompany our search for the right present. And we want to help you and your family to avoid some of that stress, too, if buying presents is part of your holiday picture. So we’ve pulled together some of our very best tips for making your seasonal shopping stress-free for you and your pocketbook! Click here to watch our holiday shopping tips video now.
As much as we’d rather not see anyone declare bankruptcy, there are times when it is the best option. If you’re considering bankruptcy to erase your debt, know that you’re not alone. In fact, Walt Disney, Francis Ford Coppola and Mark Twain all declared bankruptcy – and emerged successful on the other side. You may not have their high-powered attorneys, but you do have us! And we’re here to walk you through this tough decision and offer advice on where to find the best professional help. Learn the facts and consider all your options with our guide to what you need to know about bankruptcy.
I (Daria here) am an avid reader and love historical fiction. I just finished up a book about the many women in Henry VIII’s soap opera of a life called The Boleyn Inheritance, by Philippa Gregory. The book served as a great companion piece for The Other Boleyn Girl, which centered on the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn. I am always on the lookout for the next great book I should have on my nightstand, so tell me, what’s the best book you read this year? Click here to send me an email with your recommendation. Fiction, history, or yes, personal finance – I love them all! So let me know what’s on your list, and we’ll share the top picks on Dolans.com. Sincerely,
P.S. The future of Social Security has been heavily debated in Washington with no clear resolution in sight. If you watched Ken and me duke it out on our Social Security video debate, you know we have very different opinions on how to fix a badly broken program. So we asked you and your fellow members to weigh in on whether or not Social Security should be privatized – and the results show that our Dolans.com members are very divided, too! 52% of you believe Social Security should be privatized, while a close 48% say the current system should stay in place. Thanks to everyone who participated. No matter how you voted, read our Social Security 101 for important tips on when you can retire, what benefits to expect and more. |
