The not-so-subtle suggestion
You're sweating, panicked. You're about to recycle an old gift, buy a weight-loss book for Aunt Josephine or grab the Victoria's Secret catalog. Stop! Break the cycle of Holiday Gift-Shopping Syndrome! Pressure, stress and confusion, inexplicable ... [... more]
Money Central |
Wal-Mart's pricey gamble
The giant retailer hopes to solve its growth problems by targeting a new type of shopper. But investors should know: it's facing a dangerous year ahead. If it works, the strategy will re-ignite growth at the mega-retailer and revolutionize ... [... more]
Money Central |
Can you turn to the IRS for tax help?
The IRS has many places you can go for tax help, but be cautious. Surveys suggest the answers you get may not be accurate. The IRS can provide a lot of help. The real question lies in the quality of that help. Two decades ago, Ralph Nader's Tax ... [... more]
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Mortgage rates touch 6-month low
Dip could be 2004's best opportunity for buyers; most economists see costlier loans ahead in year's second half. Mortgage rates dipped slightly this week to rates not seen since July 2003 -- and that probably won't be seen again after July ... [... more]
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Building a home without going broke
Ask anyone who's done it. Spending can quickly spiral out of control. Here are key expenses you need to calculate carefully and pitfalls to avoid. There's one sure way to know the cost of building your new dream home. And that's to add up the ... [... more]
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Recent articles by Harry Domash:
If you're not big on hand-holding when it comes to investing, a discount broker can be an economical way to go. Just be sure to ask these important questions -- before you sign up. If youre not big on hand-holding when it comes to investing, a ... [... more]
Money Central |
A fund myth that won't die
Even professionals spread misinformation about supposedly hidden transaction costs in index vs. managed funds. So wrote N.B., a reader in Washington state, of an encounter with an enduring story often told by people on the sales side of the ... [... more]
Money Central |
Notice the feelings.
Some people shop because they're unhappy or giddy, or anywhere in between. But retail therapy can leave your budget in sad shape. By contrast, Stephanie, 27, the newest member of the Women in Red, has never doubted the relationship between ... [... more]
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The 7 stages of a dollar crisis
Along the way to a full-blown crisis, the steps leading up to it may either pass unnoticed or prompt insufficient concern. That is the story of the dollar. Its decline continues to strike many folks as good news. It is only a matter of time ... [... more]
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Why silver is shining brighter
A new ETF could spur silver to even bigger gains. Plus: Why Google's a gamble and 3Com is worth waiting for. I'll begin this week's Contrarian with a quote from my daily "Market Rap" column (at Fleckenstein Capital) on March 28, the day the Fed [... more]
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Do you suffer bag-lady syndrome?
Many women harbor a fear that their financial security could disappear in a heartbeat. It might not be entirely irrational, but it can be conquered. You would never confuse Emily Scott Pottruck with a bag lady. On the surface, she has it all: ... [... more]
Money Central |
Day of reckoning postponed, not canceled
The question is when, not whether, this overvalued market gets knocked back. Strong third-quarter earnings may support the rally a while longer. Third-quarter 2003 earnings increasingly look to come in with a sufficient upside surprise to support ... [... more]
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