Money Magazine January 2007
COVER STORY
Are you on track?
By Amanda Gengler, Josh Hyatt and Penelope Wang
You've got big goals, and you're working hard to reach them. Yet there's that little voice inside your head that wonders...
Features
7 amazing travel secrets - revealed!
By Donna Rosato
Donna Rosato lets novices in on what the pros already know -- flying in style is easier than you think.
How You Stack Up
We Talked to Chuck
By Jason Zweig
In the first of our series of chats with the great money minds of the past 35 years, Charles Schwab reveals the smartest way to invest and what really successful people do better than the rest of us
Collateral Damage
By Stephen Gandel
A suicide bomber nearly killed filmmaker Jack Baxter. His body is healing now, but his obsession with his film of the event is blocking his financial recovery.
feature
The 35 most outrageous fees (and how to avoid them)
By Carolyn Bigda, Kate Nugent, Donna Rosato and Cybele Weisser
Here's what to watch out for in travel, banking, credit cards, real estate, investments and more.
home
Cellar's Market
By Lisa Liebman
Turning the basement into a family room proved a profitable move for this Minneapolis couple
It's Easy Being Green
By Sarah Max
The eco-friendly house (and renovation) has gone mainstream. But is it really worth the cost?
how we did it
How We Did It
By As Told to Daphne Mosher and Michelle Kalkhoff
We invested big in our kids' passion for an unusual sport--and it paid off in more ways than we ever imagined
invest
Money 65
OUR LIST OF RECOMMENDED MUTUAL FUNDS AND ETFs
Time to see the world in a new way
By Penelope Wang, Money Magazine senior writer
International mutual funds can do a lot for you, but it's easy to head off in the wrong direction. Hint: Look beyond the biggest stocks in the biggest markets.
Early Retirement: The hurry-up offense
By Amanda Gengler, Money Magazine staff reporter
Anne and Joe Raspanti fell in love late in life. Now they want to stop working as early as possible.
Pay attention to stocks that get no respect
By Michael Sivy
Depressed by the weak real estate market, Lowe's and especially Home Depot look like long-term bargains
Sivy 70
BLUE-CHIP GROWTH STOCKS FOR THE LONG RUN
Why the "January Effect" Is Just So Much Slush
By Jason Zweig
Small stocks do indeed heat up in the year's first month, but you can't actually profit from it
plan
Maximize your financial aid
By Barbara Bedway
College applications may be out the door, but your work isn't done. Financial aid season starts Jan. 1.
How to Wrangle a Refund
Allow Me to Introduce Myself (Properly)
By Sam Grobart
Being the new player on the team is tough, but you can make an easier entrance with these four steps
Scraping by on $150,000 a year
By Josh Hyatt
Why is it that no matter how much you earn, you can't make ends meet? The answer is often right before your eyes.
Online Banking Gets a Safety Check
By Carolyn Bigda
New rules to thwart ID thieves are in place. Hint: Don't try wiring cash to Nigeria.
Hey kids, can we talk...about retirement?
By Walter Updegrave
Help make your adult kids millionaires by the time they retire by encouraging them to save now
spend
Picks and Pans
By Charles Passy
Whether you're a chef or a dabbler, the right cookware set can keep things from boiling over
The World is Flat
By Wilson Rothman
Prices continue to shrink, screen sizes continue to grow--yes, it's finally time to buy a flat-panel TV. But you'd better read this first.
start
Bonus Pointers
By Carolyn Bigda
What to do with that extra boost in your paycheck.
Do the Right Thing
By Jeanne Fleming, Ph.D. and Leonard Schwarz
Moneymatrix
WORTH THE RISK? WE DO THE MATH.
On Your Side
By Kate Ashford
Holding Doctors Responsible Hillarie Levy Simi Valley, Calif.
Unsolicited Advice
By Jennifer Merritt
Why Hedge Funds Are Doomed
By George Mannes
New Year, Same Old Promises
By Asa Fitch
This time, keep those money-related resolutions past Groundhog Day
Money Helps
By Ellen McGirt
Is Your Life too Risky?
By Interview By Pat Regnier
Jacob Hacker says we face too much financial uncertainty today. He'd like to fix that.
The Best College Savings Plan is Getting Better
By Penelope Wang
Return to the Roost
By Amanda Gengler
Would you move home, or allow your adult child to, after college?
Your Adult Kids Are Back. Now What?
By Jean Chatzky
Two of three grads return home today. Skip the you-got-it-good jokes and get set for a new stage of parenting.