roundups

Seven secrets of coupon pros [Consumer Reports] “Nancy Niemeyer, an IT project manager from Seattle, says she feeds her family of four for about $10 a week.”

5 cheap places to retire in the US [MSN Money] “An expert offers his top picks, taking costs, culture and access to medical care into consideration.”

How 5 money blunders ding your credit [Smart Spending] “FICO calls them ‘damage points,’ and, boy, can they pull down your credit score.”

10 Things Funeral Directors Won’t Tell You [Smart Money] “The best defense? Shop around, or have someone who is up to it do it for you.”

7 Lessons the World Cup Offers on the Stock Market [Wall Street Journal] “Here are seven lessons that ‘the beautiful game’ can teach you about the money game.”

— FREE MONEY FINANCE

10 Things 401(k) Providers Won’t Tell You [Smart Money] “#1. We’re making money on your 401(k) — even if you’re not.”

10 common car-buying mistakes [MSN Money] “Before you step foot in a dealership, arm yourself with these tips. If you don’t, you could be taken for a ride.”

One in five older Americans a victim of financial fraud: survey [MarketWatch] “More than 7.3 million older Americans — one out of every five citizens over the age of 65 — already have been victimized by a financial swindle.”

How Not to Buy Too Much [Wise Bread] “You need to learn financial balance — spending wisely most of the time and treating yourself to the occasional Ferrari.”

Your Vacation-Home Checklist [Kiplinger] “These nine tips can help buyers keep expenses under control.”

— FREE MONEY FINANCE

10 Unusual Ways to Save Money Now [US News] “Here are my suggestions to take savings to the next level.”

The costly secrets in your 401k [MSN Money] “Paying as little as 1% extra in fees can mean thousands less for retirement. So why is figuring out what you’re paying for your plan almost impossible?”

Five Big Ways You Need to Think About Christmas … Now! [The Simple Dollar] “Just a little bit of forethought right now can save you a ton of time, effort, cost, and heartache this December.”

15 most hated fees [CNN Money] “Stand up to the pesky charges — from checked-bag costs to retirement plan expenses — that bug you the most.”

4 Things That Are More Expensive Than You Think [Yahoo Finance] “The true cost of an item can often go unnoticed and consumers end up paying much more than they bargained for.”

— FREE MONEY FINANCE

Playing Gold Without Getting Killed [Wall Street Journal] “The question for investors who have remained on the sidelines until now is whether there still is an opportunity to join the stampede—and, if so, how to do it without getting crushed.”

Bonds: Avoid the next great bubble [CNN Money] “The bond market is a bubble and it’s getting ready to burst.”

That Repair Bill Is Huge, but There Are Reasons [NY Times] “Why do repairs seem to cost so much even if they don’t take long?”

6 Steps to Protect Your Home from Hurricanes [Kiplinger] “You don’t have to just sit there worrying about the weather.”

10 First Time Homebuyer Mistakes [The Wisdom Journal] “When first time home buyers finally get into their home, they can easily fall prey to several serious mistakes that can cause a large amount of financial harm later.”

— FREE MONEY FINANCE

How to Best the Other Home Buyers [Smart Money] “Here are some tips on how prospective buyers should handle a multiple-offer situation.”

10 Best Cities for the Next Decade [Kiplinger] “They’re prosperous, innovative, and they’ll generate plenty of jobs, too.”

Dumpster-Diving 101: 6 Strategies for Success [Wise Bread] “[Here’s] a six-point strategy on how to dumpster-dive safely and effectively.”

7 ways to protect yourself from cell phone overage “gotchas” [Consumer Reports] “Ideally, the big four contract carriers should send text and email alerts when you’re nearing your voice, messaging, and data limits. But until that happens, here’s what you can do to protect yourself right now.”

25 factors that affect car insurance premiums [Smart Spending] “You do have some control over how much you’ll have to pay.”

— FREE MONEY FINANCE

Five Simple Substitutions, One Big Change [The Simple Dollar] “It’s amazing how much money can be saved by making one simple change in your life.”

Personal-Finance Basics for the Class of 2010 [The Wall Street Journal] “Here are some of the new developments most likely to affect the class of 2010.”

Things you think will make money but don’t [Smart Spending] “When asked, readers listed going to college, buying gold, and cooking at home, among other things. Not everyone agreed.”

The wacky world of college scholarships [MSN Money] “Need some help affording college? A special skill or interest — or even a particular last name — can put a big dent in a student’s tuition.”

7 Questions You Must Ask Your Financial Adviser [Kiplinger] “Understanding your financial adviser’s motives, expertise and methods is crucial to managing your wealth.”

— FREE MONEY FINANCE