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Where to put $5,000 now

What would you do with a million bucks? That's easy. But what about five grand? With a handful of broad goals in mind, here are Money Magazine's picks.

Best career moves:<br>Hire a mentor
Goal: Building wealth
Best career moves:
Hire a mentor
That's right: Pay someone who has occupied the job you ultimately want - preferably a retired legend who has no axes to grind - to meet with you every couple of weeks.

You can find potential mentors at industry conferences or through your professional association.

Your mentor shouldn't be a friend, lest things get awkward, but she can be a powerful ally, using her industry contacts to help you out.
If you see a mentor twice a month at $100 an hour, $5,000 will pay for more than two years of help. By then, you shouldn't need one anymore.
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