(MONEY Magazine) – Invest in three- to six-month CDs if your current ones mature in October, the biggest rollover month of the year, with $100 billion worth coming due. The average six-month CD yield is a scrawny 5.57% now. But experts predict an upturn by spring, allowing you to lock in beefed-up yields then for the long term. Page 21

-- Get set for a feast in the increasingly delectable midcap market -- stocks of companies valued at between $200 million and $2 billion. Three winning funds: Twentieth Century Ultra (up 169.2% over five years; 800-345-2021); Delaware Group-Delcap I (up 162.2%; 800-523-4640); and Fidelity Contrafund (up 148.2%; 800-544-8888). Page 51

-- Choose bargains in income-oriented stocks for excellent performance now. Look for strong companies with low price/earnings ratios, yields of at least 5%, and likely dividend growth of 5% or more a year. Our six picks include two British stocks trading on the New York Stock Exchange as American Depositary Receipts: Hanson (recent price: $18.75; yield: 7.1%) and British Petroleum ($71.50, 6.8%). Page 71

-- Investigate little-known state assistance programs when saving for a first home. They provide financing at as much as 1.5 percentage points below market rates. Families earning up to $50,000 often qualify. Page 135

-- Avoid becoming audit bait when refinancing your mortgage. Only the points attributable to money spent on home improvements are deductible in the year you pay them; in most other cases, you must spread the write-off over the life of the loan. And always pay points on a refinancing with a separate check, or you'll lose the deduction. Page 167