1. I am a single, 62-year-old woman with three jobs. My total income from these jobs last year was $7,877. I was a homemaker for most of my life and have the minimum personal Social Security in my account. Because of divorce and remarriage, I have no spousal Social Security to draw from. I have managed to accumulate 100 PG&E shares and about 10 Enova shares. I have $3,500 in my savings account, which is a hedge against illness, since I cannot afford to buy insurance to cover expenses in the event I get sick. I am paying (a mortgage) on my home. As far as I can see, I will be working for subsistence wages until the day I die. My question is: what can a woman in my circumstances do to provide some financial security for herself at this late date?

You're certainly right that your situation isn't ideal, but there may be some ways to improve it. Check with your local senior-citizens' center, library or religious organization for contacts or seminars designed for people whose situations resemble yours.

Also, I assume your comments about Social Security eligibility are based on having talked with a representative there. But if you haven't done that, you should, since you may qualify for more income than you think.

One real plus in your description is the fact that you're building equity in your home. One way to supplement your income might be to work out a shared-living arrangement, whether with a friend or someone else.

Be careful to check local zoning laws though, to be sure your arrangement is legal.

You'll also want to be careful to have a clear statement of what each person's responsibilities are. Some experts suggest that you draw up a legal contract to prevent as many problems as you can anticipate.

The equity in your home might mean you qualify down the road for a reverse mortgage, which lets you borrow against the value of the property you own.

You or your estate then repays the mortgage after you die or otherwise vacate the home, using proceeds from the property's sale.

However, before you decide on that approach, you need to understand how those mortgages work and the costs involved.

Again, the local seniors' center or library might have information you need.

2. What are the main financial concerns for a stay-at-home mom?

Since you don't say what you mean by "concerns," I'll assume you're asking what you should know about your family's money.

1. If you're not actively involved in day-to-day financial decisions and you're not sure what the family's assets and liabilities are, that's the good place to start.

Find out what's coming in, what's going out and where it's going. And be sure you know what checking and savings accounts exist, what investments the family has and the way your property is owned (i.e., is the title in your husband's name, or in both of your names).

2. Talk to your husband about your mutual financial goals and what you're actively doing to reach them.

Chances are that will mean learning about investments, since for most people, investing is the way to realize their goals -- owning a home, sending the kids to college or affording a comfortable retirement.

You might suggest, for example, that you meet with a professional financial adviser. And you should encourage your husband to establish a spousal individual retirement account (IRA) in your name and contribute the maximum $2,000 a year. You can decide how to invest that $2,000 yourself, so it's a good learning experience.

If your husband resists sharing financial responsibility, it's critical to learn things on your own. Look for group discussions, seminars at local colleges or libraries, or presentations by professional advisers. I'll bet lots of your friends share your concerns, and you might consider learning together.

3. Here's the situation: A married couple had over a number of years worked on a farm. The wife was always named with the husband on loans. She contributed her work and money to the repayment of loans, yet the credit went only in his name. When she wanted her own credit, she was dismayed to find that she had no (credit history). Is this common to all lending institutions? What can be done about it?

Lenders rarely assume that a wife's role repaying a joint loan makes her a good credit risk on her own. Unfortunately, hard work by itself isn't considered evidence of ability to repay, although earning regular wages outside the home can help a woman qualify for a loan.

What's more, paying off mortgages and certain other loans may not be much help in establishing creditworthiness, since that information frequently isn't reported to the credit bureaus, which provide potential lenders with information on your borrowing history.

Unfortunately, only bad news -- in this case defaulting on a loan -- is reported to credit bureaus.

Building your own credit history -- while it won't guarantee you'll be able to borrow -- is essential.

One way to start is to use a credit or charge card regularly and repay your bills on time.

Even if the card is in your husband's name, you're building a record if you use the account.

You can also apply for a credit card in your own name, or consider putting the family car loan in your name (even if your husband is the co-signer).

4. What is the best way to establish credit in your own name if you don't have an independent job?

The easiest way to begin to establish credit in your own name is to request a second card on your husband's credit card or charge card if you're married, or with a parent if you're not.

Some companies issue a card in your own name, while others put your name on the bill, but give you a card with your husband's name on it. In either case, as long as you sign for charges and the bill is paid regularly, you're building a credit history.

What's more, lots of card issuers run frequent promotions, sending applications in the mail because they want more business. Try taking one company up on its offer.

Chances are that the issuer will regularly increase your credit line. However, remember that some cards have better rates or other terms than others, so look for the best deal.

Other ideas:

1. Often you can get a charge card in a large department store with no problem, even if it means putting your husband's or your parent's name on the account as a co-applicant. If you use the card and pay regularly, you're building a creditworthiness reputation.

2. Look into "affinity" cards, offered by alumni associations, charitable organizations or other groups that might make the card available to you if you're a member.

3. If you're a student, card companies might also offer you credit directly.

4. You might also talk to a representative at your bank. Explain what you want to accomplish and ask what the bank can do to help.

Chances are you'll be able to find a sympathetic ear and a good suggestion --perhaps a jointly held credit account in which your name appears first.

5. I was recently widowed and will need to use life insurance proceeds of approximately $80,000 to provide current income over the next five years. So far, I have allocated $10,000 to a tax-managed fund, $10,000 in New York municipal bonds, $5,000 in a GNMA fund, $3,000 in a high-yield corporate-bond fund, $10,000 in Vanguard Wellington, $6,000 in Vanguard Windsor and $10,000 in Vanguard specialized funds. I also have $32,000 in a money-market fund.

Have I made the right choices? And how should I invest more cash? I do not need to worry about retirement, as I have $310,000 in an IRA.

I have one daughter who is a sophomore in college and I earn $36,000 a year.

I also have some investment real estate that is now on the market and should net me $50,000. My thinking was that in five years time, if necessary, I could tap into the IRA. I would appreciate your suggestions.

My first piece of advice is to consult a financial adviser -- perhaps someone at your bank, someone where you work or somebody that's recommended to you by a person in similar circumstances.

An adviser should be able to help you identify a portfolio of investments that will provide what you need now, and help you plan for the future.

You don't indicate how old you are, but that's a big factor in making smart investment decisions.

An adviser can explain how to allocate your assets and diversify what you own.

"Allocation" means deciding on what percentage of your money to put in stocks, what percentage to put in bonds or bond funds and what percentage to leave in "cash" (liquid, low-risk investments like money-market funds).

"Diversification" means choosing different investments within each of those categories based on how well the investments will help you meet your goals. Both of those techniques can help protect you against changes in the economy.

You should also review how your IRA is invested. Since you're expecting it to cover your long-term financial needs, you may want to consider whether it's growing as effectively as it might. And you'll want to remember: withdrawing from your IRA before age 59-1/2 can mean paying big penalties and leave you short of cash down the road.

6. I am a 28-year-old, unmarried, working woman and am taking MBA classes at night. I have to pay for half of my education, most of which is done with guaranteed student loans. I am still paying on my education loans from undergraduate school. I have some disposable income, though not much that can be tied up in long-term investments or in buying my own home. I am also somewhat risk-averse when it comes to investing. I am investing in my 401(k) at work. Where else should I look to invest my extra money?

Putting money into your 401(k) is certainly a smart move.

Most experts agree you should contribute as much as you can, especially if your employer is adding money to match what you put in.

You should also be sure to evaluate the way that money is invested. You want it to grow, so that it can help supply your long-term security.

Most experts would agree that growth investments like stock mutual funds are less risky in the long run that investments that don't keep up with inflation.

You could also put up to $2,000 in an IRA each year to take advantage of tax-free growth, but like your 401(k), the money isn't readily available before you reach age 59-1/2 -- a long time from now.

Another approach would be to open a mutual fund account (or a couple of different accounts) and contribute regularly.

You'll need a lump sum to start, but some funds let you add additional amounts of as little as $25 at a time, and the rest rarely require more than $100 for each additional investment.

You can open an account directly or talk to an adviser about how to go about it.

These accounts would help you build for shorter-term goals like a home purchase.

Sometimes having a specific goal to work toward provides even greater incentive to allocate your money toward investments.

And you can find funds that promise growth while taking only moderate risks.

7. Is it practical in today's economy for a single woman to still consider buying a home as a sound investment, or would it be more practical to rent, investing the money saved?

There's no easy answer to whether you should rent or buy.

Lots of factors can influence your decision, such as how frequently you move, how much space you want, and how important the idea of owning is to you.

While many people caution that home buyers today can't expect increases in property values equivalent to those that occurred in the past, many people aren't looking for capital gains as much as a satisfying living arrangement.

One of the big financial issues in deciding whether to rent or buy is estimating how much tax savings owning a home would provide.

Since you're able to deduct your property taxes and your mortgage-interest payments in most cases, buying can mean a substantial tax savings that frees up money to invest.

But owning a home also means added expenses that could be a burden if you have only one income. And, if all of your assets are tied up in a house, you're violating an important investment rule -- diversify.