Table of contents: VOL. 35, NO. 1 - January 1, 2006
COVER STORY
This year, make your money resolutions stick (more)

Features

Ten big New Year's resolutions. Ten strategies for achieving them. The key: Address the real reason it's tough to get started, then take one step at a time. (more)
Save more. Get rid of debt. Cut taxes. To make good on your best intentions this year, you've got to conquer the urge to put things off. (more)
It'll take some heavy lifting to find the right Medicare drug plan. These five steps will lighten the load--for you or someone you love. (more)
We went back through 30 years of research to discover exactly what a $70 bottle of reserve has that an ordinary $15 bottle of wine doesn't. The answer just might save you a bunch the next time you buy. (more)
Roll back the high cost of heat and electricity this winter by making your home more energy-efficient (more)
Army Capt. Bob Leseman has faced grueling training, enemy fire in Iraq and months away from home. Returning to civilian life might be his hardest mission yet. (more)
home
Converting an unused attic gave a Nashville family with two teenagers room to grow (more)
It's your biggest investment. A few fast and simple moves each month can bring peace of mind--and help boost your place's value for decades to come. (more)

Dreaming of the perfect country getaway? Here's how to make sure you never get taken like a city slicker. (more)
how i did it
After losing $150,000 in tech stocks, I reformed my bad investing habits and took control of my future (more)
invest
Bond guru Bill Gross sees lower returns ahead from all kinds of assets. He's not alone. (more)
OUR LIST OF RECOMMENDED MUTUAL FUNDS (more)
Meet the Bogleheads, fans of the Vanguard founder and online friends to the small investor (more)
BLUE-CHIP GROWTH STOCKS FOR THE LONG RUN (more)
There are four reasons you might want to own bonds. At the moment only one seems convincing. (more)
THIS MONTH: Great stocks for less...Options take a chunk out of earnings...Fidelity retools. Should you care? (more)

plan
The self-employed have no shortage of tax-savvy savings options (more)
Your child is applying to college? Already attending? It's not too late to beef up your family's financial aid. (more)
There's no avoiding mid-life squint. But three new options won't betray your age. (more)
When both of you are climbing the corporate ladder, you may have to live apart to get ahead. But making a commuter marriage work takes time and money. (more)
Surprise! Boring bank savings accounts are paying more than money-market mutual funds. But you must go online for the best deals. (more)
Great fund picking? Brilliant asset allocation? Nah, the secret to a cushy retirement is simpler than that. (more)
spend
A sedan that costs more than $40,000 had better do more than go from point A to point B. Our expert checks out the latest overachievers. (more)
New online services can turn your snapshots into a book worthy of your coffee table (more)
start

THIS MONTH: Podcasts (more)



Got a bad case of buyer's remorse? We've got the cure. (more)
Pay extra for mobile coverage? Only if it's one pricey phone--or if your kids (or you) are klutzy. (more)
Attention, shoppers: You're paying too much for food. It's time to plan smarter and savor some savings. (more)
And why? We asked shoppers at a Stop & Shop in Long Island City, N.Y. (more)
the numbers
Stock Funds Rebound, Bonds Stay Flat (more)
A Fall Rally Puts 2006 Back in the Black (more)
RECENT ISSUES
FEATURES
When you are just starting out or finally starting to get serious about saving, the basics will get you far. Here are more than a dozen tips that will help you lay the base for building your net worth. |more|