Table of contents: VOL. 35, NO. 9 - September 1, 2006
COVER STORY
Our man hit the streets in the nation's wealthiest zip codes to learn the secrets of financial success from those who've earned it. Turns out, there are two--just two--keys to wealth. Ready to open the door? (more)

Features
Two-thirds of students borrow to pay for college. One in 10 have loans of $35,000 or more. Do you have to go broke to get a B.A.? Not with these moves you don't. (more)
Jennifer and Darryl Hazelwood lost their house and most of their personal belongings to Hurricane Katrina. One year and six moves later, they're finally ready to put down roots and rebuild their lives. (more)
Chances are, one of these days someone is going to urge you to buy a retirement investment that sounds too good to be true. If the word annuity comes up, be wary of the deal. (more)

cover stories
Get over the notion that the rich have special powers, and look for what really drives their success. Chances are, you've got it in you too. (more)
home
As the housing market cools, you need to think twice about these upgrades. (more)
A bevy of websites offer to value your home, free. How good are they? (more)
You've been longing to buy your own slice of paradise. With the real estate bubble losing air, is this your big chance--or the single worst time to buy? (more)
how we did it
We quit our jobs and spent a year sailing. Back on land (and at work), we're now planning our next voyage. (more)
invest
It Safe Once frightened that terrorism would crash the market, this couple is set to get back into stocks (more)
BLUE-CHIP GROWTH STOCKS FOR THE LONG RUN (more)
Forget about buy, sell and hold ratings. What really matters is how analysts change earnings estimates. (more)
THIS MONTH: WHAT TO DO WHEN INTEREST RATES LEVEL OFF...SMART GUYS LIKE INTEL...CAN OIL KEEP GUSHING PROFITS? (more)

OUR LIST OF RECOMMENDED MUTUAL FUNDS (more)
Value investors scoff at the madness of the crowd when it chases the next Google. But what happens when the crowd is mad for value? (more)
plan
A few steps now can help you avoid winter bugs--and the expense it takes to cure them (more)
It's a classic marital clash of styles. Ease the tension with these steps toward a middle ground. (more)
Wary of banking online? Money funds once again offer a high-yielding alternative. (more)
A smart way to get a return on your taxes: Check out these websites (more)
Not me. And probably not you. The returns on exotic investments look tempting, but the risks are big too. (more)
Being typecast can be harmful to your career (more)
special: great buys






There's only one law that counts on the sales floor: Know what you really want and don't pay any more for it than you have to (more)
start



Medicare drug prices are soaring. Don't take it lying down. (more)

Moral: Don't let a mere Supreme Court decision get you down (more)
Teen celebrations are getting expensive. Does showing the love always mean spending the cash? (more)
Parents and kids don't always agree on the budget for teen parties (more)
talkback
the numbers
Small-Caps Stall Out; Biggest Fund Shuffle (more)
Domestic Stocks Dive, Energy Bounces Back (more)
what do you know?
You know a higher credit score can mean big savings. But do you know what really affects your number--and how to improve it? Take our test and find out. (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|