February 2008
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Six Simple Ways to Retire Rich
By Mary Beth Franklin
Retirement savings plans are undergoing an extreme makeover. After decades of trying to teach Americans how to save and invest for their own retirement -- with mixed success -- employers have come up with a simple solution: They'll do it for you. Thanks to automatic enrollment in 401(k)s and other retirement plans, plus streamlined investment options, saving is so effortless that you can't help but succeed.
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Jumbo Loans: Upgrade to the House of Your Dreams
With house prices cooling, it may be time to upgrade to that dream home which suddenly appears within reach in this buyer’s market. But with more property comes more mortgage – as well as more options and more pitfalls. The difference between a "conforming" and a "jumbo" loan could directly affect your monthly mortgage payment. To shed light on how loans are priced and sold, YOU Magazine turned to Barry Habib, an expert in the mortgage-backed securities market and CEO of Mortgage Market Guide.
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Ten Commandments for Better Networking
By Ivan R. Misner, Ph.D.
Do you suffer from "Butterfly-itis" at the very mention of networking at business functions? If you answered yes, you are not alone! Many business people and entrepreneurs get a bit uncomfortable when it comes right down to walking up to someone and starting a conversation. Many others are concerned about getting effective results from the time they spend networking. The process doesn't have to be traumatic, scary, or a waste of time.
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Preparing Your Home for the Spring Selling Season
The days when you could throw a “For Sale” sign in the front yard and have your home sell quickly are over, at least for now. Around the country, home inventories are up, and the result has been a drastic increase in average selling times. Add to that the fact that your home may not be worth what it was a year ago, and you’ve got the makings of a rather lengthy, and potentially miserable, sales process. But, it doesn’t have to be that way.
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Grapho-therapy
Change Your Life by Changing Your Handwriting
As Americans, we put a great deal of effort into transforming ourselves for the purpose of improving our lives. Termed as "self-improvement", it is a 10-billion dollar a year industry that encompasses a variety of methods for changing any number of personality traits. One method we've recently stumbled across is Grapho-therapy, the practice of improving our personality by making changes in our handwriting.
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A Valentine’s Dinner
The Perfect Gift for Someone Special
By Kirk Leins
Valentine's Day is a wonderful concept, in theory at least. While the idea of a holiday dedicated to couples in love is sweet, its purity has given way to the pressure of creating the perfect evening. If this strikes a chord, fear not. My gift to you this Valentine's Day is a game plan for creating a great night for your special someone.
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Winter Workouts
Bringing Your Exercise Indoors
It's a vicious cycle. You get into shape for summer only to fall out of shape by the following spring. The holiday season has something to do with this ebb and flow, but there's more to the story than a short-lived increase in gatherings and gastronomy. Truth be told, wintertime weight gain is due in large part to a seasonal decrease in our daily exercise.
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