‘I gambled away $7,500 – must I tell Dad?’

QUESTION: I am twenty-three. Two years ago, to encourage me to start saving and to learn about investing, my father gave me $10,000. He thinks I put the money in the mutual funds he recommended. But actually, I lost all but $2,500 speculating in commodity futures.

Homing In
The cooling real estate sector presents some attractive investment opportunities.

After the flood
Jennifer and Darryl Hazelwood walk slowly across the weed-infested lawn of what was once their dream house. She has not stepped inside since it was swallowed by the floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina nearly a year ago.

With This (Used) Dress, I Thee Wed
Brides are saving thousands by using the web to buy once-worn gowns.

She’s a saver. He’s a spender
No doubt haggling over a car is stressful. But for Michael and Brittany Abbate, the most heated negotiations over their new wheels last year weren’t with the dealer – they were with each other.

Freebies for home buyers
Last summer, with the hot housing market still going strong, home sellers were in the driver’s seat. Today it’s the buyers who rule and sellers seem willing to try anything to close a deal.