Suddenly, the traditional wisdom of putting aside cash for an emergency seems more important than ever. With economic storm clouds brewing, it makes sense to have three to six months' worth of living expenses -- even more if you can manage it -- tucked away in a safe place. In the meantime, read on to discover more ways than you probably ever ...

With mortgage rates sinking to the lowest level since the early 1960s, homeowners around the country are giving themselves an early holiday present: a refinanced mortgage with lower monthly payments. Should you be doing the same? The depends mainly on what rate you have now and ...

IS IT TIME TO REFINANCE YOUR MORTGAGE?

Applications for mortgage refinancing tripled in early December on news that the U.S. Federal Reserve will buy up to $600 billion of mortgage debt. BusinessWeek personal finance editor Lauren Young spoke with mortgage guru Keith Gumbinger, of HSH Associates, a financial publisher, about the refinancing climate. Mortgage rates have already fallen, should ...

THE POWER OF POSITIVE CREDIT

The credit crisis has given Scott Briggs and his wife, Catherine, unusual leverage in their search for a new home. In October, to get the best deal on a 30-year fixed mortgage for a home in Austin, Tex., the couple persuaded the seller to agree to an unusual contingency clause in the contract of sale ...