OK - if you read YupJay - you probably don't get an "economic stimulus" and maybe not even a rebate check. However, you're probably in a position to invest in the companies that might benefit from the spending of those rebate checks.

Goldman Sachs released a list today of the top 10 contenders for tax-rebate funds:

1) Cheesecake Factory (CAKE): Binge on several huge courses, you can afford it now.
2) Best Buy (BBY): Perfect timing for upgrading to a new HDTV.
3) Darden Restaurants (DRI): Your average rebate check will pay for a lot of "casual dining."
4) Home Depot (HD): Can't afford to move, why not upgrade those appliances?
5) JCPenney (JCP): We don't know exactly what they sell here, but the middle class must like it.
6) Kroger (KR): Stop reaching for the cheap processed meat for a couple weeks.
7) Kohls (KSS): Uh, this is like JCP, isn't it?
8 ) Royal Caribbean (RCL): Upgrade up a notch from Carnival.
9) Safeway (SWY): Same as Kroger. Get some real food.
10) Wal-Mart (WMT): Once again, you can load up on the staples.

BBC News: New yuppies shun champagne lifestyle

The term yuppie conjures up images of the brash 1980s, when bright young things lived a loadsamoney lifestyle of flash cars, lavish lunches and power dressing. It was an era of playing hard and working hard. These days, young professionals are different. New research suggests they are more cautious about money than yesterday's yuppies, who are struggling to maintain their once high-flying lifestyles.

Research from Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society, a financial services company, suggests that pensions, getting on the property ladder and paying off debts are bigger priorities for today's young professionals than living a champagne lifestyle. Four in 10 young urban professionals in 2007 cite paying off debts as a financial concern, compared with a third in the 1980s, according to the research based on a survey of 2,409 adults.

Almost a third say that saving for retirement is one of their top three biggest financial worries, compared with just 12% of original yuppies. With conspicuous consumption falling out of favour, today's young yuppies spend their hard-earned cash on organic food and green fashion. But young go getters do enjoy the original yuppie love of gadgets, with 24% spending their money on technological wizardry compared with 18% in the late 1980s.

BBC News has an amusing article regarding the mortgage crisis. Below are quotes from some of their readers. For added amusement, we post responses from resident mortgage expert, Lolrus.

Reta Sanden from Turlock, California:

This week Merrill launched the "ML LifeStyle Index" containing stocks of high-end automakers, investment banks and fashion houses. Between luxury consumers in the United States and the growth of luxury markets in India, Russia and China, most companies catering to the luxury market are expected to continue to do quite well, and Merill wants a piece of that. They're not the first to do this: in January, Janus founded Oyster Lifestyle Funds and Deutsche Boerse AG created a world luxury index in February.

Merrill's index contains 50 stocks including Dior, Bvlgari, L'Oreal, various travel companies and one oddball in my opinion: Harley-Davidson, a stock many analysts say is poised for a downfall as their middle-class aspirational customers renege on financing. C'mon, wouldn't most of you yuppies prefer a Ducati?

A YuppieJournal financial PSA: we know you can't have all of your money in stocks all of the time. Your broker knows you can't have all of your money in stocks all of the time, too, and that's why you need to mind your sweep account.

Especially if you are with a broker who offers discounted or free trades, find out what they're doing with that money when you're not using it. It should be in a money-market account that's paying you (at the time of this writing) 4 to 5 percent, dependent on balance.

And if it isn't, and they're paying you 0.5% or some nonsensical garbage rate, know that they're putting your cash in a money-market account that pays 4 to 5 percent, giving you that paltry sum and keeping the proceeds. And no yuppie should stand for that.

Some great words on investing that I feel are worth passing on... granted, I am a young, brash and risky investor, but the value of humility is worth noting I think:

“Why should anyone listen to what I have to say?” I asked my publisher when he first approached me about writing a book.

Good luck!

We have always known that investing in bricks and mortar is normally the most lucrative and wisest investment you could ever make. However, with the continuing price rises in the UK many are looking abroad to buy an investment home and future nest egg. Spain has always been first choice for many, with year round sunshine and relatively cheap cost of living. Nevertheless, what do we buy and how? Tony Roberts reveals the secrets to buying property here and offer his ten top tips on making the right investment.

When we bought our first property in the Costa del Almeria, we broke every rule and guideline. We bought impulsively whilst on holiday, having done no research whatsoever. We dealt with an estate agent who we later discovered had a rather colourful history, we bought off-plan without ever visiting the site, we did not use a lawyer and so the list went on. It was very exciting and we were incredibly lucky. However, do not push your luck follow these guidelines. Get it right and you will have a wonderful asset that will give you and your family enormous enjoyment over the years as well as creating greater wealth.

1. Get the help of an Estate Agent
Your first step should be shop for a good estate agent, not shop for a property. Estate agents are necessary in the UK and in most other countries; you cannot afford to be without one. Get yourself a good one, look at the websites; a good one will seem genuinely concerned about informing homebuyers, check out the testimonials. A reputable agent will help you to find the right property and take the headache out of property searches especially if you do not speak the language. However, a warning, think hard before going it alone without the help of an estate agent. In reality, buying privately will mean months of chasing people and worrying that you have not done everything you should. However, if you do buy privately, then be very careful.

2. Nothing beats good legal advice
As with using an estate agent to look for the right property, make sure you have the right lawyer when making your final purchase. A good agent will recommend a local lawyer who speaks English, who knows the area and all its regulations. It is amazing how many people are willing to buy something abroad without the use of a reputable lawyer. It is something they would never dream of doing in the UK.

3. Location, Location, Location
Remember the words of hotelier Conrad Hilton who, when asked what were the three keys to success, famously replied, Location, location, location. Fifty years later not only is it still true for the hotel business, but also for buying a home with resale value.

As in the UK, where you buy counts just as much as what you buy. Narrow your location choices to just a few places and think of resale value when considering a property, and will it make a good rental? Make sure necessary shops and services are located nearby and try to make sure surrounding properties are of a similar standard and size. In addition, try to get something located near the town. Remember, buying the least expensive home in the best location is better than buying a beautiful home in an undesirable location.

4. Do your homework
Buying property abroad is an exciting experience; however, one of the biggest mistakes investors make when it comes to buying property in a foreign country is failing to do their homework. You cannot do too much research into an area. Spain is a big place so first settle on a region. If it is unknown to you, try to visit the area as many times as possible so you can glean more than just one impression. Looking for property online and in newspapers and magazines should always be part of your strategy as it vastly increases your chances of finding what you want. If you are looking for property online, begin by making your initial searches as broad as possible. You can always narrow your searches later. Careful local research before you commit to buying can save much heartache later.

5 Stay Focused and do not be hasty
Stay within your budget and keep focused on what you originally had in mind, it is all too easy to be tempted to buy something that is not what you really want. While you want to cast your net as wide as possible so that you do not miss your dream home, you do not want to be wasting time viewing property that is wholly inappropriate or completely unaffordable.

Therefore, you should draw up a realistic and accurate wish list. However, you must go looking for your home with an open mind. You will soon realise that it is virtually impossible to find exactly what you want, so you may need to compromise on some issues, you prioritise your requirements.

6. Know why you are buying
Make sure you know why you are buying and what it is that you are seeking to achieve with your purchase. Is it a holiday home, a residential home or an investment. Are you looking for short-term gain or regular long-term income?
If buying for investment, it is vitally important that you understand the risk factor and you are comfortable with it.

7. The bigger house is not always the better.
In any residential development, houses vary in size but if you are looking for maximum resale value do not always choose the largest house on the block. When determining market value, the homes nearest to yours are most important. If most of the nearby homes are smaller than yours then they can act as a drag on appreciation. On the other hand, if you buy a small or medium house in the development, the larger homes can pull yours up in value

Do not assume that the more bedrooms you have the better the property is. Two and three bedroom properties have the quickest sell-on value and you should try to stick with this when buying. Two bathrooms are necessary and as most will tell you, a large kitchen is the heart of the home.

8. Money, money, money
The simplest fact is can you afford it? Stay within your budget, consider what you are buying, and allow for extras. The cost of buying a property in Spain is much higher than in the UK, (VAT, lawyer's fees, and taxes), so you must budget accordingly. Consider the pros and cons of buying abroad and always factor in costs including existing commitments and future expenses.

Buying a home is a rewarding experience but remember to invest in the location of your home first. Research is key in buying abroad and you have to have patience and time when making such a huge investment. If you remember that location is the primary factor in property, your money will continue to grow through the years and earn you your share in the property world.

9. Check the transport links.
Make sure there is a choice of budget airlines, and if possible more than one airport. Check out the road infrastructure. People who rent property will want somewhere that is easy to get to and will often be attracted to those places with a nearby airport served by low cost airlines. Budget airlines have opened up huge areas of Europe, but do not assume they will always be there. What would happen should the airline close down the route?

10, Check the taxation and inheritance laws
Make sure you understand the tax implications involved should you decide to sell. In addition, if you want control over how the property is dealt with on your death and avoid any restrictive rules, then check out the inheritance laws, it is likely that you may need two wills one for any assets in Britain and one covering your property and savings in Spain.

- Tony Roberts

U.S. home to set world price record at $155 mln

NEW YORK, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Forbes.com said timber and real estate baron Tim Blixseth has just upped the ante in the price of the world's most expensive home, planning to build and sell a home for $155 million. The 53,000-square-foot stone and wood mansion will be built at the Yellowstone Club, a members-only, residential ski and golf resort near Bozeman, Montana developed by Blixseth. The 10-bedroom mansion will sit on 160 acres and will come with a private gondola-like chairlift that will carry residents to the Yellowstone Club's private ski slopes, an indoor/outdoor swimming pool, and a home movie theater, and it is fully furnished.

That tops the $139 million asking price for Updown Court in Windlesham, England, which was listed No. 1 in the Forbes.com list of the world's most expensive homes in 2006. It also exceeds the $125 million that U.S. media mogul and reality TV star Donald Trump is asking for the renovated estate he owns in Palm Beach, Florida.

Think housing is expensive? You ain't seen nothin' yet.....
According to ApartmentTherapy:

A 77-square-foot Knightsbridge, London apartment is currently for sale for - get this - 335K. That's $4,340 per square foot! The property's realtor, Andrew Scott, is seen posing, touching both outer walls of the basement flat by simply spreading his arms.

From Yahoo:

The mortgage buys a spot within walking distance of tony stores like Harrods and London's iconic Hyde Park. Originally conceived as a maid's room, the apartment at 18 Cadogan Place hasn't been used for years and is littered with trash bags and crumbling paint. A coffin-sized shower is en suite, and storage is provided by a shallow closet and 10-inch-deep shelves cut into the wall. Two hot plates and a small sink make up the kitchen. Two dirty windows allow light to filter into the basement room, and the fire escape could conceivably double as a shared patio. With no electricity or heating, Scott said it would cost an additional $59,000 to make the room habitable.

The sale of this dark, mildewy room illustrates the astronomical rise in property values across London, which in the past year has seen average residential property prices increase 22.4 percent, to about $703,000, according to figures released Monday by Rightmove, which tracks the British property market.

Prices in London's most desirable neighborhoods have grown even faster, with average house prices in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea — where Cadogan Place is located — rising 61.8 percent over the past year to a jaw-dropping $2.2 million.

Ultra high-end property prices in London are the most expensive in the world, with some recent sales hitting $5,900 per square foot — making the Cadogan Place studio a bargain by comparison, according to research published last year by CB Richard Ellis Group Inc.

Similar properties in New York can go for about $5,300 per square foot, while those in Hong Kong sell at around $3,950 per square foot.

New Urbanite turned me on to this:

Zecco is a startup that allows stock trading with zero commissions. Yep, you read that right.

screenshot of site

In their own words:

At the heart of our market-busting change lies our promise of zero dollar trade commissions. Unless you’re a day trader, you won’t spend a penny on commissions ever again.

Day traders – you’re in luck, too. You can make up to 10 trades in any one day up to a total of 40 trades a month at no cost, and after that you only have to pay a paltry $3.50 per stock trade.

Zecco Trading is a division of Equinox Securities, a fully disclosed broker/dealer and member of the NASD, MSRB and SIPC.

The plain truth is that after years of dramatic cost reductions and advances in technology, trading has essentially become a commodity in which every brokerage uses substantially similar exchanges, automated ordering systems, and clearing firms. All this has lowered the average cost per trade to a level that enables us to absorb these costs. At Zecco, we see it as the cost of doing business with you. It helps, of course, that we’re not spending up to $4 a trade on advertising, the current practice of many of the large online brokers.

We don’t see glossy TV commercials, big marketing budgets or an oversized organization as being essential to our providing a stellar trading experience. Instead, we set out to create the richest, most dynamic and user friendly financial portal where all of America can get smarter about money. We think people appreciate that kind of value and will come back and tell their friends about us.

I like the idea alot. Goodbye, $7 commissions!

~Bill G