Business - Motley Fool

Bouncing a check can lead to ridiculous charges. Just by going a few dollars over your available balance, you can end up spending hundreds in overdraft fees.

What are the benefits of giving stock, instead of cash, to charity? Well, the tax advantages can make doing so very worthwhile. Here's how it works.

Shop at any major retailer in the country, and unless you're using cold, hard cash, you'll be asked the question, "Debit or credit?" If, like me, you typically answer based on the whim of the moment, you'll be interested to know that there really are times when choosing one over the other can make a difference.

It can be a little daunting to think about all your major savings goals at one time. There's the massive retirement fund that you want to build, which never seems to get big enough. There's the emergency account that should be filled with at least enough money to cover three to six months' worth of expenses. There might even be one or more college funds, assuming college doesn't cost an actual arm and a leg by the time the little tykes grow up. Add these all up, and we're talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars. Yikes!

There's nothing like owning the roof over your head and the floor beneath your feet. Having a bunch of walls in between is even better. Although there are those who prefer the modern-loft lifestyle.

There's no arguing that, financially, twosomes have a leg up on their single competition.

Lest you focus just on the more serious stories in the financial press, such as Wachovia's (NYSE: WB - News) financial woes or Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's financial fixes, here's a brief recap of some of the more unusual financial news out there:

A lot of checks for $300 or $600 -- and up to $1,200 in some cases -- will be hitting mailboxes very soon.

Seniors have long been at risk from unscrupulous financial professionals claiming to have knowledge they don't really have. Now, however, state securities regulators are doing something about it.

Knowing where you stand with your retirement savings challenges even the best-prepared investors. After all, when you add modest amounts to your retirement accounts each month, market fluctuations can easily wipe out several months' worth of contributions.

That pretty much sums up the method that a startling number of people use to "plan" for retirement. Close to half of workers guess at how much money they will need, according to the 2008 Retirement Confidence Survey.