Company	Fri. Close	Weekly % Change
Bucyrus International Inc. (BUCY)	$64.37	+12.69%
Cliffs Natural Resources (CLF)	$67.08	+11.39%
Freeport-McMoran (FCX)	$78.55	+10.32%
Metlife Inc. (MET)	$41.46	+9.62%
Cummins Inc. (CMI)	$83.16	+9.15%
Marriot International (MAR)	$35.35	+8.10%
Honeywell International Inc. (HON)	$42.82	+7.99%
Time Warner Cable (TWC)	$55.74	+7.88%
BlackRock Inc. (BLK)	$151.55	+7.37%
Campbell Soup Company (CPB)	$36.21	-3.36%
Goldcorp Incorporated (GG)	$42.84	-3.38%
Strayer Education Inc. (STRA)	$151.00	-7.98%

Be sure to visit our complete recommended list of the Best Dividend Stocks, as well as a detailed explanation of our ratings system here.

Despite this morning’s jobs news being perceived on the rosy side, I am not ready for any all-clear signals at this point. Earlier this week, we heard from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp that the government’s list of troubled banks hit its highest level since 1993. The number of banks at risk of failing rose is currently at 829, nearly double the 416 banks that were on the FDIC’s watch list a year ago.

The recent spate of M&A has been embraced by Wall Street, and why not? There are investment banking fees to be made when companies are wheeling and dealing. There’s nothing wrong with that, but let’s hope the result doesn’t amount to pure cost-cutting and further significant job losses — that is the unfortunate downside to M&A that usually gets overlooked. Hopefully corporate America can begin to look at opportunities for deals that focus on innovation and growth.

The companies that stood out today included, Goldman Sachs (GS), State Street (STT), Caterpillar (CAT), and Cliffs Natural Resources (CLF). Volume came in a bit lower than we had hoped, finishing lower than yesterday’s tally. We are heading into a 3-day holiday weekend, but be sure to catch up with Dividend.com Premium and the latest dividend stock watchlists. Next week will be light again for earnings results. Names to watch include National Semiconductor (NSM), Men’s Wearhouse (MW), Phillips-Van Heusen (PVH), just to name a few.

Be sure to visit our complete recommended list of the Best Dividend Stocks, as well as a detailed explanation of our ratings system here.

One of the first things that comes to mind is taking care of the lawn. You’d be surprised at how much you can save by having several neighbors decide to use the same landscaping service. Often times, a services-related business would like to consolidate accounts in clusters, so as to cut back on travel time lost. This really applies to many outside needs.

Contractors for interior work are a bit different, unless you have neighbors that decide they all want to have their homes painted or need renovation work. If you pool your negotiating power, you can bid out the work from a position of strength. Plus, with the real estate build-out days likely behind us for a while, construction and other home-related work activities have slowed to a crawl.

Of course, the drawback with teaming up your neighbors is that you are relying on them to be good customers as well. The concept makes sense financially, but you have to make sure the personalities will be able to mesh when decision time comes to choosing the service/companies you will be working with. One last note, you may want to decide on sharing equipment with your neighbors as well. Fortunately for me, I have a neighbor that is handy so we are able to save money on repairs that come with running your own lawn and home equipment.

And don’t forget: calculate the money you’ve saved and get that money working for you in the form of monthly dividend checks!

Paul Rubillo is the founder and CEO of Dividend.com.

Be sure to visit our complete recommended list of the Best Dividend Stocks, as well as a detailed explanation of our ratings system here.

First of all, you must have ultimate goals in order to put together a financial map to follow. Understand your risk profile and where you are in life, in relation to what the top-line goals are. For example, if you are afraid to take much risk, you will likely be less exposed to stocks.

The key thing to remember about a financial plan is to be flexible — your life changes, and so should your plan. There is no reason to roll the dice if you’re about to cross the finish line with a great record to show for it. People’s greed can often get in the way of using smart financial sense.

As families come into play, you’ll eventually need to consider the estate situation, identifying the beneficiaries for specific holdings, as well as make sure you have enough insurance to protect your loved ones. Make it a habit to perform an annual evaluation of where you are financially, as well as the situation regarding the economy and how that could affect your investment holdings.

You can also work with a financial planner that is cognizant of these factors. When working with a planner, holding information back is never a smart thing. Don’t ever let pride get in the way of you or your family’s financial well-being.

Paul Rubillo is the founder and CEO of Dividend.com.

Be sure to visit our complete recommended list of the Best Dividend Stocks, as well as a detailed explanation of our ratings system here.

Before you even start worrying about the costs of nursing homes, ensure that the financial estate of your loved one has been squared away first. It’s a good idea to address this issue sooner (before anything goes wrong) than later. Sit down with an estate tax attorney, discuss your options, and get a plan in place.

The most important aspect of choosing a nursing home is the quality of care your loved one will receive. Again, this research is better done sooner rather than later.

Half of nursing home stays come after a hospital stay, so being prepared is clearly smart move. Each state has a so-called “long-term-care ombudsman” who advocates for nursing home residents and, generally, oversees paid staff as well as volunteers certified to handle complaints. To find out more information, you can visit www.ltcombudsman.org. You’ll also want to research nursing home health inspections, staffing, fire safety, and quality measures at www.medicare.gov/NHcompare.

Life is more than money, so remember to think long and hard about what is truly important to you and your family when it comes to caring for a loved one in their later years.

Paul Rubillo is the founder and CEO of Dividend.com.

Be sure to visit our complete recommended list of the Best Dividend Stocks, as well as a detailed explanation of our ratings system here.