Charles Goyette has spent much of his life thinking about money. He has contemplated how it works, how governments manipulate it, and how it stores value.

Goyette, a radio show host, precious metals pro, and libertarian, shares his views on fate of the US dollar in “The Dollar Meltdown.” In his four-part book, Goyette details where the US economy and dollar are now, how we got here, what might happen next, and how to protect your money.

The topics Goyette presents are necessary reading for anyone wanting a well-rounded perspective on the current US economy. Even if you don’t agree with some of Goyette’s strong libertarian viewpoints, his colorful writing and factual anecdotes make “The Dollar Meltdown” an interesting read.

As its cover might imply, “The Dollar Meltdown” isn’t a gentle introduction to the collapse of the dollar. Libertarians and Austrian school aficionados would feel most at ease with this book. Refreshingly, the nonpartisan author implicates both Democrats and Republicans as fiscal and monetary ne’er do gooders.

Goyette says “the body economic is shuddering from the relentless compulsions of meddlers.” Thanks to government intervention in money and markets, the US faces runaway inflation. Between Sept 2008-March 2009, US monetary base grew 199%. Add the domestic dollar supply to foreign dollar reserves—up to half of US dollar reserves are in foreign hands—and you have a potential oversupply.

The country’s debt situation is making holders of dollars, both foreign and domestic, nervous about the value of their greenbacks. Goyette writes that our national debt adds up to $42,000/person for the bailout (March 2009 numbers). On top of that, China owns $767 billion in US Treasury securities. That’s the equivalent of each individual American borrowing $3,300 from people in China.

If people start dumping dollars, all that extra supply will make it back to the US. Inflation will result. Several countries are already seeking other kinds of reserves—euros and gold, for example—to replace dollars.

Why isn’t the government quaking in its boots? Because, says Goyette, it has always pursued inflation as a policy. Authorities aim for mild inflation as a manageable economic state. The government tries to alter deflationary states into inflation to gain a sense of control of the economy. “Helicopter” Ben Bernanke is doing exactly that right now. Moreover, as the country’s biggest debtor, the government benefits most from inflation. For example, at 4% inflation, a debt of $12 trillion depreciates by $480 billion/year.

Economic gyrations actually work well for politicians, because they can capitalize off the consequences of inflation. They can campaign based on economic woes. Inflation can help them get reelected. It also helps the government increase its own power. After the government produces inflation, it will initiate wage and price controls. It will use inflation as a vehicle to move towards central command (total economic control).

Goyette, a free-market proponent, says authorities can never be one step ahead of the economy. Inflationary policies aren’t good for the economy. “Saying some inflation is desirable is like saying a few termites are a good thing…,” he remarks.

To combat the wealth-destroying effects of runaway inflation, Goyette recommends you put 25% of your portfolio into gold and silver, ideally physically held. He offers expert, detailed advice on how and where to buy it. Goyette’s chapter on buying gold is one of the most cohesive and useful chapters in his book. His expertise in the field shines through.

Subsequent chapters aren’t as well-defined, but do offer detailed background information on each recommended investment. The next chapter talks about silver. Chapters on investing in oil, natural resources, commodities, bonds (using a long inverse strategy), and foreign currencies follow.

Analysis

At times, I found the book dogmatic. For example, throughout the book, Goyette mentions that America is transforming itself into a central command economy. He says command economies produce poverty. Fair enough.

But isn’t China, increasingly prosperous as it is, still a command economy? Goyette addresses this by saying that “as China freed its command economy, growth came.” Yes, but that doesn’t mean China is free from command. Nor does it mean that America won’t stop the top-down action until it becomes the USSA. This tendency to polarize marks some of his claims. What’s more, Goyette later recommends buying an ETN (exchange-traded note) issued by the (socialist) government of Sweden. We hate central command, but we support it when it’s in our own interest?

If you can get over a couple of belief-system rabbit holes, and the occasional divisive language—Ron Paul fans would claim it as fact, but if your belief system lands on the outskirts, Goyette can shock—“The Dollar Meltdown” is a worthy read. It covers a perspective you need to know about in an entertaining, interesting way.

Full disclosure: We were sent a free copy of The Dollar Meltdown.

How much can you make a year managing a sports team? A lot–if you’re in the right sport, and in the right country. If you can guide the Brazilian soccer team to yet another World Cup victory, or bring an NBA title to every team you touch, you will be rewarded. Handsomely.

Here are the 25 highest-paid sports coaches on the globe. See what it takes to make those millions:

25. John Calipari
Salary: $4.2 million

Image: Sean Davis/Flickr

After sixteen years of NCAA coaching, this hot University of Massachusetts college basketball coach got his big shot with the NBA. Alas, it was for the New Jersey Nets. When the University of Memphis came calling four years later, Calipari moved there. Compared to Jersey, the blue grass smells just fine, thank you very much.

24. Charlie Weiss
Salary: $4.2 million

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Weiss, a 15-year NFL veteran, went “back to school” to coach Notre Dame’s team. Weiss’ mother reportedly told this good Catholic boy that if he could ever work for Notre Dame, he should do so. For free. Luckily, the school and alumni were nice enough to give him a little bit of money for food, bills and such.

23. Joe Torre
Salary: $4.3 million

Image: Laphoto/Flickr

This 9-time MLB All-Star player won the World Series in his first year as the Yankees’ head coach. The stellar manager topped it off with three more World Series wins before coming out to bask in the Los Angeles sunshine.

22. Pete Carroll
Salary: $4.4 million

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Thinking about going back to college? It worked for Pete Carroll. After enjoying 15 years of moderate success as an NFL coach, he went back to USC. He turned USC’s program into a powerhouse again, snagging two BCS bowl National Championships within 4 years. He also gets to live in sunny California.

21. Nick Saban
Salary: $4.72 million

Image: Wikimedia Commons

What are you going to be doing in 2017? Nick Saban knows what he will be doing: Coaching the Alabama Crimson Tide. A long-term deal with a legendary college football program has a way of throwing the spotlight on you. But, jeez, Nick. Watch the tan. It’s inching toward George Hamilton territory.

20. Jim Mora
Salary: $5 million

Image: Keith Allison/Flickr

The Atlanta Falcons were a fun team to coach. That Michael Vick has some future, eh? But Atlanta just doesn’t have enough rain and coffee. What to do?

Jim Mora solved that problem by taking an assistant coach job with the Seattle Seahawks, owned by that other Microsoft guy. He waited for Mike Holmgren (previously the highest paid NFL coach) to retire.

Bam. 5 million. Not bad.

19. Bill Bellichick
Salary: $5 million

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Sure, he has three Super Bowl Rings, four conference titles and six division crowns. But Bill Bellichick is known more for his cut-off hoodies. You could call him a football genius, impresario, sloppy Bill, or cheater. Just know that the Mastermind doesn’t really care what he looks like. Or what you think. That’s Tom Brady’s job.

18. Tom Coughlin
Salary: $5.25 million

Image: Tom O’Neill/Flickr

Coughlin kind of looks like your neighbor who screams at you to “get off his lawn!” Known for his old-school style and colorful language, the New York Giants coach secured his dream QB in Eli Manning. He then guided the team to a Super Bowl championship after 12 seasons in the NFL.

Well done, sir. And nice black socks!

17. Glenn ‘Doc’ Rivers
Salary: $5.5 million

Image: Wikimedia Commons

With the addition of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to the Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers has made some people forget just how bad of coach he was in Orlando (he won under 50% in more than 8 years). During the past two seasons, he had the Celtics and their faithful believing in the playoffs once again.

16. Lovie Smith
Salary: $5.5 million

Image: Wikimedia Commons

He took the Bears to the Super Bowl in 2006, twenty years after Ditka did it with the Fridge. Beset by injuries and QB changes, the soul of Chicago football still reflects Lovie’s smooth style and tireless work ethic.

15. Jeff Fisher
Salary: $5.5 million

Image: Wikimedia Commons

One of the most beloved members of the NFL football family, Jeff Fisher was known as a hard working, loyal player. Those traits solidified his Tennessee Titans coach position for the past 15 years–the longest tenure of any current head coach. It turns out that they pay well for loyalty and stability, too.

14. Larry Brown
Salary: $6 million

Image: Ballerblogger/Flickr

Take heed, D’Antoni. New York put so much pressure on the Knicks owners to fire Larry Brown that they paid him $18 million to kindly take his ball and leave. His bags of cash and legend remained firmly intact when he moved down to Charlotte, N.C to coach the Bobcats. Besides, $6 million goes a lot further down South.

13. Don Nelson
Salary: $6 million

Image: BettorsEdge

Earlier in his career, Nelson was a five-time NBA champion. He’s the second-winningest coach in the history of the NBA (1,309). He was named NBA Coach of the Year three times.

Despite all those accolades, he has the worst job in the NBA. It has been said that the team he coaches, the Golden State Warriors, couldn’t beat a Catholic girls basketball team.

Ouch. Maybe that is why Don Nelson lives in Hawaii during the off-season.

12. Mike D’Antoni
Salary: $6 million

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Mike D’Antoni turned the Phoenix Suns around. Then, it all fell apart. After that, the storied Chicago Bulls came calling with a bit more money. But who can say no to coaching in the world’s media capital? After struggling for an identity, the New York Knickerbockers landed their elusive coach. Now the Big Apple has a new punching bag.

11. Arsene Wenger
Salary: $7 million

Image: Shields_t/Flickr

The French manager’s patented approach of crafting young players into superstars keeps Arsenal on top. Wenger turned down a pile of money from Real Madrid in the summer of 2009, endearing him to fans for years to come.

Continue to the top 10 Highest Paid Sports Coaches in the World ->

How do you sell something? Do you start with “I want to tell you about _____?” Do you introduce yourself by your job description, then try your best to keep eye contact as your audience’s attention wanders?

If you do, stop. The people you’re addressing don’t care about you or your offerings. Until you revamp your way of thinking, planning, and communicating, they’ll continue to ignore you. In “So What,” Mark Magnacca shows you how to communicate with your audience in an efficient, effective way.

The key, as the book’s title suggests, is addressing the so what? factor. According to Magnacca, a sales expert and business building coach, your audience—whether they’re prospects, existing clients, colleagues, or acquaintances–need to know how your product or service benefits them. Without knowing what’s in it for them, your audience won’t truly listen to you. You waste time and energy on sales tactics that don’t work.

In his brief, useful book, Magnacca coaches readers through the process of solidifying a So What? mentality. You finish the book knowing how to make a pitch resonate, regardless of audience. The end result? Better returns, a bigger customer base, and improved communication skills.

Magnacca outlines 3-4 simple lessons in each chapter. Chapter 1 tells you to adapt a new (So What?) way of thinking. Chapter 2 describes how you need to put the needs of your audience first. Subsequent chapters cover how to find out what’s most important to your audience, how to structure a presentation around that, how to properly prepare for a presentation, how to position yourself, how to present yourself, and how to keep yourself relevant. Although some lessons seem tangential—for example, “be authentic” seems like a superfluous reminder—the overall techniques in the book are helpful.

The author crafts each chapter in a way that convinces you the techniques work. Each chapter starts with a story, covering movies, sports stars, companies, politicians, Magnacca’s own experience, and other scenarios. The stories illustrate why the lesson in the chapter is effective. Magnacca also infuses chapters with additional examples of how So What techniques have made real-life business communications more effective. The end of each chapter summarizes a list of key points, and how you can apply them to your situation.

The book is written to teach. It’s simple and useful. You can breeze through it, but if you want to let Magnacca’s sales techniques gain traction, you need to put some time and practice into his lessons. If you need a sales boost, a new perspective, or just new ideas, grab a copy.

For more on “So What?”, go here.

Full disclosure: We were sent a copy of the book to review.

Our list covers currently available jobs that offer high earning potential to people without a technical or scientific degree. Some jobs require licenses or a little additional education, but most can be accomplished with a “worthless” liberal arts education (even one of those “lowly” online degrees).

Note: These are job categories as defined by the government in 2008. Therefore, some newer jobs or job categories aren’t included here. Entrepreneurship/owning your own business is also excluded.

20. Postal Service Clerk
Mean annual wage: $50,150

Job description: A Postal Service Clerk performs a variety of duties within a post office. These include processing mail, selling stamps and packing materials, processing money orders, sorting mail, repeatedly explaining the same concepts to confused customers, and various other duties.

How you land the position: The government prefers to hire people with a Bachelor’s degree. Customer service skills also help. If you’re interested in a full-time position, you need to pass a civil service exam.

Examples of companies to work for: The Unites States Postal Service

19. Construction and Building Inspector
Mean annual wage: $52,160

Job description: Inspectors enforce building safety codes. Tasks include examining new structures to determine the structural integrity of the building and ensuring buildings are safe before developers open them for use. Inspectors may also approve building plans or blueprints before construction begins. Inspections cover electrical and/or plumbing elements as well.

How you land the position: Some positions have no degree requirements. Positions in engineering or architecture, however, may require a Bachelor’s degree. Experience in the construction field helps your prospects. Some positions require specific certificates or licenses.

Examples of companies to work for: Local or state government agencies, National Building Inspections, Home Inspections USA, National Inspection Services

18. Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialist
Mean annual wage: $57,060

Job description: Assess aspects of compensation, benefits and job duties of employees for the primary employer. In this position, you may examine specific areas such as pension or employee classification levels.

How you land the position: Some sort of Bachelor’s degree is preferred, though specific education requirements may vary by position. Certifications and required job experience differ from one job to another.

Examples of companies to work for: Local and state government offices, consulting services, insurance carriers

17. Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator
Mean annual wage: $57,550

Image: KYFB.com

Job description: Inspect the damage on a vehicle or other property. Request the assistance of doctors, mechanics or other specialists in order to create an accurate insurance claim report. You can either work for an insurance company or work independently.

How you land the position: A liberal arts degree is a good start. Have a strong background in the latest technology, or be proficient at picking up new computer applications. Contact your state’s Department of Insurance to find out if certifications are necessary.

Examples of companies to work for: Allstate, State Farm, Nationwide, AAA, Progressive, and other insurers.

16. Instructional Coordinator
Mean annual wage: $59,780

Job description: An instructional coordinator, also known as a curriculum specialist, supports and improves the quality of education in a college, university, or other school. Responsibilities include reviewing and selecting textbooks; developing curricula; evaluating, placing and upgrading technological instruments in the classroom; training teachers, and assessing the overall quality and success of classes.

How you land the position: The minimum educational requirement is a Bachelor’s degree. Some employers prefer an advanced degree; others want a background in education. Required licensing and other requirements may vary from state to state.

Examples of companies to work for: Public and private elementary, secondary and post-secondary institutions, educational consulting firms, child day care services, scientific research and development services.

15. Social and Community Service Manager
Mean annual wage: 60,570

Job description: Run a social service or community outreach program. Tasks include overseeing the organization’s budget, directing employees (eg. counselors or social workers), networking with other organizations, community outreach, liaising with the government and media, and directing fundraising efforts.

How you land the position: Many employers prefer degrees in public administration or social sciences like psychology. If your degree is unrelated, try working your way up by volunteering or taking an entry-level position in your organization of choice.

Examples of companies to work for: Look for work with nonprofit institutions and the government.

14. First-Line Supervisor/Manager of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
Mean annual wage: $61,280

Job description: Overseeing and coordinating the duties of construction or extraction workers. Tasks may involve scheduling, inspection of progress, equipment and/or job sites, ordering supplies, locating and marking job sites, and recording and analyzing data.

How you land the position: Depending upon the area of specialization, positions require a variety of educational backgrounds up to a Bachelor’s Degree. Experience in industries like masonry, carpentry, electrical or building construction may help.

Examples of companies to work for: Building construction companies, roofing, drywall, electrical, glaziers, concrete companies, and anyone else involved in construction.

13. Insurance Underwriter
Mean annual wage: $62,600

Image: Santa Clara U

Job description: Review applications for insurance coverage submitted by non-clients wanting coverage. Find any possible risk associated in covering a potential client, then approve, deny or modify the policy to accommodate the client’s personal needs. If you become an underwriters, you may work for life or health insurance companies, or you might work with automobile, home owners or commercial insurance policies.

How you land the position: Most companies prefer a Bachelor’s degree. An emphasis in business administration or other business related course work, such as economics, accounting or insurance principals, helps. Many underwriters start out in entry-level positions and move their way up by gaining experience and industry knowledge. Continued education is highly recommended for advancement within the field.

Examples of companies to work for: Aetna, Cigna, State Farm, Farmers, New York Life, MetLife, and other insurance companies.

12. Broadcast News Analyst
Mean annual wage: $70,730

Job description: Broadcast news analysts, or new anchors, host television and radio news programs. Anchors read current news stories, host panel discussions, and perform interviews. Length and frequency of reports may vary depending upon seniority and the size of the news agency. An anchor at a large station will have a very specialized function, while an anchor at a small station may perform various duties relating to multiple topics such as sports, weather, traffic, and breaking news.

How you land the position: There are no formal educational requirements, but networks prefer a Bachelor’s degree. Any education or professional experience in English, public speaking, broadcasting, or communications helps. Candidates should have clear diction, strong voice projection and, for television, a professional appearance.

Examples of companies to work for: ESPN, CNN, Fox News, NPR, local radio stations, local television news network.

11. Gaming Manager
Mean annual wage: $73,480

Job description: Responsible for oversight of the gaming floor at casinos and other gaming institutions. Supervise dealers and other employees in the gaming area. You also perform customer service duties while out on the floor.

How you land the position: An Associate’s degree is recommended, as is prior casino experience. If you have a BA, flaunt it. Also be able to pass a background check.

Examples of companies to work for: Harrah’s, Isle of Capri, other casinos, riverboats, cruise ships, etc.

10. Sales Representative, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
Mean annual wage: $79,260

Job description: A sales representative’s job function, regardless of industry, is to present their merchandise or services to clients through demos and presentations, answer questions and concerns and provide initial customer service. As a sales rep, you may present a single product or a whole line of products. You might also provide services directly to consumers, to wholesalers, retailers, contractors, or government agencies.

How you land the position: Education levels for the field vary. A Bachelor’s degree is preferable, especially for anyone interested in working in technical or scientific industries. Excellent communication skills, a professional appearance, and a winning attitude are also keys for any sales job.

Examples of companies to work for: You may find employment in a retail environment, manufacturing, construction or IT, to name a few possible industries.

9. First-Line Supervisor/Manager of Non-Retail Sales Workers
Mean annual wage: $79,870

Job description: This job title is Labor Department-speak for Middle Manager, Field Not Specified. Your main job is to oversee employees who work in a non-retail environment. Additionally, you may perform accounting, budgeting or personnel matters.

How you land the position: A liberal arts degree is ideal, since specific career fields vary widely. Depending upon the industry, employees may have an emphasis in business, social sciences, computers, etc. Start in an entry-level position, then work your way up to middle management—or job-hop until you have the skills to land a middle management position at a new company. You can do this by acquiring relevant certificates, getting into a small but growing company, or laying out for an MBA.

Examples of companies to work for: This position exists in a broad range of fields. You may find employment in local government offices such as law enforcement, schools, nonprofits, or corporations. Job titles vary—just look for a “manager” suffix.

8. Agent and Business Manager of Artists, Performers, and Athlete
Mean annual wage: $81,550

Job description: An agent serves as a professional representative for another person. Agents introduce their clients to other important contacts within their industry and help negotiate deals and contracts. You should have a background and/or expertise in their desired field.

How you land the position: Education levels may vary greatly. A liberal arts Bachelor’s degree, complemented by strong communication and networking skills, is a good start. Agents also need the ability to look and act professional.

Examples of companies to work for: The Actors Group, Encore Talent Agency, Baron Entertainment, Cannonball Fine Art, Anna Goodson Management Inc., Flynn Sports Management, Progressive Sports Management

7. Stockbroker: Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agent
Mean annual wage: $92,050

Job description: A stockbroker buys and sells securities for brokerage firms. As a stockbroker, you may work with the public buying, selling or trading stocks, bonds, and other securities. Full service broker also advise their clients on investment matters, for an additional fee or commission.

How you land the position: Most stock brokers have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree, though education levels vary. Common majors include economics, finance, accounting, and business administration. But nobody’s going to kick you out for having a humanities degree. Additionally, to become a stockbroker, you have to pass the Series 7 and Series 63 licensing exams.

Examples of companies to work for: Charles Schwab, Merrill Lynch, Edward Jones

6. Education Administrator, Postsecondary
Mean annual wage: $92,920

Image: New America Foundation

Job description: Postsecondary education administrators perform administrative tasks at schools beyond the high school level. Administrators work in all departments. Organize course schedules, hire faculty and other staff, manage budgets, serve as academic advisors, and perform other administrative tasks.

How you land the position: Most colleges and universities prefer a Bachelor’s degree, though more advanced positions require a graduate degree.

Examples of companies to work for: Public and private universities, community colleges, vocational training schools, and technical institutes.

5. Pharmaceutical Sales Rep
Estimated wage potential: $100,000+

Job description: A typical pharmaceutical sales representative, also known as a drug rep, represents a particular drug or drug group for a major pharmaceutical company. Drug reps present product information and samples to physicians. For example, a drug rep specializing in cardiac medicine would sell cholesterol- or blood pressure drugs to cardiologists.

How you land the position: Have at least a Bachelor’s degree. Companies may prefer science degrees, but you can still get in with a liberal arts education. Previous sales experience is a plus. To make it as a rep, you need excellent communication skills. You should thrive in a competitive environment. You also need to look and act professional, and be willing to learn and speak clearly about the product you are selling.

Examples of companies to work for: Pfizer, Merck & Co., Bayer, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis

4. Public Relations Manager
Mean annual wage: $101,220

Job description: Oversees employees within the public relations (PR) and marketing departments. PR managers help a company manage its public appearance, brand, and reputation, as well as generate exposure for its products or services. Specific duties may include generating and distributing marketing materials, creating press releases, and liaising with journalists.

How you land the position: Besides your Bachelor’s degree, try to take specific coursework in public relations, communications, speaking, journalism, or English. To work your way up to management, start in an entry-level position and build experience. Keep a portfolio of your press releases, media mentions, and other positive accomplishments.

Examples of companies to work for: Positions exist within communications, construction, information technology, education, sporting goods, and many other industries. Companies with more exposure usually need more PR help.

3. General and Operations Manager
Mean annual wage: $107,970

Image: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

Job description: A general or operations manager organizes and oversees company operations in either the public or private sector. Duties may include creating and/or implementing policy, human resources, purchasing, and administrative tasks.

How you land the position: Gain industry experience to complement your Bachelor’s degree. Many companies prefer a managerial or supervisory history

Examples of companies to work for: Companies that employ this position may include jobs in construction, IT, sports, hospitality, freight, and a number of other industries.

2. Sales Manager
Mean annual wage: $110,390

Job description: A sales manager leads a sales team, helps train and develop her employees, and makes or contributes to hiring decisions. The success of the sales team is based, in large part, on the successful communication, direction and leadership of the sales manager.

How you land the position: Most companies prefer a Bachelor’s degree. Industry experience and education in your field of specialization help. A good track record in sales is crucial.

Examples of companies to work for: Everybody needs to sell. Look for positions in healthcare, education, finance, insurance, retail, and any other industry you feel drawn towards.

1. Marketing Manager
Mean annual wage: $118,160

Image: Fly4Change

Job description: A marketing manager focuses on increasing sales and recognition for their organization through marketing activities. Sales, public relations and advertising may fall under a marketing manager’s umbrella. As a marketing manager, you need to monitor competitor activities, demand for your products, new client markets, and your budget. You need to have the ability to create a strategic plan based on those parameters.

How you land the position: A liberal arts degree works for this field, although any kind of coursework in marketing, PR, or business helps, as does industry expertise. Depending on the company, you may also want an MBA. Previous marketing experience is essential.

Examples of companies to work for: This is a versatile position available within many industries ranging from IT, insurance, architecture, sporting goods, publications, etc.

With Asian central banks buying up the US dollar in an attempt to arrest its slide, the greenback situation is starting to look sketchier than ever. If you are sitting on a dollar-based savings account, or your portfolio isn’t hedged against dollar weakness, you may be feeling the pinch. Dolans has a good article on how to profit from a weak dollar. Here are four of their tips:

1. Consider investing in U.S. companies that have substantial operations overseas that may be able to take advantage of currency differences. Their products or services may be cheaper due to a weaker dollar. That should mean increased sales and higher profits.

2. Look at international stock (large-cap and emerging markets) and bond mutual funds for a portion of your portfolio. Check with Morningstar to see how well those international funds have performed. Limit your selections to funds that have done well for at least the past 5-7 years.

On this subject, MarketWatch says:

Most investment advisers recommend committing a minimum of 15% of a total portfolio outside of the U.S., including 12% to developed areas and 3% to emerging markets.

3. Although gold is approaching all-time highs (the all-time high was hit on March 18, 2008 when it almost touched $1034/oz.), consider investing a small percentage (5%-10%) of your portfolio in mutual funds or ETFs that invest in gold and precious metals. Gold is priced in dollars, so people tend to buy it when the dollar is weak because they get more bang for their buck. Increased demand drives the price higher.

4. Learning more about international CDs and hard currency money market funds that bet against the U.S. dollar. For illustrative purposes only, a couple of places to start are www.money-rates.com/intsavings.htm and the Merk Hard Currency Fund at www.merkfund.com.

This advice is general, and needs to be weighted against your own common sense. However, it’s worth thinking about if you feel like your portfolio hasn’t yet been adapted for the dollar’s slide.

Breeders around the world covet certain animals for their economic potential. Some produce a lot of meat. Some are iridescent. Others fit well into small spaces.

Nevertheless, all of the animals featured below have two things in common. One, they have highly unusual attributes. Two, those very attributes make each a potentially lucrative business proposition:

7. Giant Guinea Pig

Cuy meat is lean, protein-packed, and versatile. Better yet, cuys, or guinea pigs, reproduce quickly, offering a steady supply of meat. One Lima official said that guinea pigs will feed a family of up to eight people for only USD $3.20. Peruvians eat about 65 million guinea pigs per year.

With meat in mind, scientists in Peru set out to supersize the cuy. 34 years after they came up with the idea, scientists introduced a giant cuy weighing about 2.2 lbs, twice the usual size. The guinea pigs were especially prized for export, allowing Peruvians living abroad to get a (big) taste of home.

6. Belgian Blue

Known as the Incredible Hulk cow, Monster cow, and Schwarzenegger cow, the Belgian Blue takes the world’s blue ribbon for buffness. The cow’s hereditary myostatin defect results in excessive muscle growth known as “double muscling.” As a result, the breed produces a large amount of lean beef, endearing it breeders looking to penetrate a health-conscious beef market—or just trying to look good with a stable full of manly cows.

5. Fainting Goat

Fainting goats are bred to fall over. A hereditary disorder, myotonia congenita, causes their muscles to freeze when they’re scared, often resulting in them collapsing on their sides. Their small size makes them ideal for small farms, where they won’t hop fences—or will scare themselves into collapsing when they try.

According to oral history, the fainting goat was a good asset protector. Handlers would keep them with other (more valuable) animals, like sheep. When a predator came around, the fainting goat would collapse, effectively sacrificing itself so that the other animals could safely run away.

4. German Giant

The German Giant, one of the biggest domestic rabbit breeds on Earth, can grow to the size of a dog. Breeders covet giant rabbits for their looks, their fur, and their meat.

Breeder Carl Szmolinsky produced Germany’s biggest rabbit in 2006. His win inspired North Korean officials to purchase twelve of Szmolinsky’s German Giants to start a food breeding program. The giant bunnies’ offspring would help alleviate North Korea’s endemic food shortages.

Szmolinsky was scheduled to fly into Pyongyang to help them establish the program. North Korean officials, however, canceled his visit. He suspects that government officials ate the rabbits. “North Korea won’t be getting anything from me any more,” the upset Szmolinsky told Spiegel in this interview.

3. Minicow

If supermarket beef is becoming too expensive, don’t fret. You can purchase your own German Shepherd-sized minicow for a few hundred dollars. It’s tiny, meaty and, best yet, fits in your backyard. Homesteaders can choose from Irish Dexter, Mini Hereford, or Lowline Angus cows, which the Times says produces 70% of the steak of a cow twice its size. All you need is a couple of acres of grass and a little fencing. In return, you get organic, grass-fed beef, sans hormones or slaughterhouse.

2. Jersey Giant

Why eat turkey when you can buy a giant chicken instead? That’s what 19th-century breeders John and Thomas Black were thinking when they introduced the Jersey Giant. The breed, originally crossbred from three other kinds of chickens, produces hens weighing an average of 11 lbs, and cocks of 13 lbs. The meat industry initially took to the idea, but then cast Jersey Giants aside because they don’t grow fast enough.

1. GloFish

Swim aside, goldfish. The Sunburst Orange ® GloFish ™ is genetically engineered to outshine you by miles. And unlike you, boring, traditional goldfish, the GloFish ™ also comes in Starfire Red and Electric Green.

These colorful zebrafish hold the dubious honor of being the world’s first genetically modified pet. In 1999, Singapore-based scientists inserted fluorescence proteins from coral and jellyfish into a zebrafish embryo, resulting in the GloFish’s luminescent qualities. The idea was to create a fish that would fluoresce when it came near toxins, allowing it to detect pollution.

When businesspeople caught wind of the glowing fish, they saw great pet potential. In the US, Austin-based Yorktown Technologies licensed the GloFish—initially created in Singapore—for consumer sales. People continue to buy the dazzling danios, though GMO laws in Canada, and the EU ban people from possessing them.

Meredith Whitney said in a CNBC interview today that she thinks housing prices could fall 25% more, spending will fall, and the stock market will fall further. So much for green shoots. 24/7 Wall Street has more:

(Whitney) said that housing prices could fall another 25%. Here she sees a supply jam more than a vicious cycle as well as unemployment and exotic mortgage resets that makes the price drop inevitable. She thinks Florida has a massive leg down coming in another wave.

And as far as the overall stock market and financial stocks, she’s bearish there too and is looking for another leg down in the stock market. She thinks there will be both positive and negative trading opportunities around the market dynamics. Her only single BUY rating in the banks is ating in the banks is Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) which she said “still has a lot of gas in its tank.”

It also doesn’t hurt that Goldman Sachs holds the key to the government’s revolving door. Here’s the first Whitney video on CNBC.

Time has an interesting article about how most US money contains traces of cocaine:

A study that tested paper money from 30 big cities in five countries—including the U.S., Brazil, Canada, China and Japan—found that big metropolitan areas in both Canada and the U.S. have an alarmingly high presence of cocaine on their currency, with traces of the narcotic on 85-90% of bills. Brazil, coming in just behind the North American nations, had contamination on 80% of paper money. On the other end of the spectrum, in China and Japan, cocaine was present on a much lower 12-20% of banknotes.

The findings, presented Sunday at a meeting of the American Chemical Society in Washington, D.C., suggest that the prevalence of cocaine-laced bills in U.S. cities has jumped about 20% since just two years ago. University of Massachusetts chemistry professor Yuegang Zuo, the lead author on the current study, conducted a similar analysis in 2007 which found that 67% of U.S. banknotes had some traces of cocaine. The study authors speculate that the increase of residue on bills is likely in step with an increase in cocaine consumption—already as much as a $70 billion annual industry in the U.S., according to the researchers. An estimated 6 million Americans use cocaine each year, consuming somewhere between 259-447 tons of the stuff.

Read more here.

As news goes, the dollar bill-coke connection isn’t new–Snopes breaks down how it works.

Low commissions, linked accounts, and easy navigation have made it easy to invest online. The real trick is choosing the right online broker for your investment style. Hidden fees, complicated pricing structures, and a wild variety of offerings can make choosing an online broker a difficult process. In this article, we will try to make the selection process easier. That way, you can start investing online with confidence, and let the market—not your online broker—be the only system to take your money away.

What is an Online Broker?

An online broker provides a trading platform through which you buy and sell stocks, funds, bonds, and other investments. You can track your investments’ performances, your portfolio’s success, and market news. You can also do simple research on potential investments. Some platforms offer perks like analyst reports, forums, educational panels, and other types of research. Online brokers generally take smaller commissions than full-service brokers. Most online brokers don’t offer investment advice.

Things to Know Before Selecting an Online Broker

The North American Securities Administrators Association lists some important points that will help you stay informed before you start investing online:

1. Understand that you’re probably not linked directly to the market through your home computer. A click of the mouse does not instantly execute trades. Similarly, your online broker may not offer real-time prices—check to see if they do.
2. Check your online broker’s site to see how they get the best price for investors. Most will tell you.
3. Does your online broker charge high fees for market, limit, and stop loss orders? Some do. Check their website.
4. What are the online broker’s privacy and security policies? Some use your name for mailing lists or promotional purposes, even for third-party companies. Make sure you are comfortable with this before signing up.
5. Is your online broker legitimate? Your local securities division will be able to verify the broker’s registration status and disciplinary history. You can find your nearest regulator here.

How to Choose an Online Broker

Many online brokerages are designed with a certain niche in mind. For example, Vanguard targets mutual fund investors. TD Ameritrade markets towards older investors. ING ShareBuilder is set up for casual investors. OptionsXpress puts forth special consideration for options and futures traders. Spare yourself future headaches by matching your own needs with your broker’s specialties before investing your money.

New Investors
If you’re new to investing, consider a full-service discounter, like Charles Schwab or Fidelity. The personal advice offered by full-service brokers will help you gain confidence in the market. Such brokers help you pick a stock, plan your taxes, plan a long-term portfolio, and allocate your assets. The downside: You pay for the better service with higher commissions.

Passive Investors
Passive or small-time investors—those with little cash to put into the market—might consider deep discounters with no account minimums, like ING ShareBuilder. If ShareBuilder’s limitations on active trading prove too stifling, deep discounters like Scottrade only require $500 minimums while offering low trade commissions. If you’re into funds, Vanguard is one of the top index fund suppliers on the market, and definitely worth considering as a first choice for passive investing.

Long-Term Investors
If you’re conservative with your money, or just want to feel like it’s in safe hands, fund specialists like Vanguard, Fidelity and T. Rowe Price might fit your needs. Their fee structures are set up to encourage buy-and-hold behavior while discouraging active trading. Moreover, their interfaces are set up to help you follow your investments’ long-term behavior and plan for retirement.

Active Investors
If you’re an independent investor focused on short-term trades, you don’t want to pay high commissions. Discount brokers like TradeKing and Scottrade offer low commissions and quick order execution. ING ShareBuilder, on the other hand, charges an extra fee for executing trades that don’t fit their preset schedule, making it a poor choice for active investors.

Day Traders
Day traders need streaming live quotes, lightning-speed execution, low commissions, and advanced trading tools. Because their needs are so specialized, they usually use specialized brokers (such as Interactive Brokers), which aren’t covered in this article. Note that the SEC classifies most day traders as “pattern day traders,” and requires them to keep a minimum account balance of $25,000. Find out more about day trading brokers here.

What do you want to invest in?
Online broker commissions and fees can vary wildly for the following common investments:

Mutual funds
Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)
Bonds
Individual stocks
CDs
Money Markets
Options
Futures
Margin Trading

If you know where you want to put your money, research the fees for the investments you want. Make sure commissions and fees are acceptable before investing your money. Note that advertised low commissions might not apply to options, limit orders, or phone/fax trades.

Other Considerations
No matter what kind of investor you are, take a moment to consider an emergency situation. If the site loads slowly during peak trading times, does that affect you? Do you need to execute trades by phone or fax? Will you ever need to contact a live person?

What to Look For When You Choose an Online Broker

Dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPS). These allow you to automatically reinvest dividends into stock, avoiding brokerage fees while building up your shares. Read more about DRIPS here.

Low commissions. Broker commissions vary wildly. Scottrade charges $7 for stock trades, while Vanguard, traditionally a fund company, charges $25/trade. Low/high commissions alone don’t tell the whole story—companies with low commissions may charge hidden fees, while those with high commissions offer other perks that make up for the high trade price—but they should be one of the first things you consider in selecting an online broker.

Fees. Fees, especially when they’re hidden, work against you. Yet all brokerages charge them—they have to make their money somehow. Vanguard, for example, charges a $30 annual maintenance fee. E*Trade charges $40/quarter ($160/year!) if you don’t meet certain conditions. ING ShareBuilder charges a $25 inactivity fee. Most brokerages charge fees to transfer money out, close IRAs, and for special requests, like paper statements, stock certificates, etc. Others charge higher fees for limit orders. Fees will eat into your precious investment fund. Understand how they work before selecting an online broker.

Account minimums. Some brokerages offer rock-bottom commissions—if you keep a $10,000, $25,000, or even $100,000 minimum account balance. Yet they advertise these commissions in a way that makes you think they’re for everyone, even small-time investors. Look at the asterisks and fine print before falling for clever marketing speak. And look out for fees if your account falls below the minimum balance.

If you do have a pile of cash to send your online broker, see what kinds of perks you can get before signing up. Oftentimes, you can get better interest rates, banking packages, and lower fees as well as low commissions. Most full-service brokers offer discounted wrap accounts when you hold a high account minimum. With a wrap account, you pay a quarterly flat fee that covers commission and other expenses.

Reputation. What is the broker’s reputation? Scour the Web to find out. Start with ratings sites like JD Power, Epinions.com, or forums like HotStockMarket. Magazines, including Kiplinger’s and Barron’s, put out annual “best brokerages” articles. Check for fraud at consumer advocacy sites like Ripoffreport or lawyer sites like Stockbroker-fraud. Also ask your friends, family, and colleagues for their opinions on brokers.

Level of service. Online brokers charge different rates for phone orders and broker-assisted orders. Moreover, brokers invest varying amounts of energy into customer service. Schwab and Fidelity, for example, offer hand-holding as part of their business model. Zecco and E*Trade, on the other hand, are notoriously difficult to get a hold of. TradeKing, a deep discounter, also offers great customer service and exceptionally cheap broker-assisted orders.

At minimum, look for reasonable level of customer service, including instant messaging, fast phone responses, and accurate responses (see the Kiplinger’s review linked at the bottom of this article for a more thorough evaluation of each broker).

Promotions: Online brokers are in a competitive industry. They try to snag your business by offering promotions. Many major brokers are running promotions at time of writing. For example, TD Ameritrade is offering 30 days of free trading. E*Trade is touting 99-cent futures. Zecco gives you ten free stock trades per month, while Scottrade and TradeKing will cover some of your transfer fees.

Reviews of Popular Online Brokers

To help you get started, we reviewed 10 popular online brokers. Most allow multiple types of accounts, including individual accounts, IRAs, business accounts, and trust accounts. They also generally allow for stock, ETF, option, margin, bond, and mutual fund trading. We didn’t review tools in detail—all of the online brokerages offer at least a basic research and tool set—but noted when tools were either exceptional or lacking. We noted exceptions below. Promotions are from time of writing.

E*TRADE

Perks: International stock exchange in six countries (Canada, Germany, France, Japan, Hong Kong, and the UK). You can trade on a wide range of futures, as well. Wide range of educational articles, panels, and other resources. Large selection of no-load, no fee mutual funds (more than 7,000). Excellent research tools. Good selection of bonds.
Drawbacks: $40/quarter account maintenance fee if you don’t meet certain conditions. Marginal customer service.
Promotions: 99-cent futures trades; $1 bond trades.

Commissions/Fees
Stock/options trades: $12.99/trade. Tiered pricing.
Broker-assisted orders: Vary by product.
Margins: 3.99%-6.99%
Hidden fees? Account service fees of $40/quarter if you don’t meet their requirements to waive the fee:

Minimum deposit
Brokerage accounts: See $40 fee information above.
Independent checking account or money market account: $1,000, or they charge you $10/month
Max-rate checking account: $5,000, or they charge you $15/month
Banking options: Checking accounts, money market accounts, Platinum Visa card.

Customer Service: Marginal. No instant messaging available.

Find more details here.

Scottrade

Perks: Intuitive website. Canadian trading platform. Chinese language version of the site. Good research tools.
Drawbacks: Active/high volume traders may find tools and trading options limited.
Promotions: They cover up to $100 in transfer fees if you switch to their service.

Commissions/Fees
Stock/options trades: $7 stocks; $7 + $1.25/contract for options
Broker-assisted orders: $27
Margins: 5.25%-7.75%
Hidden fees? No.

Minimum deposit
Brokerage accounts: $500
Margin: $0
IRA: $0
Banking options: Cash interest up to 1%. No credit card or checking/savings accounts available.

Customer Service: Good, but no instant messaging available.

Find more details here.

TD Ameritrade

Perks: Simple, no-frills setup. Seems to target older investors. No minimum deposit required to open an account. Free dividend reinvestments. No tiered fees. Excellent research tools.
Drawbacks: Expensive margin rates. Mixed reviews on website speed and customer service response.
Promotions: 1 month of free trades + $100 cash.

Commissions/Fees
Stock/options trades: Stock $9.99; options $9.99 + $0.75 per contract. No tiered fees.
Broker-assisted orders: $44.99
Margins: -1.50%-1.25%
Hidden fees? $2 paper statement fee has caught some users by surprise.

Minimum deposit: None.
Banking options: Money market accounts; 0.05% cash interest. Checking accounts available.

Customer Service: Mixed reviews.

Find more details here.

Zecco

Perks: “Zecco” comes from “zero cost commission,” and that’s what customers can get if they keep a minimum of $25,000 or 25 trades/month in their accounts. Free dividend reinvestment. Social networking component.
Drawbacks: Site and certain transaction times can be slow. No CDs on offer. Hidden fees. Cash/money market interest relatively low. Average research tools.
Promotions: 10 free stock trades/month.

Commissions/Fees
Stock/options trades: $4.50 stocks; $4.50 + $0.50 for options. 10 free stock trades/month with $25,000 minimum balance or 25 trades/month. Forex trading available. Social networking component.
Broker-assisted orders: $19.99
Margins: 4.7%-7.4%
Hidden fees? No load mutual funds are $10 (many other providers offer them for free). IRA accounts have an annual fee of $30. Same fee applies to canceled IRAs. More fees.

Minimum deposit
Brokerage accounts: None, unless you want those 10 free trades/month. $500 minimum to receive interest (currently 0.01%-0.87%, depending on the product).
Banking options: 4% money market account.

Customer Service: Questionable.

Find more details here.

Vanguard

Perks: Unbeatable for no-load mutual funds and low-cost index funds. Excellent customer service. Very stable company. Dividend reinvestment.
Drawbacks: Not good for active or aggressive traders. Hidden fees if you don’t have an elite account or trade a mutual fund too early. Prior approval needed for options and margins. Limited options for investors with minimal funds. Research tools aren’t the best.
Promotions: None.

Commissions/Fees
Stock/options trades: $25 or $0.025 per share, whichever is greater. Tiered pricing.
Broker-assisted orders: $45 + $0.05 per share.
Margins: 0.25%-1.25%
Interest/return on cash: Rates vary by product.
Hidden fees? $30 annual maintenance fee (free if you have one of three elite accounts). A 1% redemption fee applies to no transaction fee shares held less than 180 days, with a minimum fee of $50 and a maximum fee of $250.

Minimum deposit
$3,000 for nonretirement no-fee mutual funds; $1,000 for IRAs and other account types.
Banking options: Checking account and Visa debit card for people with an Advantage account (you need to be a member of certain programs to get this account).

Customer Service: Excellent.

Find more details here.

ING ShareBuilder

Perks: No minimum investment or money market account deposit. Easy interface. Free dividend reinvestment. Good for casual investors. No monthly fees for basic account. Links up with ING’s extensive range of banking services. Dividend reinvestment.
Drawbacks: Restrictive trading schedule. Lots of hidden fees. Limited tools. Mutual funds are limited and rather expensive. Real-time trading costs more. Service reported to be slow at times. Forget trying to research anything on this site.
Promotions: Free one-month trial; buy stocks for $4 with automatic investing

Commissions/Fees
Stock/options trades: $4 per investment; options: $9.95 + $1.50 per contract. Tiered pricing with monthly plans. Trades must be executed on a predetermined schedule, otherwise, increased charges apply.
Broker-assisted orders: Not available.
Margins: 4.5%-7.5%
Hidden fees? $19.95 for the redemption or exchange of shares of ING Funds that are held less than 90 days. $25 charge if you don’t log into your account for three years. Purchasing stock in real-time or outside of the given schedule costs $9.95 (instead of $4). Surcharge of 15 cents for each additional share over 1,000 shares.

Minimum deposit: None.
Banking options: Credit card, checking/savings account, and other services available through ING bank.

Customer Service: Marginal.

Find more details here.

Fidelity

Perks: Big, established company with physical locations. Great portal-like homepage, with breaking news, advice, blogs, etc. Free one-on-one consultations. Lots of hands-on help. Offers life insurance. Excellent research tools. Very good customer service. Lots of personal assistance available. Offers HSAs. Good access to foreign markets. More than 40,000 bonds available. One-second trade execution guarantee.
Drawbacks: High fees. Expensive if you don’t have at least $25,000 in household assets and execute 36+ trades/year. Hidden fees. Not ideal for active/day traders.
Promotions: None.

Commissions/Fees
Stock/options trades: $19.95 stocks; $19.95 + $0.75 options. Tiered pricing.
Broker-assisted orders: $55 + 14 cents/share above 100 shares
Margins: 3.75% – 8.575%
Hidden fees? $12 annual fee for noncore Fidelity funds under $2,000. $50 to close certain IRAs and HSAs. $25 annual fee for SIMPLE IRAs. $48 annual fee for Fidelity HSAs.

Minimum deposit
Brokerage accounts: $2,500
Banking options: Checking/savings accounts, debit card available. 0.2% cash interest.

Customer Service: Very good.

Find more details here.

Charles Schwab

Perks: Lots of advice on the website. Big company with physical locations. Full-service discounter, like Fidelity. Good access to foreign markets. Good selection of bonds.
Drawbacks: High fees. It can take a long time to put money into an account.
Promotions: None.

Commissions/Fees
Stock/options trades: $12.95 for first 1,000 shares stock + 1.5 cents/share over 1,000; $8.95 + $0.75/contract options
Broker-assisted orders: $37.95
Margins: 6%-8.5%
Hidden fees? $5/month for failing to maintain minimums for certain accounts. Confusing set of special service fees.

Minimum deposit
Brokerage accounts: $1,000
Banking options: Checking/1.75% APY savings accounts and credit cards through Charles Schwab Bank.

Customer Service: Very good; however, no instant messaging option available.

Find out more here.

OptionsXpress

Perks: Free broker-assisted trades. Good choice for futures and options traders. We could only find one hidden fee. No minimums for brokerage accounts.
Drawbacks: No online bill pay or debit cards available. Complicated pricing structure (though this does compensate for lack of hidden fees). Different levels of trading need to be authorized by the company. No CDs.
Promotions: None.

Commissions/Fees
Stock/options trades: $9.95 for first 1,000 shares (+ 1 cent/share thereafter) stocks (9+ trades/quarter required, otherwise trades costs $14.95); options range from $12.95-$30.00. Tiered pricing.
Broker-assisted orders: Free
Margins: 4%-6.25%
Hidden fees? $50 IRA termination fee.

Minimum deposit
Brokerage accounts: None.
Margin accounts: $2,000
Banking options: Electronic transfer, but no checking/savings or debit cards.

Customer Service: Very good.

Find more details here.

TradeKing

Perks: Excellent customer service. Social networking component. Good range of calculators and tools. Cheap broker-assisted orders.
Drawbacks: No interest on cash. Expensive banking products.
Promotions: They’ll cover transfer fees up to $150.

Commissions/Fees
Stock/options trades: Stocks $4.95/share + $0.015 /share over 1,000 shares; options $4.96 + $0.015/share over 1000 shares, $1.50 per contract or $14.95 minimum.
Broker-assisted orders: Same price as stocks.
Margins: 4.5%-6.5%
Hidden fees? $50 IRA termination fee.

Minimum deposit: None.
Banking options: Checking account and debit card. ATM withdrawals cost $1/each; $50-$75 annual fee on checking accounts.

Customer Service: Excellent.

Find more details here.

For more, please see Kiplinger’s 2008 online broker reviews.

(Note: We estimated most athletes’ earnings. Some numbers may be low.)

25. Raghib “Rocket” Ismael

Notre Dame/Dallas Cowboys star; received the largest 3-year deal in football history
Estimated lifetime earnings: $20 Million

No jail time, drug charges or bankruptcy here, just bad business moves. Financial vultures bled Ismael’s riches by selling him their “fool-proof” investments. After bypassing the NFL as the presumptive #1 pick, Ismael went to the Canadian Football League and signed the largest deal in their history.

He played two years in Canada and 10 in the NFL, earning an estimated $18 million to $20 million in salary alone. He then started to invest in a series of ventures that went bust, including a Rock n’ Roll Café, COZ Records, a movie, cosmetics, nationwide phone-card dispensers, and caligraphy proverbs kiosks.

Today, Ismael does a sports talk show for the Dallas Cowboys—and looks very closely at any money he makes.

24. Scott Eyre

World Series champion, pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies
Estimated lifetime earnings: $10 Million

Eyre, like many of us, was taken for a fool during last year’s stock market/investment madness. His money grew tied up in the $8 billion fraud allegedly perpetrated by Texas financier Robert Allen Stanford. Eyre told the New York Post that 99% of his fortune is frozen and possibly gone. After admitting that he was broke, the Phillies agreed to advance Eyre a portion of his $2 million salary.

23. Evander Holyfield

4-time Heavyweight Champion of the World
Estimated lifetime earnings: $250 million

He had a deal with Diet Coke, a video game, the “Real deal” record label, the “Real Deal” grill, and appeared in numerous TV appearances and 3 films. Then, there was the dancing thing. One wonders how Holyfied had time to lose money. The answer: Children. Holyfield fathered 11 of them.

“I’m not broke; I’m just not liquid,” 45-year-old Holyfield claimed when he narrowly avoided charges that he was around $9,000 behind in court-ordered child support payments. The banks foreclosed on his $10 million dollar home. Even a landscaping firm says the former champ owes them $500k for yard work. Ever since Tyson bit his ear off, it seems everyone wants a piece of the Champ.

22. Jack Clark

MLB player since 1975
Estimated lifetime earnings: $20 million

When Jack Clark declared bankruptcy on listed debts of $11.4 million and assets of $4.8 million, his lawyer made a statement. “He had some expensive hobbies, and I think they got ahead of him.”

Ya think? The man owned 18 automobiles, including a 1990 Ferrari that cost $717k alone. His three customized, tricked out 1992 Mercedes Benzes cost around $125k each. All in all, he still owes money of 17 of his cars, as well as the failed drag racing course he meant to race them on. Add to that half a mil in back taxes, and you have some expensive hobbies, indeed.

21. Johnny Unitas

Hall of Fame quarterback, 3-time MVP, Superbowl champion, 10-time Pro Bowl selection
Estimated lifetime earnings: $4 million

Widely considered one the best pro football QBs of all time, Johnny Unitas set several records that may never be beaten on the football field, like 47 games with a touchdown pass in a row.

He starred in professional football before salaries were measured in millions. His yearly contracts ranged from $7,000, his first in 1956 with the Colts, to $250,000 plus a $175,000 bonus in his last one with the San Diego Chargers in 1973.

After his playing days, he made some money as a TV commentator for CBS. He also invested in tanked business ventures, including a chain of bowling establishments, a prime-rib restaurant, an air-freight company, and Florida real estate investment. He and his wife, Sandra Unitas, filed for personal bankruptcy protection in 1991 after investing in a failed Reisterstown circuit-board manufacturer. He died 11 years later with a lawsuit from his estate hanging over all of his businesses.

20. Deuce McAllister

New Orleans Saint’s all-time rusher, 2-time Pro Bowl star
Estimated lifetime earnings: $70 Million

John Elway got out of the car dealership business early, but Deuce McAllister Nissan, based in Jackson, Miss., didn’t fare as well. The business recently went bankrupt, with McAllister owing Nissan more than $6.6 million plus almost $300,000 in interest on his car dealership. Reports are that he will seek bankruptcy protection. If you want that new Deuce Pathfinder, you better pick it up in a hurry.

19. Bjorn Borg

11 Grand Slam titles; former #1 men’s tennis player in the world
Estimated earnings: $4 million + $4 million in endorsements per year

Borg’s famous Swede cool never made it off the court. After retiring from tennis, Bork overdosed on drugs. Some people speculate that it was a suicide attempt, though Borg denies it. His wife left him after that. Borg then courted a string of women, one of whom police busted on possession of cocaine. He tried launching a clothing line, but failed miserably. Years later, Borg has rebounded after starting an underwear line and a new dating site.

18. Rollie Fingers

Hall of Fame pitcher, 3-time World Series champ; last played for the Milwaukee Brewers
Estimated lifetime earnings: $8 Million

Fingers retired in 1985 and made it four years before investments in pistachio farms, Arabian horses and wind turbines took him down. He filed for bankruptcy in 1992. Creditors claimed he owed more than $4 million; he listed his assets at less than $50,000. He resolved his predicament by selling baseball cards and going back to work. In 2007, a dispute over back taxes flared up, but Fingers was able to prove he did indeed pay, and was cleared of all wrongdoing.

17. Sheryl Swoopes

3-time gold medal Olympian, 3-time MVP for the WNBA, first pro women’s basketball player
Estimated lifetime earnings: $50 Million

Swoopes, the “Michael Jordan of the WNBA,” scored her own Nike deal for the Jordan-inspired “Air Swoopes” brand. Swoopes, a marketing machine, enjoyed a stint as the face of the WNBA, but her fortunes didn’t last. She filed for bankruptcy in 2004, citing mismanagement by her agents and layers. She owed nearly $750,000.

16. Scott Harrison

First Scottish boxer to gain the World Boxing Federation featherweight title
Estimated lifetime earnings: $5 million

The pride of Scotland had problems with drinking, drugs and consequently the law. A world champion in 2003, Harrison’s life later spun out of control. In 2006, he pulled out of a fight to check into rehab.

It didn’t work. The same year, police in Spain arrested him on charges of auto theft and assault. Officials stripped him of his title and his license to box for failing to show up for a fight and weigh in. Early in 2007, police arrested Harrison for valium possession, police assault, resisting arrest, and refusing to leave a pub. A few months later he was arrested again for starting a fight in a brothel. By July 2007, the ever-classy Harrison declared bankruptcy after losing his last fight…over unpaid taxes.

15. Leon Spinks

Beat Muhammad Ali for the heavyweight title; Olympic gold medalist
Estimated lifetime earnings: $4.5 million over two fights

Before he lost his second fight with Ali, Spinks’ personal life slid downhill. Police arrested him four times for everything from driving the wrong way to cocaine possession. The WBC stripped him of the belt before the fight, but it went on for the WBA belt. Spinks’ lawyers and managers allegedly spent or took all of his money. Thieves mugged him on the street. In 1990, he found his son shot dead inside in his girlfriend’s car.

Spinks eventually worked for Mike Ditka as a Restaurant greeter. The company fired him. Most recently, he is stable and working at a gym again, only this time it is the YMCA, and he is the janitor.

14. Dorothy Hamill

Gold medalist skater; America’s first darling Olympian
Estimated earnings: $1-2 million/year in endorsements

After receiving a gold medal in the 1976 Olympics, Dorothy Hamill became America’s first Olympic darling. After that, her luck turned. A competing skater’s coach tried to run her over. She made a bad purchase in the dying Ice Capades franchise. She survived breast cancer, two divorces, and a gig as a Vioxx spokesperson. A final, failed investment in an Arizona ice skating rink pulled her into bankruptcy.

13. Lawrence Taylor

New York Giants MVP, sack leader, Hall of Famer, 2-time Superbowl champ
Estimated lifetime earnings: $50 million

After retiring from his superstar NFL career, Lawrence Taylor enjoyed his celebrity to the fullest. Known for cavorting with women, openly using cocaine and drinking late into the night, the former defensive end spiraled downwards after he left the league. Police jailed him three times for possession. The IRS caught him for filing a false tax return. Rumors claimed he was involved in a drug and gun ring. He finally declared bankruptcy in 1998. One year later, the Pro Football Hall of Fame rewarded him for cleaning up his act by inducting him.

12. Darren McCarty

Stanley Cup winner, 11-year Detroit Red Wings player
Estimated lifetime earnings: $10 million

McCarty declared bankruptcy after listing over $6 million in debts. He blamed his business partner for looting their company. One court filing states that MCCarty had a 20% stake in a company with one real asset: a truck stop. His partner took out a $3 million dollar loan on that one asset, then forged McCarty’s signature for a $650,000 salary pull. Ouch.

11. Travis Henry

Starting running back for the Buffalo Bills, Pro Bowl selection
Estimated lifetime earnings: $20 million

Henry has 9 kids by 9 different mommas. He was just indicted on charges of cocaine trafficking. He was also just jailed after trying and failing to temporarily reduce one of his nine child-support payments, stating he could no longer afford to pay $3,000/month. He also fell $16,600 behind in payments for his child in Frostproof, Fla. His estimated yearly payments for the children are roughly $170,000.

To top off his pain, he just blew a $25 million contract with Broncos because of the narcotics trafficking thing and failed drug tests.

Click Here For Rich Athletes Who Went Broke: 10-1