Stock Tips for Bargain Hunters

While stocks have sunk to their lowest in years, there's a silver-lining for penny-pinchers. “Buying into the slumping market today should pay off big time when it finally bounces back,” reports US News and World Report, which offers 5 easy tips to get you started.

• Index funds: Minimal fees make indexing “an easy way to buy the entire market for pennies on the dollar.”
• Exchange-traded funds: Index funds, “with a twist.” Discount houses offer 10 free trades a month to those with a minimum of $2500.

• Thrifty active funds: The name says it all. Mutual funds that keep expenses low can be a good bet to do well in the long run. Plus, these funds manage to pull it off with a “real, live stock picker”.
• Boost 401(k) contributions: Sure, easier said than done, but if you can horde a little cash and throw it on the pile, you’ll be pleased you did. “Consider it a future gift for yourself.”

(More financial crisis stories.)