Noted Bear Bullish On Value Portfolio

James Davidson’s bearish newsletter, Strategic Investment (410-234-0691), usually leans toward gold stocks and short sales, but the current issue carries an intriguing “value portfolio” of picks by money manager George Frost.

“Wall Street’s a funny place,” he says. “As Warren Buffett and other astute investors have observed, it’s one of the few places where the higher prices go, the more eager people are to pay them.”

Here are the stocks, all worth a further look: Ag Services of America, agricultural services; Circus Circus Enterprises, casinos; Greif Brothers, shipping containers, timber; Hilton Hotels; and Rollins, pest control and security services.

FTC issues Web coupon warning

Web surfers beware: the Federal Trade Commission and the Coupon Information Network are warning about Internet advertisements that fraudulently promise hundreds of dollars or more per week in earnings from coupon-related businesses.

The Web sites typically advertise two schemes: One where investors sell coupon certificate booklets for up to $50, and another work-at-home coupon clipping scam.

For a free copy of the FTC brochure “When Coupons Are Costly” check the agency’s Web site at www.ftc.gov/, or write to the FTC’s Public Reference Branch, Room 130, 6th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C., 20580.

Childhood money tips offered

You can teach children aged five or younger about money by using a piggy bank to help them identify coins and count money.

For kids between the ages of five and 10, you can start giving them a weekly allowance for hands-on money management experience. And if they’re teenagers, you might consider giving them a seasonal clothing allowance on top of their regular allowance so they can learn to make their own financial decisions and set limits.

These money tips are included in a new brochure called “Teach Children About Money” from the Credit Union National Association.

For a free copy send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to CUNA Customer Service, Box 431, Madison, Wis. 53701.

Check student insurance coverage

The personal property of students who go off to college is usually covered under the homeowners or renters insurance policies of their parents, says Bob Hunter, director of insurance for the Consumer Federation of America.

With most homeowners and renters policies, up to 10 percent of the contents of the home or apartment can be off premises. That’s usually more than enough to cover the belongings of most college students.

However, be sure to check whether there are any limits on items such as computers, he says.