Dear Liz: In a recent column you mentioned a fund that shows a return of 7% consistently for several years to present. Would you be so kind as to provide me with the name of the fund?
Answer: I don’t know of any mutual fund that’s shown a consistent 7% return year in and year out. What you may be referring to is research showing overall stock market returns. Taking into account each year’s gains and losses, the average annual return over each 30-year period starting in 1928 — from 1928 to 1958, 1929 to 1959, and so on — is greater than 8%, but you can’t expect 8% every year.
Today’s top story: Credit cards tips that’ll last a lifetime. Also in the news: Why your credit score matters the most in your twenties, how to wrangle your W-2s from your employer, and millionaire money tips for the rest of us. 
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Thanks to the ease of comparison shopping online, almost anyone can suss out a 10% discount these days, and 20% isn’t all that tough either. But if you’re looking for major-league savings—the kind that can reach 30% to 50% off or more—then you need a special weapon. You need intel.