The slump in stock market investing this year has value investors licking their lips. But Louis Basenese says there are at least three value traps for every true deal out there. How do you spot a bargain from a lost cause?

Rick Pendergraft says you shouldn’t underestimate the lift that tumbling gas prices can give consumers in 2009. Compared to the $4 a gallon peak in July, drivers will save $162 billion a year at today’s prices. Add that to a boost in confidence from the Presidential changeover, and Rick says a slow recovery could be on the horizon.

Every solution has a cost, says Bill Bonner. And trying to solve this credit crisis could cost the government over $2 trillion a year. That why when the Fed says is it “going for broke” to avoid all-out financial collapse, it really means it.

Gold bugs have suffered one of their worst years in history, says Keith Fitz-Gerald. But the US dollar looks increasingly fragile beyond this period of short-term panic buying. And that means the outlook for gold remains strong. Keith says every investor should ensure gold forms part of their investment strategy for 2009.

The government is printing money so fast that even cash isn’t a safe bet any more, says Daniel Zurbrügg. And even though gold has slumped during this crisis, the long-term outlook for

There is a way to join a company’s long-term employee benefit program without lifting a finger, says Jim Nelson. Some firms offer Dividend Retirement Plans (DRIPs), which allow you to both receive regular dividend checks and reinvest earnings in discounted stock. And as long as dividend payments keep coming, there is no need to worry about a volatile share price.

Investors are fleeing the stock market as the rules of the game keep changing. But if you know what the next shift will be, you can stay ahead of the curve. Shah Gilani outlines the five coming “aftershocks” of this financial crisis, and what they mean for your portfolio.

Andrew Snyder says the temporary economic pain of allowing General Motors (NYSE:GM) to fail is better than propping up a lost cause with public money. He says its time to let GM go and allow the process of creative destruction to work freely.

Whether you agree with them or not, the bailout programs will keep on coming. Keith Fitz-Gerald looks at the key impact these will have on the dollar, commodities and global stocks. He says we could be in line for a market rebound by mid-2009, and suggests six ways to prepare your portfolio now.

The jury is still out on whether China’s massive infrastructure-based stimulus package is the best way to rescue the economy. But Martin Hutchinson says it is great news for suppliers of raw materials. He picks 5 companies that will benefit from the injection of cash. Of those, Martin says Brazil’s iron ore producer Vale (ADR: RIO) is the best value buy.

Lynn Carpenter says pension fund deficits could be a major threat to dividend payments. Legislation forces companies to keep private pension plans well funded, meaning some will have to raise large sums of cash at short notice. Lynn picks 9 firms that could soon be forced into making big dividend cuts.

Energy prices continue to tumble on recession fears and a US dollar rally. For investors that are long-term bullish on energy markets, this represents a great buying opportunity, says Andrew Snyder. He expects coal producers like Massey (NYSE:MEE), Peabody (NYSE:BTU) and James River Coal (NYSE:JRCC) to see big increases in their valuations in the coming year.

According to Ken Fisher, a member of the Forbes 400, there are only 10 ways to get rich. (This is after discounting things you can’t control like a lottery win or a big inheritance.)

No-one likes an economic correction, says Bill Bonner. But they are both “essential and helpful.” If left to its own devices, the market will sort out its own mess. But the Fed will never let this happen. And just like Japan in the 90’s, this will only draw out the suffering.

Andrew Snyder says savvy investors can earn some quick profits on the back of the government’s $700bn bailout plan. A company like General Electric (NYSE:GE) doesn’t need a cash injection to survive, but can use a “shot in the arm” to revitalise growth.