Staying motivated to save for an upcoming vacation with friends or a wedding may be easier than doing so for a far-off goal like retirement, since you’ll soon get to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

You shouldn’t have to cross your fingers and hope for a strong stock market to coincide with your short-term goals. And right now, you probably wouldn’t want to. Because you’re working within a short ...

Dashia is the consumer insights editor for CNET. She specializes in data-driven analysis and news at the intersection of tech, personal finance and consumer sentiment. Dashia investigates economic ...