What a wild week it's been — and it's only Tuesday. The stock market plunged, the coronavirus spread and many more people's jobs are going remote as businesses scramble to protect employees and customers. While things are grim on Wall Street, there is a silver lining: It's a good time for some people to refinance debt, from credit cards to mortgages to student loans. We'll tell you all you need to know about that and more below. 

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Janie

Take Back Your Life

The stock market took another major hit Monday as fears grow over how the coronavirus might wreak long-term economic havoc. The sharp drop is just the latest following a couple of weeks of volatility. But even though markets rallied briefly in early March, thanks to emergency measures taken by the Federal Reserve, the market ultimately continued tanking.

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Many are left wondering what we can expect from the market as the virus continues to spread. Is this just a temporary dip, or should we all be battening down for further market downturns?

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Here’s what experts say could happen to the stock market and general economy if coronavirus continues to be a threat, and what you can do to protect yourself.

Deal With It

Reporter Monica Torres' layoff experience took her by surprise ― but all the signs were there, had she known what to look for. Her team manager suddenly scheduled an all-hands meeting at 4 p.m. on a Friday that she needed to attend in person. One week earlier, her manager’s manager stopped making eye contact in the hallways. And in the month before, during business strategy meetings, higher-ups kept mentioning “pivots” and “restructurings” that would make her team increasingly redundant. 

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Don't be caught off guard. Monica spoke with experts who laid out nearly a dozen clues you can look for if you suspect pink slips are coming.

Pro Tip:

Trying to spend less money? There are groups on Facebook that will even help you buy nothing. The Buy Nothing Project was started by two Washington state moms who were horrified by the amount of garbage washing up on their local beach, and now connects neighbors who both ask for and offer up things they can pass on or receive for free rather than buy or trash. Casey Bond breaks down how it works. 

Want More Practical Magic?

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