In Brief

By Anamaria Wilson

FEE YOU LATER Scudder Kemper has decided that to keep and lure investors, it has to lower costs and simplify choices. That's a good start. The company is cutting the number of funds offered from 77 to 43. Say goodbye to the Scudder Financial Services Fund. Say hello to lower fees: the expense ratio for the Scudder Balanced Fund will fall to .77% from 1.33% if the plan is approved. We vote yes.

STAR BUCKS What would you pay to shoot a round of golf with Tiger Woods? (And how many strokes would you get?) A new site called UltimateBid.com lets you compete for the opportunity to rub elbows with celebrities. High bidders can hang out with Derek Jeter at spring training or ogle Heidi Klum at a modeling shoot. The action usually starts at a couple of grand. Other stars, such as Joe Montana, Arnold Palmer and Gloria Estefan, will offer comparable packages. UltimateBid estimates that big-name stars will give about 90% of the profits to their favorite charities.

BILL BUSTER There's nothing clever about the name, but the pitch is intriguing. A site called LowerMyBills.com invites you to enter your monthly bill information. It then scours other services in your area in search of a cheaper price on everything from phone and electric to insurance and mortgages. And if you choose to switch, the site will do it for you gratis. LowerMyBills then grabs a commission for converting you to its client. The company claims it will save a consumer about $3,000 a year if she now spends $15,000 on bills.

--By Anamaria Wilson