The meltdown of world economic markets grabs the headlines, but in Dallas and across North Texas, the plunging Wall Street numbers are only the latest sign of what the future might bring.

Unemployment numbers climb, and with them foreclosures and bankruptcies. Even families that have avoided those catastrophic consequences struggle with utility bills, gas prices and grocery bills.

Tough times mean difficult decisions.

We're here to help.

Over the coming months, "Dollar Wise" will be a regular part of your Dallas Morning News.

We've assembled a panel of experts to answer your most pressing financial questions. We'll show you how to determine your family's economic status and build a budget.

And we'll offer advice and tips on paring everyday expenses to help pay off debt, build savings, and plan for college costs and retirement.

Some steps are simple: clipping coupons. Others are more complicated: raising the deductible on your homeowner's insurance. And then there are the really difficult choices: Is bankruptcy the only way out of this mess? Tell us which topics most interest you, and we'll give you the best information we can find or guide you to people equipped to help. And we're eager to tap into your expertise and share your tips with other readers.

We'll help you pay less than you do now and find the best deals on future purchases. You'll learn to embrace frugality.

And along the way, we'll help you become "Dollar Wise."

Bob Moos is a business writer who covers aging issues. He will bring his expertise to issues such as Medicare, older workers, retirement and Social Security.

Jeffrey Weiss learned about small businesses from his parents, and recent headlines have been a wake-up call for him to learn quickly about personal finance. He will help translate jargon into practical advice.

Pamela Yip has been a personal finance reporter and columnist for 18 years. She is a 1997 graduate of the University of Houston's Personal Financial Planning Certificate program.

Michael E. Young brings a deep empathy for the people he writes about and an innate thriftiness to the series. An inveterate coupon clipper and bargain hunter, he's ready to share tips and successes.