If you're one of those investors who chooses funds for your 401(k) based on the "add a little bit of everything and stir" approach, listen up. Kelly Kratz, a Lawrence, Kan.-based field consultant for TIAA-CREF, has five pointers that could make thousands of dollars' worth of difference in your returns down the road:

Just Save Something

Delaying 401(k) contributions by just one year can cost you thousands of dollars in the long run, says Kratz. "Since time is on your side, it doesn't matter how much you're saving. Just save something." For inspiration, use a simple savings calculator to see how much a few thousand dollars invested this year will be worth in 10 years.

When you have decades of compounding growth ahead of you, bonds can act as a drag on your portfolio. Take advantage of the current market volatility by contributing mostly to stock funds, advises Kratz. "It's important during the growth stage to let the market work for you," she says. "I can't tell you how many individuals I've met with at the beginning of retirement who say they wish someone had told them to be more aggressive when they were young."

Go International

Take advantage of growth in international markets by devoting significant space in your portfolio to foreign stocks. Kratz recommends investors with long time horizons allocate 20 to 25 percent to foreign

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Best Buy said its first-quarter profit dropped 7 percent, but what its executives didn't say seemed to bother Wall Street more.

Officials at the nation's largest consumer electronics retailer did not predict a larger-than-expected full-year profit, or a turnaround in the economy. They did not forecast a big boost from the economic stimulus checks that went out just before the end of the quarter. Best Buy shares dropped 5 percent.

Despite the net profit drop, there were other first-quarter results for Wall Street to cheer about. Operating profit rose 4 percent, and revenue climbed 13 percent as shoppers bought higher-priced items such as flat-panel TVs, video gaming consoles, notebook computers and GPS devices. Earnings per share were better than analysts had expected.

Also, sales rose 3.7 percent at stores open at least 14 months, a key measure of retail health. The company said the gain "accelerated in the second half of the quarter and remains solid thus far in early fiscal June."

That was around the time of two developments aimed at stimulating the economy -- low interest rates and government stimulus checks, which people began receiving in May, just before Best Buy's first quarter ended on May 31. The checks put money in shopper's pockets and low interest rates made it easier for Best Buy to offer low-interest financing.

"We believe what resulted were higher sales, market share gains and some consumers literally adding items to their shopping cart so they would hit the $999 minimum purchase" to qualify for the financing,

NEW YORK (AP) -- Goldman Sachs navigated yet another quarter of market turmoil and tight credit, with runaway prices of commodities such as oil and gold helping to drive profit.

The world's biggest investment bank parlayed skyrocketing prices in energy and other commodities into net income of more than $2 billion during the second quarter. Results from its commodities business was close to matching the first quarter's record performance, according to Goldman's chief financial officer.

Though investment bankers and asset managers won't be shoved aside by Goldman's commodities traders anytime soon, the strong performance is one demonstration of Goldman's reach during market upheaval. The same can be said about areas such as its prime brokerage, where Goldman executes trades on behalf of hedge funds and other institutional investors.

"Nobody really knows what the next hot area next to investment banking and trading will be, so the key becomes having diversified capabilities and being nimble enough to move where the opportunities present themselves," said Jeffery Harte, an analyst with Sandler O'Neil. "Unfortunately, if you get in a bear market, diversification carries you only so far -- Goldman is still down year-over year."

The company reported a profit of $2.05 billion, or $4.58 per share, for the three months ended May 30, compared to $2.29 billion, or $4.93 per share a year earlier. Revenue fell 7 percent to $9.42 billion from