Motor Oil:
Separating Facts from Friction Motor oil brands that claim to do more than deliver basic protection for your engine are sliding down a slippery slope.
Money-Management Update—
Free Personal Finance Web Sites PLUS: Best Tax-Prep Software Personal finance sites let you manage your money free of charge, but they’re difficult to test to find the one that is best for you.
SPECIAL SECTION
Financial Forecast 2010:
A Tricky Road to
Economic Recovery
The dollar will continue to decline in 2010, and the twin concerns of inflation and deflation will make investors hedge their bets.
Changing Patterns
Sewing Machines Evolve Today’s new machines have touchscreens
and cameras.
Power Profiles
Versatile Notebook Computers Today’s notebooks pack a stunning amount of power, and they have more-versatile operating systems. The bonus: prices that are lower than ever before.
Home Fitness Gear:
Exercising Control Best Buys in Treadmills,
Elliptical Machines, Home Gyms
& Exercise Bikes Fitness machines offer more muscle for your money than ever before.
Between the Lines:
Everything You Need to
Know About E-book Readers When you buy an e-book reader, your focus shouldn’t be on which model to purchase, but rather what books you’ll be able to access.
Behind Closed Doors:
The Risky Business of Home Care Hiring nonmedical home-care workers to care for your elderly loved ones is rife with potential problems. State oversight is lacking, and background checks are incomplete.
Waste Management
Peak-Performing Disposers & Compactors Manufacturers of these appliances are pitching a “green” side to try to augment sales that are in the dumps.
Curbside Recycling:
The Great Illusion Millions of Americans pay to have their recyclable waste picked up at the curb, but much of it ends up in the same place as the trash: the landfill.
Peace of Mind
Top-Notch Door Locks & Safes In a notable deadbolt lock development, manufacturers agreed to a standard for measuring a deadbolt lock’s protection from break-ins by the use of so-called bump keys.
Departments
Healthy
Living
Actress ‘desperate’ for lung-cancer awareness • MIT’s ‘bionic’ eye • An anti-nicotine vaccine • Quick treatment helps women who have rough periods . . .
What’s New
A fan with no fan blades • A pocket-size TV • Carrying Wi-Fi with you • Tweeting on the go without your phone • The digital photo frame, evolved . . .
Your
Money
Avoid big losses on Roth conversion • Faulty home appraisals • Fox News’ Willard talks grassroots investing • Profiting from credit card companies . . .
Consumer
Alert
Toyota pushes feds’ button • FDA ignores lead in lipstick • Toxic packaging from China • Ghostwriters hinder medical journals’ objectivity . . .
Marketplace
New water heaters can lower bills • Smartphone apps grow up • FTC targets bad blogger/reviewers • Non-toxic furniture? It’ll cost you . . .
Car
Smart
Rentals go smokeless • Audi’s electrifying news • Ford could prevent accidents from space • The cost to replace your vehicle’s original tires jumps . . .
Consumers
Digest Communications, LLC 520
Lake Cook Road, Suite 500, Deerfield, IL 60015
Email:
postmaster@consumersdigest.com