College
Smart Moves to Minimize Student-Loan Debt
New rules make it easy to borrow, but they also obscure your student-loan obligations.
Certified Preowned Buying Guide
Haven’t thought about buying a certified preowned vehicle? Think again.
Consumers Digest’s 2013 Automotive Best Buys
Forty-three recommendations across 12 categories.
Inner Space: Exploring New Design Features
Vehicles are getting smaller, so automakers are getting creative to produce more interior space.
April 22, 2013—Apple iPhone 5 owners will have a new accessory option—a car.
April 16, 2013—Ford Motor and General Motors will co-develop nine- and 10-speed automatic transmissions that the automakers plan to use in future vehicles.
Refrigerators: The Newest Space Stations
Enhanced versatility is the rule of the day.
Playing All the Angles: High-Performance Dishwashers
The latest dishwashers are quieter, use less water and have more wash options than older models did.
Range Hoods: Under-Cabinet • Chimney • Downdraft
Today's strongest models might need makeup-air systems.
April 22, 2013—General Electric’s newest front-loading washing machine also can dry your clothes.
April, 12, 2013—What are the germiest kitchen products? You might be surprised by the answer.
Making The Grade: Best Buys In Educational Software & Exceptional Apps For Kids
You can’t count on the availability of CD-ROM, DVD-ROM and downloadable programs beyond 2013.
Streaming A/V Gear: Making the Right Connections
Streaming-video boxes deliver more features than ever.
Prime-time: Universal Remotes
Tweaks to the latest models include Internet protocol.
May 6, 2013—U.S. Cellular will start to sell the Apple iPhone later in 2013, according to multiple news reports.
May 1, 2013—Internet companies increasingly take steps to block law enforcement or government agencies from getting access to your personal data, according to a report by an Internet privacy-rights group.
Whole-House Air Purifiers: Efficiency Report
You should be wary about claims of overall effectiveness for whole-house air purifiers.
Home-Security Services: Under Surveillance
A lack of regulation can lead to unlicensed workers installing home-security systems.
Pouring It On: Innovative Kitchen Faucets & Sinks
The latest faucets have higher spouts than ever before.
April 26, 2013—AT&T is the latest telecommunications company to launch a home-security and home-monitoring service.
April 10, 2013—Homeowners who reported foreclosure or loan-modification errors that were caused by mortgage-service companies will receive settlement checks beginning April 2013.
Energy Drinks: Monster Claims, Empty Promises, Marketing to Children
Consumers aren’t any closer to understanding what exactly is in energy drinks.
High-Tech Hearing Aids: Hearing Is Believing
As technologies change in hearing-aids, consumers still must navigate a maze of confusion when it’s purchase time.
Home Fitness Equipment: A New Interactive Experience
Ellipticals • Exercise Bikes • Home Gyms • Treadmills
May 10, 2013—Food and Drug Administration warned consumers not to consume Juices Inc. juice products or other beverages.
May 10, 2013—Three members of a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee are looking into the safety of an ingredient that’s used in muscle-building supplements.
Waterparks: Is Public Safety Going Down the Tubes?
Because of a lack of nationwide regulation, waterpark visits might be an accident waiting to happen.
Amusement Parks: Top Attractions, Hottest Rides & Best Values
Excitement is on the rise. So are admission prices and fees.
Car Rental: How to Avoid Being Taken for a Ride
Disputes over damage claims and questionable tactics when companies rent recalled vehicles can spell trouble for you.
May 17, 2013—Viking River Cruises plans to expand to ocean and sea voyages in 2015.
May 1, 2013—A new study says 4,400 children are injured each year on amusement-park rides.
Making The Grade: Best Buys In Educational Software & Exceptional Apps For Kids
You can’t count on the availability of CD-ROM, DVD-ROM and downloadable programs beyond 2013.
High-Tech Hearing Aids: Hearing Is Believing
As technologies change in hearing-aids, consumers still must navigate a maze of confusion when it’s purchase time.
The Fleecing of America’s Elderly
Government could do a lot more to protect seniors.
May 6, 2013—Senior citizens who have questions about identity theft can submit questions to Federal Trade Commission on May 7, 2013, as part of an agency workshop that will be broadcast on the Internet.
March 11, 2013—Federal Trade Commission exposed another company for allegedly ripping off senior citizens.
Swing Shift: Backyard Playsets Evolve
You’ll want more space and you’ll spend more money to add horizontal climbing bars to your playset.
Grass Seed: Turf Wars: Separating Fact from Filler
It’s unclear whether grass-seed manufacturers’ claims about their products are accurate.
Grounds Keepers: Top-Rated Lawnmowers & Tillers
There are more zero-turn-radius riding models than ever before, and you’ll find more cordless electric walk-behind lawnmowers.
April 5, 2013—The first Cub Cadet electric-powered zero-turn-radius riding lawnmower will arrive in stores this month.
March 25, 2013—This spring, you can buy a riding lawnmower that cuts grass and saves gasoline—sort of.
Reality Check: Third-Party Bill-Payment Services
Third-party bill-payment services, though desirable in theory, still are in their infancy.
Financial Forecast: Smart Money Moves for 2013
Expert Picks • Investments • Interest Rates • Real Estate
The Truth About Estate Sales
An unqualified agent might take no security measures at an estate sale, which makes it easier for someone else to steal.
May 6, 2013—Senior citizens who have questions about identity theft can submit questions to Federal Trade Commission on May 7, 2013, as part of an agency workshop that will be broadcast on the Internet.
April 19, 2013—The wireless telecommunication industry’s voluntary guidelines that are designed to prevent cellphone users from getting unexpected overage fees appears to be effective, according to Federal Communications Commission.
Energy Drinks: Monster Claims, Empty Promises, Marketing to Children
Consumers aren’t any closer to understanding what exactly is in energy drinks.
Home-Security Services: Under Surveillance
A lack of regulation can lead to unlicensed workers installing home-security systems.
Counterfeit Cuisine: The Dangers of Food Fraud
How you end up paying too much for the wrong species of fish or for corrupted versions of olive oil or maple syrup.
Think twice before you take your computer to the nearest repair specialist. Many people are scammed by technicians who are moved more by profit than principle.
You might face more than the grief of the loss of a loved one: grave desecration and double-sold plots.
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Third-party bill-payment services, though desirable in theory, still are in their infancy.
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Expert Picks • Investments • Interest Rates • Real Estate
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An unqualified agent might take no security measures at an estate sale, which makes it easier for someone else to steal.
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The Hidden Costs of Higher Education & Consumers Digest's Top 100 College Values
It’s easier today to get a student loan from a university’s financial-aid office, but it’s tough to decipher the hidden fees that you will pay.
New Age of Retirement: How to Revitalize Your Plans
Shrinking private pensions might dim your golden years.
The Truth About Online Universities
Dubious methods have us raising our hands with questions about the value of earning an online degree.
New rules make it easy to borrow, but they also obscure your student-loan obligations.
Where to donate in today's economy.
Why the Ultimate Numbers Game Is Out of Control
Some insurance companies use tactics to delay death-claim payments to increase their profit.
The Relentless Banking Money-Grab
Shrinking private pensions might dim your golden years.
Don’t assume that this is the perfect time to buy a home.
It’s easier today to get a student loan from a university’s financial-aid office, but it’s tough to decipher the hidden fees that you will pay.
The latest options that are designed to help to keep you in your home can work against you.
Insurers use credit scores and higher deductibles, and sell more policy add-ons to cull more cash from consumers.
Potential fees and security issues lurk down the road.
Banks are living high on the hog while consumers are hog-tied by exorbitant fees. The government can’t be counted on to help.
Changes bring higher prices that might not be obvious.
A struggling economy has led to a buyers’ market. But higher fees are the rule of the day.
Soon, it will be more convenient to switch investment Web sites. But picking out which site is best still could be a challenge.
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.
Don’t look for any significant changes in tax-prep software programs—now, or anytime in the immediate future.
New rules provide some more protection for consumers, but banks are exploiting the loopholes that are in the reforms.
While you test the waters of 529s, watch out for the sharks that could bite into your savings.
Liquidation sales often lure shoppers with misleading promises of discounts that amount to no deal at all.
Laws can protect you as you climb your way back to financial stability. But there are scammers intent on knocking you back down.
You can get excellent health care and quality of life abroad for less than what it might cost in the United States.
Dubious methods have us raising our hands with questions about the value of earning an online degree.
Most of your purchase money usually ends up in the pockets of the company sponsoring the promotion.
Some consumers might want to cut health-club memberships, therapy sessions or weekly trips to the movies to save money. But that might do more harm than good.
eBay has made changes aimed at helping buyers. But other auction services and specialized Web sites are drawing consumer traffic.
How safe is it for you to use a credit card with a data chip?
New laws make estate planning trickier. Unscrupulous insurance agents and uninformed lawyers compound the problem.
More consumers must shop for health care, but unfortunately, resources to help you make sound decisions are limited.
Online shopping features offered by stores are meant to make customers feel as if they have the upper hand, but retailers benefit just as much.
Insurance for medical expenses might be a good idea.
May 6, 2013—Senior citizens who have questions about identity theft can submit questions to Federal Trade Commission on May 7, 2013, as part of an agency workshop that will be broadcast on the Internet.
April 19, 2013—The wireless telecommunication industry’s voluntary guidelines that are designed to prevent cellphone users from getting unexpected overage fees appears to be effective, according to Federal Communications Commission.
April 11, 2013—U.S. Postal Service reversed course and said it will continue Saturday mail delivery.
April 10, 2013—Drivers will see some price relief at the pump for the rest of 2013, and prices could drop even more in 2014, according to a report by the federal government.
Thanks to the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, most people now can convert their 401(k) accounts to Roth 401(k) accounts at any time.
If your broker recently switched firms and is trying to entice you to follow, you might want to find out why before you make the move.
Improved fortunes of retailers and a growing preference for renting over home purchase mean that now might be a good time to invest in those kinds of commercial property, according to PricewaterhouseCooper’s December 2012 Real Estate Investor Survey.
An increasing number of index exchange-traded funds are switching indexes to save themselves money, but those changes might leave you with a slightly different investment.
An October 2012 study by Stanford Graduate School of Business professor Shai Bernstein shows that investing in companies’ initial public offerings isn’t a short-term endeavor.


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