May 1972

Can group buying cut your food costs?

To help protect their budgets from soaring food costs, many families have banded together to form local "food-buying cooperatives." These groups buy groceries in bulk and distribute them to co-op members directly in order to avoid retail markups. Chances are, you can save some money. However, check into the possibilities carefully before joining an existing club or starting one of your own.

How can you get money for remodeling your home?

It's a very good time right now to arrange for home improvement funds. Interest rates have dropped considerably from a year ago, and most experts think they won't go much lower. In fact, they'll probably start rising again soon, if they haven't already. Even if rates drop a fraction more first, price hikes during the period you wait probably will offset any savings you might have from a minor decline in borrowing costs.

Do you have the right insurance when you go camping?

Your regular auto, homeowners, and health policies probably cover most of your needs. Still, it's a good idea to look into specific coverage that might apply to the kind of trip and equipment you're planning. Here are some general guidelines. For more information, check with your insurance agent. Automobile insurance:

MASTER PLAN for a maintenance-free summer

If you've followed our systematic home maintenance program in last month's issue, you're now half through with your upkeep chores. Now, here's part two-- the cool jobs for those hot and humid days. According to our handyman stopwatch, these jobs only take a three-day weekend to complete.

GARDENING THIS MONTH

If you are a gardener who follows the zodiac, your May horoscope is probably filled with rewards. This is the time of year you really begin to reap the benefits of gardening efforts. Blooms should be popping out all over.

Don't waste basement space

Lighten your air conditioner's load

Give your grass a chance

Put dirt under the gun

Do-it-yourselfer's dream

When should you buy a camper?

If you've been toying with the idea of buying a camper, here are some dollars-and-cents angles to consider.

Lost luggage: how smart travelers cope with the problem

Despite all the wild stories about lost, misdirected, or stolen luggage, the chances are very slight that your suitcases won't arrive at the same place

HOUSEPLANT HOW-TO

Water your plants occasionally by immersion. This means sinking the pot into a container of water so that water comes just over the rim. (Do not immerse the whole plant.) Hold the pot under water until bubbling stops.

EARLY WARNING: college costs can be devastating

Many parents don't think seriously about the expense of sending their children to college until the final few years of high school, or even worse, until the first bill arrives from the college of their choice. Eleventh-hour planning of a major expense such as a college education can throw a family into financial chaos and impose severe burdens on both parents and youngsters alike. In some cases, qualified kids may be deprived of the education they deserve.

What car noises tell you

Your car isn't given to idle chatter. When it sputters and grumbles, you can be fairly certain something is going amiss. By knowing what an automobile's most common noises mean, you can often prevent a great deal of engine damage and avoid being stranded without warning.

DRIVERS: restrain your children

Car accidents are the leading cause of death of children over one year old. The tragedy, safety experts say, is that half of these deaths could be avoided with proper child restraints.

How to make your house like new again

Can you remember the first day you moved into your house? You had lots of ideas then-- plans to make your new home something really special. But if you always put those plans aside till "next year," and next year never came, here's help. It's a package of home improvement ideas, ranging from ambitious additions to weekend spot-remodeling projects.

How to install a skylight

An often overlooked way to add new sparkle to an old house is to install a skylight. It can brighten dark halls or windowless rooms in a way that artificial lighting can't. And it supplies uniform illumination all day long, saves electricity, and still retains privacy.

Can cycling be safe?

No matter what anyone tells you, cycling --on a bicycle, motor scooter, or half-ton motorcycle-- can hardly be classed as a safe, secure way to travel.

Fireplaces to spark ideas

This prefab fireplace sits atop a custom-made, four-foot-square base of common brick. The center-of-the-room placement makes the fireplace a focal point that can be enjoyed from every angle. And, there's no need to add an insulation barrier to protect the surrounding walls from heat.

How to change the scene with paint and wall coverings

If you've been itching to make improvements but aren't ready for a major overhaul, turn to paint and wall coverings. They let you change the whole look of a room with minimum expense. To prove the point, we redecorated three rooms three different ways. The dramatic changes are made with color, plus accessories, window treatments and architectural details. Furniture and carpet remain the same. You can work the same color magic in small space, too. For professional-looking results, see how-to tips on page 138.

TREES, VINES & Summer BULBS

The art of landscaping is more than creating pleasant vistas to delight the eye. It has a problem-solving side as well. Trees, for example, are not only lovely to look at. They provide shade, screening, color and framing for your home. Judiciously placed vines can correct or camouflage a surprising number of ills, such as unattractive fences or less than scenic views.

A potpourri of storage ideas

Maybe the answer to your storage problem is here. There are roll-out drawers, roll-out racks and swing-out racks, sliding doors and folding doors. There's storage for canned goods, spices, and small appliances.

How to get more from your electric skillet and knife

Does your electric skillet come out of hiding only to ... chicken? If so, one of the most versatile appliances in your home isn't earning its keep. Granted, the skillet is a whiz at ... chicken, but it's also great at pan-broiling, deep frying, ... braising, and stewing. Some skillets are equipped for ... too. You can use your skillet to bake apples and cakes, ... rolls, and even heat frozen dinners. It can act as a secondary oven or extra cooking unit when you're serving lots of people and it's just as handy when you're serving the family.

A dandy dog run

Consider a backyard dog run if you want to keep your dog safely at home and save your yard from wear and tear. The canine complex here will secure the most adept escape artist, and its built-in doghouse will shelter him from the worst weather. What's more, there's storage space for his dog food and feeding dishes, plus your mower and all your lawn care equipment. Best of all, you can build it all in a couple of weekends for about the same cost as fencing your entire yard with chain link.

Tool up for home canning

Home canning, once the mainstay of the family, is back in style. It's great for cutting the food budget and gifting your friends. Not only that, it's fun.

The Coast & Country Roads of NEW ENGLAND

Family vacationing too often becomes a matter of loading the car and racing from one place to another, stopping to snap a picture at the scenic lookout over a valley you never really visit, grabbing a starchy snack from the same franchise food place you visit back home, and standing in line for a big attraction that reminds you of the last one you saw.

Get smart about around meat

... over the products in your ... fresh meat department, ... you'll see packages labeled burger, ground beef, ground ... ground round, and ... ground sirloin. Is the ... chuck really ground ... the chuck cut?

RECIPES FOR ENTERTAINING

TRAVEL IDEAS 1972

HOME FURNISHINGS IDEAS

How to order material from the magazine

How to keep your basement dry

If you find a basement leak, the natural reaction is to set about repairing the crack where water is entering. That's good, but it may not solve your water problem permanently. To do that, you must get at the source of the leak. The methods explained here will help you track down the trouble. The three major water problems you'll have to watch for are:

The well-planned wall

A convertible garage

Don't stand for an outdoor area without seating

Three Popular House Plans from Better Homes and Gardens

Each plan package includes a complete set of working drawings, a list of materials required for cost estimating, and an outline of specifications for workmanship and materials-- including points to be considered in your contract with the builder. Each plan is priced as follows:

Shopping editor's choice

Discover the fun and convenience of shopping by mail! You can order with complete confidence any of the items shown: each company will refund your money if you're not delighted.

The man next door

Nowadays when people sing "hooray for the red, white, and blue," I'm not sure whether they're referring to Old Glory, a shirt, or a pair of shoes.