September 1972

A buyer's guide to tires

Once upon a time a tire was a tire. Period. Then along came whitewalls and people were, for the first time, confronted with a decision. Now the technology of tires has grown so confusing that even the most sophisticated tire buyer will admit he doesn't have all the answers.

Should you trade or sell outright?

Your decision to buy a new car sets off a rash of other decisions, not the least of which is what to do with your old car. Selling the car yourself could net you a hundred dollars or more than you would get from a dealer in trade on a new car.

Good news!

How well you sleep is the main factor in determining whether you enjoy your camping vacation or just endure it. Here's a snug sleeping bag made entirely of synthetic materials incorporated into a really unique design.

How much is your house worth today?

Your home and its contents probably add up to your greatest financial asset. You may be surprised to learn what it's all worth today-- particularly if you have been living in the same house for several years and, like most families, have gradually accumulated possessions.

GARDENING IN SEPTEMBER

Garden jobs you might schedule this month include patching lawns, planting evergreens, planting narcissus, dividing peonies and oriental poppies, and moving planters.

What makes a good watchdog?

A really dependable guard dog must have an even temperament, be thoroughly trained, and be handled by someone who knows how to control him. When just one of these factors is absent, the animal becomes a terribly dangerous liability.

In an emergency: Will you be helped?

You may survive an auto accident only to die needlessly because of poor emergency treatment. In fact, studies show that from 5 to 18 percent of all car crash victims-- a shocking 3,000 to 10,000 lives-- could be saved each year if adequate emergency medical treatment were available.

YES, YOU CAN GET A GOOD HOUSE FOR YOUR MONEY!

"Why is it that none of those beautiful houses you show are being built in my area?" That's a question we find quite often in our reader mailbox. Basically, the answer is that the prospective home-buyer is caught in a vicious circle. Builders tend to keep on building row-on-row houses because they sell, families keep buying them because that is what's available, and lenders add their stamp of approval because their investment is safe. The solution is a change in all three segments of the circle: innovative builders, venturesome lenders, and families who will not settle for the ordinary, but who will take the trouble to search out quality houses.

A family room addition for indoor/outdoor fun

How to cut insurance rates for young drivers

Once your teen-ager gets behind the wheel, your auto insurance rates go up dramatically. There's just no escaping this fact. Quite simply, drivers between the ages of 16 and 24 (some companies say 25) are involved in more accidents, and insurance companies must spread the costs accordingly.

A new tax break on child-care costs

At the end of this tax year you may be able to deduct as much as $4,800 for child-care expenses. It's a far cry from the $900-a-year maximum deduction formerly allowed widows, or married couples with a total income of not more than $6,000.

PARENTS & SCHOOLS

In most school districts, a wall of suspicion and vaguely defined hostility separates the schools and the communities they serve. Sometimes this hostility erupts into open conflict or simmers under the guise of general community apathy.

First aid for flood-damaged homes

If you were able to begin repairing your home within hours or even days after the flood, you're among the lucky ones. Left untreated more than a week, water damage to furniture, mechanical equipment, and your house itself is difficult, if not impossible, to reverse.

After the flood: how to get financial help

One of the tragedies of a flood disaster is that regular homeowners and business insurance policies rarely protect you against losses caused by floods. The fact is, insurance companies just could not meet such sudden, widespread losses and still provide everyday insurance at reasonable rates.

Sewing center in a closet

MAKING THINGS NEW AGAIN

What to do when you want to change the scene at your house-- without the expense and trauma of a major remodeling? You improvise, that's what-- and we're here to help. On the following 16 pages you'll find good-as-gold ideas to refresh, rejuvenate, revitalize, RENEW your home on a shoestring.

Buying tips for bed and bath

Sheets today are vastly different from the ones that stocked Grandmother's linen closet. Features like permanent press and soil release have made sheets truly easy-care. No-iron linens can go from bed to washer and dryer and back again to bed without ever encountering an iron.

Choosing and using a coffee maker

Was your morning cup of coffee as tasty as you think it should be? If not, the culprit could be the coffeepot. Here are some tips to help brighten your next coffee break.

Flaming Greek Cheese

Gather a few friends around the coffee table for one of the most spectacular appetizers ever... Flaming Greek Cheese. If there's a Greek or Italian food specialty shop near you, they probably have a wheel of kasseri, a hard cheese covered with a black wax coating.

HOW TO BUY A USED APPLIANCE

Don't look down on a less-than-new appliance. It can serve you well in a vacation home or recreation room, and it can be a lifesaver if your equipment conks out when your purse is flat. Of course there's some risk to buying a used appliance but it's less of a gamble with these guidelines.

Family Adventure Vacations in the South

"Virginia is for Lovers," says the slogan you see everywhere, but Virginia is also for vacationing families who have a thing about history or horses or hiking. The rumpled green heartland of the state, around Charlottesville, is unquestionably one of the most beautiful areas in America-- not beautiful in the flashy, dramatic way that the Grand Canyon is, but beautiful in a gentler, quieter way.

How to order material from the magazine

Quick repairs for leaky faucets

Although a leaky faucet isn't a plumbing emergency, it could cost you plenty in additional water bills if left unchecked. Before you call for your plumber, check out what the problem is; most faucet failures are fairly easy to repair yourself. Here are a few simple tips to show you how to fix the most common types of faucet leaks.

Power tool safety pointers

With the wide variety of power tools available today, you can zip through home projects and repairs in next to no time. But to avoid an unnecessary accident, take time to observe these basic safety rules. Read the owner's manual carefully to find applications, limitations, and special hazards associated with a particular tool. You can usually get a manual even for an older or used power tool by asking a dealer. Keep your manuals together in one place.

Well-groomed window wells

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

The wife of a grocer friend of ours is getting a divorce on the grounds that he was too active in consumer affairs.