February 1973

How to avoid those land-Sale frauds

Spurred on by massive promotions and nationwide sales forces, Americans are buying pieces of unused land for reasons our homesteading ancestors never would have dreamed of: retirement, vacation homes, investment, and-- all too often-- for lack of common sense.

Can you spot tampered mileage?

One of the most important questions you want to answer when shopping for a used car is how much use it has had. And the most obvious way to determine use is by the odometer that faithfully records every mile driven-- unless it has been set back.

Tire patches: what you should know

Pneumatic tires were invented in 1888, and their inventor had only driven a few miles when he found a need for another invention-- the tire patch.

Pointless Ignition

Doing your own engine tune- seems simple enough. You ...... the spark plugs, change the and put clean air and oil filtin. But then comes the tricky of changing the ignition ... You need feeler gauges, ferably a dwell meter, plus a ting light and some dexterity.

A second car that pays for itself

Car ownership is typically an expensive proposition. With new and late-model cars, you suffer a daily loss in depreciation. Antique cars don't depreciate but they're usually expensive and too fragile for everyday use. But somewhere in the middle is a car that will actually pay you to drive it: the special-interest car.

Hammer hints

At some time or other, every gardener or home handyman comes to blows with a hammer. The general frustration isn't surprising since many householders and do-it-yourselfers own only one hammer-- usually a nail or claw hammer.

How do other people spend their money?

One important aspect of any family spending and savings plan is to determine how you've actually doled out the dollars in the past. To get a fix on your situation, get out your canceled checks for the past year, plus any bills and receipts you still have. Then break down the records-- food, housing, transportation, clothing and personal care, medical care, miscellaneous consumption, social security, taxes, insurance, contributions, personal taxes.

SUGAR THOSE SILENT SUGAR DISEASES: SOME FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW

If the human body can be regarded as a machine, then sugar is the fuel that powers it. But only the right amount of fuel will do. Too much, or too little, and the machinery begins to run down.

HOUSEPLANT HOW-TO

Caladiums brighten the shade These colorful foliage plants are available in many combinations of white, green, red, and pink. Grow them in pots or in the ground, wherever there is shade or filtered light. Some early morning or late afternoon sun won't hurt them; in fact, it will intensify the colors. However, full sun all day will burn them, especially the pinks.

Clip this TAX-SAVING GUIDE to itemized deductions

Here's an easy-to-follow chart showing most of the principal itemized deductions which may save you tax dollars on your 1972 return. The chart is designed for the average householder, and you're likely to find a number of deductions that fit your situation. Just a glance will show what you can claim, what you'll need to support your deduction, where you can claim it on the income tax return, and what the probable IRS position will be.

Travel agents: how to tell the good guys from the bad guys

Travel agents have a great deal in common with that famous little girl with the famous little curl. When they're good, they can be very very good, but when they're bad, they're absolutely horrid.

FOUR FINE HOUSES THAT BENT THOSE SKY-HIGH PRICES

Finding a new house you really like, at a price you can afford, is getting tougher every day. But that doesn't mean you must settle for assembly line housing to beat the price squeeze. Here's how four families got custom-designed houses-- each under $35,000.

Feature-packed trash compactor

Inkle loom weaving kit

Simple strapping system

Electronic flash for Pocket Instamatics

3-D viewer with sound

Quick-change sanding discs

A HIGH-RISE HOUSE WITH NATURAL ASSETS

Like a giant piece of modern sculpture, this many-angled house stretches tall to catch the wooded view around it. From the outside, a fantasy of geometrical designs and shapes gives the house a never-ending change of profiles from every viewing angle. And to help bring the outdoors in, the house boasts a bounty of windows, exterior decks, and a central, open living core that makes this 1,043- square-foot house live bigger than it really is.

Does anybody here know what an airline ticket costs?

For ticket pricing purposes, a nonstop flight between New York and Los Angeles would seem to be fairly simple-- and indeed it is, when compared to other routes Americans travel. All the passengers board the same airplane at the same time, fly the same distance, arrive together, and receive identical treatment from ticket clerks, baggage handlers, stewardesses, and pilots.

Kitchen gardens

Bright green foliage and flowers blooming in pretty pots add color and interest to your kitchen. If you think there's no room, look around. There's a way to grow plants even if space is scant and lighting conditions are not ideal.

Personality decorating: How to beat the showroom look

By far the best tool you have for creating a memorable room is something that money can't buy: your personality. As you'll see from our examples, personality decorating is filling a room with the way you feel... exhibiting your own tastes and talents... proudly displaying your own stamp of uniqueness. It's that just-because gesture-- such as spreading an heirloom tablecloth on a bed, or converting a pair of storage drums into hassocks-- that banishes the impersonal furniture-store showroom look and makes a room unmistakably yours.

How to custom fit your kitchen to the way you live

Just as no two people think alike or look alike, no two people cook alike. For that reason, there's no such thing as the perfect kitchen But there is a kitchen that's right for you-- one that suits your particular way of planning, preparing, and assembling meals. Fortunately, floor space is wonderfully flexible.

Skimp-and-splurge vacations in the American Caribbean

Who has the most fun on a Carib bean holiday? First, Wealthy tourists who can stay at posh resorts. Second, their total opposites, those carefree young wanderers tho cheerfully improvise on next to nothing.

What a puppy is not

A puppy is one of the most appealing creatures on earth. He's the embodiment of exuberance, humor, and affection. But there are a great many things that a puppy is not, and these negative aspects deserve some thought before you bring a puppy home.

Tips on microwave cooking

Can a counter-top microwave oven really work culinary miracles? It can make cooking much faster and easier, but don't expect it to replace your other appliances. Along with its many advantages, it has its limitations. Here's what you can realistically expect of a microwave oven.

How to have a pest-free house

In the continuing war of man versus household pests, the real villain-- let's face it-- is haphazard housekeeping. A loose screen, a crack in the baseboard, an empty jelly jar on the kitchen counter, a scattering of crumbs on the floor-- these are an open invitation for all types of insects and rodents to stake their claims on your premises.

How to order material from the magazine

Tips on household tape

As you've undoubtedly discovered, household tape can do a multitude of jobs speedily and efficiently. There's a tape for every purpose. To get the best results, you need to know which type of tape to buy and how to apply it.

Stairway art

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

Ken Vivaldo at the corner filling station shakes his head over my car whenever I take it in for a tune-up. About all he can do, he says, is refer me to a mechanic who specializes in geriatric cars.