Today's Consumer Smarts with Janice Lieberman

Okay, how much do you hate filling up your tank these days? 50 bucks at the pump could surely go towards buying a new pair of pumps- am I right ladies? But for now it is a necessary evil. So how do you know if you are really getting the fuel you paid for? How do you know someone isn’t trying to mess with your bill or the quality of gas you put into your tank?

Well, thankfully Uncle Sam is watching over us. The Weights and Measures department at counties all over the country are busy inspecting gas stations to make sure we are not getting ripped off. I had the unusual opportunity to tag along with the Suffolk County, New York team of inspectors as they inspected 2 stations. One station was told they were being inspected, the other was not!

First stop- a marked vehicle. Inspectors hop out and check to see the advertised price matches the price at the pump. All okay. Then they take a can and fill it up with 5 gallons of gas. Yup, measures up. And then a test for octane… is you getting the value you think you are? A quick screening test says the octane is fair and square here. Finally, a check to see that water is not mixed with gas. A dipstick is put into the bottom of the tank, if it comes out clean. There is no H2O. If it comes out red there’s a problem. This station passes on all counts.

Next we gear up in the inspector’s undercover van. Very tricky here! There’s one gas cap that truly takes the gas for the car and then a “rigged” up one that is used for investigation purposes. This station is being checked because a consumer complained. So they go through the same set of tests. Gas prices match up, fuel measures up, no water in the mix, but wait- the octane is 90 when it should be 93! A mistake or a rip off? Further testing at a real lab will tell. If the station fails the inspection they could be issued a violation. All this because a customer spoke up!

Every consumer complaint is taken seriously. So it’s up to you to pay attention at the pump. The Department of Weights and Measures has some tips for not getting ripped off at the pump:

• Park your vehicle so you can see the pump. If you're asked to "pull up" be sure to check the pump first or get out and look at the numbers displayed on pump.
• Make sure the numbers for gallons and sale are at zero before either you or an attendant starts pumping gas.
• Make sure that the price per gallon on the pump matches the posted signs for the grade of gas you are buying.
• Self Serve? Full Serve? Cash? Credit? Discount? Make sure you are paying the advertised price for the grade, service and method of payment that you select.
• Make sure that the price you pay matches the total sale price on the pump at the end of your sale.
• Want to quickly check if the pump is computing correctly? Stop the pump at 10 gallons. It's easy to multiply the posted price by 10 to compare the displayed sale.
• If paying by credit card check the total sale amount you are charged before you leave the station.

If you find something fishy make sure you complain to your local Department of Weights and Measures so they can do something about it!

Watch the segment from TODAY Be well, and shop smart!

We all know the economy ain’t so great right now. And for many of us our 401K's have gone “south.” If you are not of retirement age, you will probably make it up. But if you or your aging parent is approaching that time, it’s downright frightening.

So now is the prime time for shady so-called “investment” planners to go in for the kill. Many seniors, desperate to make ends meet on a fixed income, plan on their savings to get them through their golden years. So some quick-talking salesperson who comes their way can easily get older people hooked on thinking they can put them into a high-yielding account. It happened to one Florida woman. She made an appointment with a money manager to come to her house. He promised her a plan that would make her money earn 7%. What he didn’t tell her was she couldn’t use her money for 15 years without paying a 19% penalty! He also didn’t tell her the 7% rate was good for one year only and that it would drop.

The woman never told her kids about the investment. When she started to lose her faculties her son looked into her account. After a court battle he was able to get the money back. He soon found out that same investment planner had scammed others out of their money as well. A scam called “unrealistic annuities".

Another common senior scheme is the “Ponzi scheme.” Here seniors are told by a slick salesman that there is a good deal to be had. He will ask the victim to hand over a check. For a while the victim will get a return on that investment. But soon the checks stop coming, and the scam artist is nowhere to be found.

If you have aging parents it is imperative that you know what they are doing with their money. It is sometimes a hard subject to bring up but it could save them their life savings.

Tips On How To Help Our Aging Parents

1. It's a two-way street. Both parent and child need to recognize changes and need to be open with each other and discuss the best course of action. The child should remember that the parent hasn't needed help before, so taking over may make the parent feel worthless, and it's an invasion of privacy.
2. Be involved. Know what banks or institutions the parents are dealing with.
3. Have account numbers and corresponding phone numbers.
4. Have a contact list at the institution where funds are kept.
5. Have your name on the parents' checking account.
6. Make sure they are keeping the checkbook registry current and accurate.
7. Make a commitment with your parents that they will do nothing with any accounting without informing you.
8. Have a will.
9. Have a power of attorney document drawn up that spells out what you can do if the parents become physically or mentally unable to handle their financial matters.
10. Have a health care surrogate document
11. Be aware of little changes in mental capacity
12. Be aware of the mail that comes. Are the parents on top of correspondence and bills?
13. Know who does your parents' taxes and financial planning, and that that person knows you.

And whether it is you or your parent, remember: any investment plan that sounds too good to be true … probably is.

Are your feet wet, soggy, or stinky? Maybe it’s because your winter boots aren’t as waterproof as you thought they would be. If you are in the market for a cozy, waterproof new boot, now may be the time to stock up. Retailers are clearing the way for spring merchandise and boots are on sale.

But how do you know which ones will keep you dry and which ones will leak? Good Housekeeping decided to do some testing. And when they test, they really test. They actually placed the boots in a rain tester, a sink that sprays water in different directions to see if the boots were indeed waterproof. Then they put them in a climate control chamber with a temperature of 30 degrees.

And how did they do? Only 5 out of 15 boots they tested were actually waterproof! So don’t blame yourself for choosing boots that were duds. And the good news? Some of the best ones were the least expensive and not that bulky. The newer boots don’t have to be thick and furry. New technology has allowed boot makers to use thinner materials that actually work.

And the winners are:

• Uggs
• Sorell
• LLBean
• Clarks

So how do you shop for a boot that will keep your tootsies toasty?

• Choose boots with no zippers or front ties. If they have a zipper try to pick one that has it sewn on the side of the boot.
• Look for cross seams, not a single seam. The extra enforcement helps keep the H2O out.
• Boots can last you a long time. But be sure to take care of them:
• Clean them off when they are dry.
• Brush them with a brush.
• Most have been treated, but if you feel it is starting to wear off, reapply silicone spray.

Watch the segment from TODAY:
Get shopping and save those furries for next season!

Okay, we get it. We all want our environment to be cleaner and greener for us and for our children. The message is clear: buy “green” products. Do your part. But with merchandise from shampoos to cars, how do you know what you’re buying is truly good for the planet?

It’s hard not to be bombarded with marketing campaigns, which tout their company to be the greenest of the land. But who is watching over these companies to make sure what they’re saying is honest?

Well, it’s a whole new frontier, folks. There’s even a name for being bamboozled into believing ad copy that says a product is environmentally friendly. It’s called “Greenwashing.” And now Uncle Sam has to take notice.

The Federal Trade Commission which oversees ads and makes sure claims are truthful called for a special meeting. It was a seminar to update their environmental advertising guidelines, which, by the way, haven’t been updated in 10 years!

When I asked the FTC to explain to me how I could tell if a product is truly green, the answers were vague. That’s because companies can presently use catchy words like “certified organic,” “energy efficient” or “100% natural” without much justification.

While the FTC works on these new standards (which will take some time) what is a shopper to do? The only thing we really can do is to research the product and the company ourselves. That means reading up on the company’s philosophy and being critical of what they call “green.”

It means being wary of claims like “natural,” “organic,” “non toxic,” “recyclable.” No one is checking to see if these claims are for real. It would be great one day to have a government seal like “energy star” found on appliances that you know has been documented and verified. But for now it’s basically the Wild, Wild West when it comes to this new blitz.

Check out the company’s website. Read all about why they claim to be environmentally friendly. If the information is not there, move on. Read the small print on the packaging and see if they explain how and why they are green. Call the customer service number and grill the operator about why their claims are true.

Don’t buy into big promises. If a detergent says it is “chemical free” what are they using to clean your clothes? If something is “biodegradable," how so? Is it going to end up in a landfill?

Certifications you can trust:

• Energy Star for appliances and electronics
• USDA seal for organic products
• Green Seal and EcoLogo for household cleaning products
• Forest Stewardship Council for wood and paper products

Here’s some help on doing your own research. Websites that can help you through this maze of claims:

• Greenerchoices.org (big purchases: TV’s, washing machines, cars)
• Greenercars.org
• Epeat.net (can help decipher manufacturer’s claims)
• Ewg.org (Environmental working group)
• Responsiblepurchasing.org (for smaller items like cosmetics, cleaners and food)

We all want a greener world, we just don’t want to waste our greenbacks on products that sound too good to be true, but really aren’t. Agree?



Update: New American Dream would like to clarify that RPN do not "help individuals with cosmetics, cleaners, and food. New American Dream in general does that, www.newdream.org, but RPN deals with institutional purchasing - one of the biggest problems surrounding resources and consumption issues today."

Have you ever lay in bed late at night munching on your favorite snack and been drawn in, lured by, and convinced to purchase an exercise device from an infomercial? C’mon, admit it. You think that those great "before and after" shots of women who work out in the convenience of their own home for just a short period of time could work for you. Well, guilty as charged. I fell for one. I was away on assignment at a hotel and was watching a commercial for "Fluidity." I went ahead and ordered it. When it arrived at my house I told my husband it was "research" for a story I would one day do. Well, the day has come!

Consumer Reports recently rated several of those devices and “Fluidity” was one of them. I was hooked. My Fluidity system was all set up in my basement. I tried it once or twice and never looked back. We decided to not only take Consumer Reports' word for what they liked or disliked...we enlisted the help of certified trainer, Allison Egan to see what she thought of these devices.

So let’s start with the Fluidity system. First of all, the system costs $200. CR thought it was a bit pricey and cumbersome saying it takes up a lot of room in your house and doesn’t fold up easily. They did, however, say it was a good alternative to strength training. The infomercial says you can lose 4 inches and achieve a dancer’s body. Allison Egan says to lose the inches you will need to seriously cut your calories. Egan does like the system as it uses technique from Pilates and yoga but thinks you need some kind of training before delving into their program.

The folks from Fluidity say their testimonials prove the Fluidity works for a wide span of ages and fitness levels, including beginners.

I guess there are no more excuses for me. Time to get downstairs to my basement and get to work!

Next we tried the “Air Climber,” which runs $140. Nope, didn’t fall for this one yet! It’s kind of like a Stairmaster. It comes with a 20-minute workout video that is supposed to “burn and firm.” It claims you can lose 10 inches and 10 pounds in 10 days. Hey, I’m all for that!

Consumer Reports did a reality check on that one!

The Reality: The 20-minute workout burned about 130 calories, comparable to a 4.2mph walk/jog. Done daily for 10 days, it would shed less than a half-pound. The other 9.5 pounds would presumably come from the recommended "Jump Start 10 Day Rapid Weight Loss Plan,” a 1,000 calorie-a-day regimen that our nutritionists said might not provide enough nutrients for some dieters. Most panelists at CR said they wouldn't buy the Air Climber. Among their complaints: The bellows were noisy. Time to lose 1 pound of fat: Four weeks if used daily for 20 minutes.

ALLISON EGAN'S TAKE: "You may notice your heart rate may go up from the exercises. The product is great for a brand new beginner." She highly recommends it for someone who's considering buying a large Stairmaster to put into his or her home. She thinks they should try it out at a gym first to see if they would even use this type of machine.

A spokesperson from the makers of the Air Climber told us you can use the Airclimbers to workout in the safety and comfort of your own home.

And the last product we tried was the $160 Red Exerciser.

What is it? Upon first glance, it looks like a really fun chair that you swivel in. That's basically what it is. A swivel chair with adjustable resistance to work your core muscles. Videos include a beginner workout and two advanced routines of about 22 minutes each.

The claims: The ultimate core-strengthening and toning experience. Lose 4 inches off your midsection in two weeks. Guaranteed to help you lose weight during your core exercise abdominal workout.

The Reality: The "core twist strides" in the infomercial and some advanced exercises in the video engaged oblique at least as much as comparable floor moves, but may not work abs as well. Panelists say they felt as if nothing was happening. Time to lose 1 pound of fat: about six weeks if used daily for 22 minutes.

Consumer Report's Take: Good for oblique, but those claimed 4 inches aren't going anywhere without a serious diet.

ALLISON EGAN'S TAKE: She really liked this device. She said, "This is a great product for someone who's brand new to exercise, who wants to get started. Using this would be the safe way to do it. It warms up the lower back, it gets people to get in line with their bodies' rhythm and our body naturally twists from side to side so it's user friendly.” In regards to the claims, she says they sound fabulous, but the truth is a good diet plan and an exercise regimen that includes cardiovascular activity and weight-bearing activity is the only way to achieve those kinds of results.

It’s no wonder these products intrigue us all. They all say that to make the system work you need to cut your calories. Before purchasing any one of these, take time to think about it. Don’t rush to your phone to order.

Money back guarantees aren’t all they are cracked up to be. You will have to pay the shipping on the return and that can be pricey, sometimes $50 or more.

Think about whether you will really commit to one exercise in your own home. Are you more of a health club person? Or a walker? Or maybe start with an exercise video and see if you stick to it.

I think (I can’t promise) that I have learned my lesson. But since I picked the one device both experts kind of like, I feel a little better, and better get to my workout!