Consumer Reports Buying Tips and Advice
For buying tips and advice on appliances, electronics and computers, home and garden equipment, and more, sign up for a free weekly update from Consumer Reports.

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• How to sell your home in a down market
  Rising home mortgage rates are slowing home sales. Consumer Reports' experts provide some tips and strategies that could help make your home standout on the market.
• The basics of barbecuing
  Consumer Reports helped you find the best outdoor grill for your needs. But to avoid botching your backyard cookouts this year, don't ignore these basic barbecue tips.
• Laundry rooms near your living room?
  There's a new trend in home remodeling: Relocating washers and dryers to the first floor so laundry chores are more convenient. If you're planning to put your laundry room out of the basement, Consumer Reports offers these tips.
• Getting the most from your digital camera
  Summertime can offer a lot of great opportunities to capture precious moments with your digital camera. Consumer Reports offers these tips and pieces of advice to help prime your camera for summer travel and capture great pictures.
• Consumer Reports' guide to Father's Day gifts
  What do you get for a father who has everything—including too many neckties? Consumer Reports suggests these top-rated electronics and household gear may put a smile on dad's face.
• Consumer Reports on car seat safety
  Britney Spears has been publicly criticized for driving with her baby, Sean Preston, seated in an inappropriate manner. Consumer Reports says such infant safety seat errors are common and provide these tips to keep your child safe while in the car.
• Consumer Reports' guide to air conditioners
  Shopping for an air conditioner to cool a single room? Consumer Reports weighs in with expert advice on how to choose the right room cooler for your needs.
• Consumer Reports on the best bikes
  Summer road trips don't necessarily mean taking the car out for a spin. To help you find the best two-wheeled bicycle for your needs, Consumer Reports offers its expert buying advice and guide.
• Child safety: Dog-bite prevention tips
  Consumer Reports' safety experts warn that young children face a greater risk of being bitten by dogs while playing outdoors in the summer months. Here are some safety tips for parents and dog-owners, including what to do if you're attacked by a dog.
• Building the ideal backyard entertainment center
  Summer is a season for backyard barbecues and lawn parties. And Consumer Reports' home and garden experts weigh in with their tips and advice to help you develop the perfect outdoor cooking and entertaining area.
• Consumer Reports says beware liquidation sales
  Are you really getting a bargain when you buy merchandise from stores that are going out of business? Consumer Reports weighs in with what you need to know when you shop at stores where everything must go.
• Consumer Reports on digital camera memory
  Does your digital camera have enough memory to record all those summer vacation photos? Consumer Reports' experts provide tips to figure out how much digital memory your camera needs and ways to save space--and money—for your summertime photography.
• Yet another consumer credit ratings report?
  Consumer Reports says the three main U.S. credit bureaus--Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion--have developed a new credit-risk scoring system. But, the new VantageSystem has a big flaw. Click here to read how it may affect your personal credit rating.
• A guide to car insurance
  How much can you really save on car insurance? Consumer Reports' experts help you navigate the confusing jargon to find the right coverage and save you money.
• The realities of joint replacement
  Every year, over 600,000 Americans undergo hip or knee surgery. Click here to read what Consumer Reports' experts say you should know before going under the knife to replace that defective joint.
• Consumer Reports on mumps
  The disease has been inflicting a soaring number of people in the Midwest. Here's what you need to know about the illness that was assumed had been largely stamped out decades ago.
• Is a lawn tractor for you?
  Tractors aren't just farm tools anymore. They're being used in greater numbers for lawn and garden work. Consumer Reports experts help you find the right lawn tractor for your needs.
• How much computer do you need?
  Shopping for a new laptop or PC but can't figure out which microprocessor or how much memory you'll need? Consumer Reports' technology experts help you determine the proper computer configuration--what components you need inside--for your needs.
• How to have a healthy and lush lawn
  Consumer Reports experts reveal essential tips--from watering to fertilizing to mowing--for growing and maintaining your home's grass yards.
• Choosing organic products without over-spending
  How do you eat healthy without getting hosed at the checkout? Consumer Reports offers this fun interactive way to learn when it makes sense to buy products labeled as "organic" and what you're getting for your money.
• Consumer Reports on avoiding online auction scams
  The Federal Trade Commission received 80,450 complaints last year regarding online auctions. Here are tips to protect yourself from online auction fraud as links to the FTC's Web site to learn more.
• The goods on golf balls
  Consumer Reports slices through the hype surrounding new high-performance golf balls and provides duffers with useful tips to finding the right balls that suit their golfing skills.
• How to shop at outlet stores
  Consumer Reports says discount outlet malls can offer great bargains. Click here for the experts' best strategies to getting top quality, big savings and less hassle at outlet stores.
• Finding car seats fit for obese children