Kansas.com: Consumer
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• When shopping for toys, keep safety in mind
  

  Recently, toys have been big news because of safety concerns.

  Millions of toys have been recalled, which means the manufacturer takes them off the shelves, because of safety problems.

  We talked about this with Jim Silver, editor and co-publisher of Toy Wishes magazine.

  With all the recent news about toy recalls, are toys safe?

  "I think the government does an excellent job regulating toys. When it comes down to a question of children's safety, the real caution comes down to the possibility of ingestion (swallowing) of product, but for the most part, you're talking about children 3 and younger... Seven-year-olds aren't putting toys in their mouths and swallowing them."

• Fashionable flights
  

  TRAVELING LIGHT DOESN'T MEAN LEAVING YOUR FAVORITE BEAUTY PRODUCTS BEHIND

  Leaking shampoos and gooey bottles of creams are a common flight hazard -- spilling into suitcases and oozing all over carry-ons even when you're sure you've tightly sealed the caps.

  With the holiday travel season in full swing and airport security regulations tighter than ever, it's always a good idea to think through how you'll transport your favorite beauty and grooming items from home to Grandma's. Or to Hawaii. Paris. Rome.

  If you are carrying products aboard with you, the Transportation Security Administration requires all liquids, aerosols and gels be in containers that are 3 ounces or less and put in a one-quart, clear plastic zip-top bag.

  While many of your favorite brands offer space-saving travel sizes, the more adventurous can opt to try one of the new pre-packaged-for-travel sets featured here. They're all a good bet for smooth travels this winter.

• Review credit report yearly for errors
  

  Credit reports show the good, the bad and the ugly in your financial life. They also provide the basis for calculating your credit score, which, among other things, is used to determine what interest rate you pay on a loan or whether you even get a loan in the first place.

  That's why it's so important for consumers to obtain a free credit report once a year from each of the country's three major credit reporting bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Passage of a federal law in 2003 made this possible.

  Going over your credit report helps you find out not only if there are mistakes that could lower your credit score, but also whether you are an identity theft victim.

  Sandra Chapin, program director at the Consumer Federation of California, ordered her credit reports a few weeks ago.

  It's a practice that has already paid off. When Chapin first requested her credit reports back in 2005, she found a mistake. It said she was 90 days behind in making a payment on a bill that had actually been paid.

• Unsafe lead levels also found in pet toys
  

  Many products found in pet stores are made abroad, most in China

  News reports on unsafe levels of lead in children's toys made in China, and the resulting recalls, have also prompted media investigations of pet toys.

  Fox News has been out in front with stories on the subject airing in Miami, Denver, Chicago and other markets. It turns out that lead has been found in pet toys that exceeds the safety standard set for children by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. (The CPSC has no safety standards for pets.)

  Perhaps the most glaring example found so far in a pet toy was spotlighted in a report that aired in Chicago on Nov. 27 on Fox News. The story, "Puppy Poisoning," was reported by Mark Saxenmeyer. According to testing conducted by Trace Laboratories, based in Palatine, Ill., a tennis ball for dogs called Paws 'N Claws had lead levels of 27,200 parts per million. The standard assumed potentially dangerous by the CPSC is anything over 600 parts per million.

  "This seemed to be very troubling to us," Saxenmeyer says. He added that the lab didn't find lead throughout the ball, but only in the ink used for the Paws 'N Claws logo.

• See business licenses on Web site
  

  Each Monday, The Eagle highlights a government record that is available to the public. Open records help residents keep government in check and help them better understand how government affects their lives. For recent You Oughta Know columns, go to www.kansas.com/oughta.

  The records: Information about businesses licensed by the city of Wichita.

  Why you'd want them: To learn more about what type of businesses the city licenses and the requirements.

  Where you get the records: A listing of each type of license is available at www.wichita.gov. From the "Document Center" menu on the left of the home page, click on "business licenses." There you'll find the dozens of types of licenses managed by the city as well as application forms.

  How much it will cost: The information is free.

• Women, raise right hand if there's a ring there
  

  RIGHT-HAND RINGS HAVE BEEN LINKED TO INDEPENDENCE

  Last year, 4.5 million diamond right-hand rings were sold in the United States, a 10 percent increase, according to the Diamond Information Center.

  While many attribute the spike in popularity to an advertising campaign launched in 2003 linking the gem with independence, many women say they have been designing and purchasing their own diamond rings longer, and for reasons more diverse than the latest consumer trend.

  Married women purchase right-hand rings as well, said Helena Krodel, spokeswoman for the Jewelry Information Center, a nonprofit trade association.

  Krodel calls the right-hand rings timeless fashion items. And depending on quality and craftsmanship, they can cost less than a designer handbag. The average diamond right-hand ring sold in 2006 cost $1,153, according to the Diamond Information Center. But you can find them for less than $500, Krodel said.

• Housing values could decrease consumer spending
  

  In every holiday shopping season from 1995 through 2005, Christmas was on the house.

  Not this year.

  The housing downturn that started last year and has accelerated this year has barred the chimney to Santa in many homes, as owners find they no longer have the growing equity that can be tapped again and again to finance spending.

  "People have been using their home as a very large ATM for a number of years," said Keith Leggett, senior economist at the American Bankers Association in Washington. "With housing values declining, rising defaults and greater concern about excess of risks, clearly we've seen banks pull back on underwriting. They've tightened their terms of credit."

  The shift is one of a number of factors -- including changes in household income, rising oil prices and changes in consumer mood -- that will play a role in spending decisions.

• Your guide to virtual pets
  

  THE TOYS FEATURE CODES THAT UNLOCK ACCESS TO ONLINE WORLDS.

  Ask Kate Wenninger about Webkinz, and you'll hear a slightly embarrassed chuckle. "Oh yeah, the girls are really into it," she says of her daughters, ages 5, 6 and 9. They play with their online pets about a half-hour each day, she says -- buying furniture for their virtual homes, tending fruits and vegetables in their gardens, playing games in the arcade or tossing coins into the Webkinz wishing well. And (here comes the shame): "I love Zingoz Pop and Goober's Lab," the Wichita mom says. "I get on there when the kids are in bed, and I play in the tournament area. It's fun."

  Some of the hottest toys this holiday season are ones that sit under the tree or peek out of stockings but come alive online. Known as virtual or interactive pets, the toys feature special codes that allow access to online worlds where kids can feed and dress their pets, play games, chat with friends and more. Most are designed for children ages 5 to 14.

  If you're considering buying a virtual pet -- or just wondering what the fuss is about -- here's a look at three popular brands.

  Webkinz

• Holiday gifts: What frugal women want
  

  I let my husband off the hook from the beginning. I didn't want him to get anxious watching jewelry commercials or to stress out trying to find the perfect gift. We typically don't exchange gifts on holidays.

  Our holiday emphasis is simply being together as a family and sharing. We often choose a gift together after the holiday season. It's less maddening, and there are many post-holiday deals to be found.

  Of course, not everyone is