Issue Date: April 1, 2007
Avoid renovation rip-offs
If you are contracting out some spring home improvements, make sure you are getting what you paid for. Bill Keith, a 25-year veteran of the home remodeling business and president of SunRise Solar, points out some common areas of contention.
INFLATED FEES. Contractors often charge more than $500 for a dumpster fee. If you see that high fee on your bill, ask your contractor to show proof of his costs, and negotiate from there. Another option: You can rent a standard dumpster for as little as $300.
DECEPTIVE ROOFING MATERIALS. Contractors can save a bundle by using cheap shingles. Make sure you get 25- or 30-year algae-resistant architectural shingles from a top manufacturer. Package labels will tell you what type of shingles are being used, so check them out when the roofers arrive.
INFERIOR CARPET PADDING. You're charged for high-quality thick padding, but low-quality thin stuff sometimes is used. Request rebond carpet padding of 6 pounds or more, and get a sample. (Check the Carpet and Rug Institute's website at carpet-rug.org for details.) On installation day, compare your sample with the delivered padding.
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Home security you can watch
Some systems cost less than $500.
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Security cameras, common in retail and commercial establishments, are making their way into homes. And they're not just for the Bill Gateses of the world anymore.
Quality, computer-based home surveillance systems are on the market for less than $500. For that price, you can run up to four cameras. Some systems plug into your PC and can record images onto the hard drive.
For an added cost, you can access the security system remotely via the Web, which means you can check in from work or while on vacation.
Several websites can help you determine what you need. Securityideas.com and surveillance-video.com have tons of products to choose from, like motion-sensitive equipment. The bottom line: Securing your home just got slicker and easier.
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One-stop rate comparison
Comparing rental car rates on the Web can be time-consuming. So the next time you need to rent a car, visit a site that offers side-by-side comparisons.
BreezeNet is especially fast at displaying competing rates from major companies such as Budget, Hertz and Avis in almost a dozen car size categories. Expedia and Orbitz, among other online travel agencies, allow you to search side by side, as well. But BookingBuddy and Kayak let you look at multiple search engines, like Travelocity and Hotwire, on just one page. Click on a deal and you'll go directly to either an online travel agency or a car rental site to complete your booking.
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Low-fat food makes you fat
Sure, low-fat foods may be good for your heart, but not necessarily for your waistline. In fact, low-fat foods often fool you into gaining weight, says Cornell University researcher Brian Wansink, Ph.D.
Most people think that low-fat foods have about 40% fewer calories than regular ones. Not true. It's more like 10% to 30%, Wansink says. When fat is removed, food companies often add high-caloric sweeteners, such as corn syrup, for flavor, which run up the calories.
Wansink's research also shows that we eat more of a food we think is low-fat. In one test, he gave moviegoers bags of granola that were labeled either low-fat or regular Rocky Mountain granola. Actually, all of the bags were low-fat. People who received the bags labeled low-fat ate 49% more.
Most harmed by low-fat claims? The overweight. A group of overweight people given chocolate ate 46% more (89 extra calories) when it was labeled low-fat vs. regular. People who weren't overweight ate only 16% more. In general, Wansink says, obese people underestimate calories by 30% to 40%.
Bottom line: Compare labels.
For more information, check out Wansink's book, "Mindless Eating" (Bantam Books, $25).
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If you switch to reduced fat
You might shave a few calories ...
1 Tb. reduced-fat peanut butter has 2 fewer calories than normal peanut butter.
1 chocolate chip cookie has 3 fewer calories.
1 cup vanilla frozen yogurt has 4 fewer calories.
... Or unintentionally add them
1 cup reduced-fat chicken noodle soup has 20 more calories than regular.
1 cup fat-free half-and-half has 145 to 160 calories vs. 146 calories in 1 cup whole milk.
Contact Jean Carper at jeancarper.com.
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