Q.  Are discount hearing aids bought online as good as the pricier models sold by audiologists?

A. It's natural to want to avoid the markup on hearing aids—117 percent on average, according to Consumer Reports' last investigation. But the savings from going online to buy discount hearing aids could be offset by what you lose in service.

You need a hearing test and help in choosing the right device, and such expertise isn't always available if you aren't working with an audiologist or a specialized hearing-aid shop. (Some discounters, such as Costco, provide assistance.)

Alternatively, find an audiologist who "unbundles" services, offering testing, advice, and fittings without insisting that you purchase the hearing aid from him or her.

Learn what causes hearing loss and find out about the new hearing helpers in our hearing aid buying guide.

This article also appeared in the October 2014 issue of Consumer Reports on Health.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

It may seem that Christmas came early for retailers this year. Most forecasts are predicting that the holiday shopping season wil be one of the strongest in years. Annual sales will increase by 4.1 percent over the 2013 holiday season sales, according to the ever-optimistic National Retail Federation.

But that doesn't mean retailers will be stingy with their sales and loss-leading enticements. Walk-in stores are still feeling the heat from online merchants, who are expected to generate more than 10 percent of total holiday sales this year. Their strategy to combat Amazon and other online retailers is two-pronged: Fight fire with fire, and jump-the-gun.

Read about what to get and forget at Walmart, Costco, Target, and Sears now and all year long.

In the can't-beat-'em-join-'em camp is Target. Still singed from last year's credit card breach, Target is offering free shipping on all of its online offerings now through Dec. 20 (free in-store pickup is so 2013). And Target will match the price of qualifying items with those of major competitors, including Amazon. 

Meanwhile, as we reported earlier this week, other stores such as Sam's Club and Walmart have already started pre-Black Friday deals. And of course Amazon isn't standling by idly; the online giant is offering a rotating selection of early holiday season offerings.

Generally these early deals have been underwhelming, and most of the time you'll find better offers by waiting until after Thanksgiving. Perhaps we'll cut the store some slack this year. A quirk of the calendar makes 2014 one of the shortest holiday shopping seasons possible. Between Black Friday (November 28) and Christmas Eve, consumers will have only 25 days to complete their shopping this year. We'll leave it to you to decide if that's a blessing or a curse. 

—Chris Horymski

Visit our Holiday Gift Ideas page throughout the season to find the best deals, time-saving advice, and much more.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

For more than half of Americans, Black Friday is just another day. Last year, 56 percent of Americans stayed home on the big shopping day and over the weekend as well instead of hitting the shopping centers, according to a Consumer Reports Holiday Poll.

Why? Mostly because of the maddening crowds. But a third of respondents also felt that the deals being offered were overblown. The importance of Black Friday as the bellweather of the shopping season has clearly diminished in recent years.

Eron Zehavi, co-Founder of Swagbucks, an online company that allows Web and mobile members to earn virtual currency by watching videos, searching the Web, playing games, shopping, and taking part in market research, says Black Friday still has appeal and sets the standard for holiday discounts, but its timing has changed dramatically. “Retailers now offer Black Friday prices as early as before Halloween, and online shoppers can find even better discounts and rewards from home,” he said.

Zehavi cited a recent Swagbucks' study that illustrates the point. The research revealed that nearly seven in 10 holiday shoppers will make a major purchase long before Black Friday, with about 40 percent having done so before Halloween.

"The shift to season-long holiday discounts has changed the purpose of ‘shopping’ holidays,” Zehavi said. “There will always be people who like to hunt for deals at big box retailers, but more and more are enjoying the convenience of monthlong discounts and extra perks available online. An overwhelming demand for free shipping—from our research, the most-demanded incentive among online shoppers—also means orders earlier in the season to ensure timely delivery."

We found other telling statistics. Early November sales at select group of Fortune 500 retailers are up 27 percent this year vs. last, according to Clarus Marketing Group.

“This provides clear evidence that consumers have already started to put their 2014 holiday shopping budgets to good use,” Tom Caporaso, CEO of Clarus, said. “These figures mark a significant leap forward for the ‘unofficial’ holiday shopping period considering last year these same retailers didn't begin to show their holiday spikes until Nov. 8 through the 11th.”

"Black Friday isn’t as pivotal as it once was, but it retains some luster and importance, mostly because it falls the day after Thanksgiving," Caporaso said. "That holiday brings families together, and many of them like to hunt for sales together the next day.  In the eyes of most retailers, the holiday shopping season starts on Nov. 1, as evidenced by all of the holiday promotions and decorations displayed right now in malls nationwide.  The battle for the consumers’ disposable income never ends, and retailers can’t afford to let their competitors gain an edge on them. The success of Black Friday probably created the longer holiday season because consumers reacted so positively to those offers, retailers began testing earlier offers.  Consumers have always been more motivated by sales than by dates, and the extended holiday season is just a natural outgrowth of that."

Retailers are indeed encouraging consumers to shop sooner rather than later. Major merchants such as Walmart, Nordstrom, Home Depot, and Target have already started Black Friday-like preview or early-bird promotions. And just a few days ago, Amazon kicked off its Countdown to Black Friday deals that includes thousands of limited-time specials on hot electronics, toys, clothing, jewelry, kitchen wares, and other goods.

Whether you’re just beginning to build your list or in full shopping mode, you can get a handle on the latest holiday promotions, even preview Black Friday ads from major merchants by visiting aggregator sites such as bfads.net, theblackfriday.com, gottadeal.com, and blackfriday.com. You can also sign up for e-mail and text alerts of coming holiday promotions at many retailer websites.

—Tod Marks

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

We all know Amazon.com is a shopping juggernaut. But the scope of the company’s reach is positively mind-boggling. Last year on Cyber Monday, for example, Amazon set a sales record of 426 orders placed per second. If you whip out your calculator and do the math, that translates into 25,560 orders per minute, 1,533,600 per hour, and 36,806,400 for the entire day.

This holiday season, the company is poised for even bigger things, with total holiday sales projected to grow from 7 percent to 18 percent, to an all-time high of as much as $30.3 billion, according to a company spokeswoman.

With those lofty numbers, Amazon obviously knows its customers. But like any business, Amazon has strengths and weaknesses. To zero in on what they are as peak shopping season approaches, we posted a question on our Consumer Reports Facebook page, asking shoppers to give us their impression of what the company does well, where improvement is needed, and of what to be wary.

Don't know what to buy for everyone on your gift list? Need help getting through the holidays? Check our Holiday Gift Ideas & Guide page.

Frankly, we were surprised by the spirited response: More than 350 comments in a matter of hours. Though purely anecdotal, the comments were overwhelmingly positive (by a margin of better than 5 to 1), punctuated by superlatives and exclamation points. On the plus side, shoppers lauded Amazon for outstanding and gracious customer support, responding promptly to problems quickly and effectively, easy processing of returns, and sooner-than-promised delivery. Many praised the wide selection and prices, in-depth buyer/user reviews, and the company’s willingness to step in and resolve disputes with independent sellers. Though Amazon raised the price of its Prime membership by $20, to $99 a year, shoppers said the program is a must mainly because of a perk entitling 2-day shipping on most orders without a purchase minimum.

On the downside, some insisted that deliveries for orders placed via free Super Saver shipping are slower than they used to be, that prices are higher in general compared to the past, and that those prices are subject to frequent fluctuation. They also chided the company for lack of communication about products on backorder, not accepting Paypal, failure to include packing slips/invoices with orders, and not doing enough to weed out unscrupulous third-party sellers.

As we head into the holiday season, we thought we’d share some of the more helpful Facebook comments that echoed recurring themes:

What shoppers love
 

Prices: Amazon’s prices are the best. If the price is too high call customer service and they’ll match it or credit your account. Customer satisfaction is what Amazon is all about.—Roger Lis

Returns: I just did a return last week and all I had to do was print off a manifest and put it in the box. UPS picked it up at my front door. Amazon e-mailed me today and said they've processed the return and refunded my money.—Jay Wineinger

Replacements: They promptly replaced two items stolen from my porch! The incidents happened about a month apart. One item was worth about $100 and they didn't delay or require forms or anything.—Jennifer Uurtamo

Security: They called me when they suspected someone had gotten my credit card information and was using it, saving me time and money.—Jane Ring

Fast Response: Anytime I've had an issue, they respond so quickly, and you can have them call you—by clicking “Call Me Now” or “Call Me in 5 Minutes.” No sitting on hold! They also offered me credits to my account for the inconvenience.—Joseph Belfi

Customer Care: I ordered a package that never showed up. The seller said he shipped it. No further investigation. Amazon offered to replace or refund my entire order! I have complete confidence.—Wendy Fitzgerald

Broken Product: Best customer service we've ever experienced. I dropped a Kindle a year after purchasing it, cracked the screen, and they replaced it no questions asked.—Del Geiger

What shoppers loathe
 

Packaging: Some things are over packaged, which is very wasteful.—Eileen Velez

Price Hikes: They sometimes ship weeks after the order is placed and during the time in between the price goes up. They charged me the increased price, and I only found out about it when notified me that the item shipped. By then it was too late to cancel.—Susan Abramowitz

Price Creep: They've slowly upped their prices knowing they’ve reeled in so many prime members who will continue to buy simply to keep getting their money's worth.—Challie Brown

Shopping Ahead: It's dangerous to shop ahead of time. After 30 days, you're in trouble. I received my September birthday gifts in December from a friend. Five DVDs. All sealed. I wanted to return them. By that time the restocking fees were applied, the refund dropped by about 45 percent, excluding shipping. I shipped the stuff back with a letter. I never received any response.—Sharon Devitt

Prime Instant Video: I won't be renewing Prime. The streaming uses too much bandwidth and they don't have options to allow you to adjust it. It doesn't take but a few movies to use up my allotted bandwidth, whereas I can watch Netflix day and night and barely touch my bandwidth.—Linda Bannister

—Tod Marks

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

A few months after launching its first smart watch, the LG G Watch, the company released its second entry into this category: the LG G Watch R. The R, we can assume, stands for “round” (if it doesn't, it should!) and that’s the most obvious difference between this LG watch and the first: The watch face is circular instead of rectangular.  

And that’s important. Design is a big deal with smart watches. Most people don’t want to wear ugly devices on their wrists, and the G Watch R is a truly good-looking watch, with a black-steel bezel and leather band. Also, at least for this reviewer, round watches are more comfortable and feel more natural to wear than square or rectangular ones.

But if you want a lighter, less bulky smart watch, this isn’t it. The leather band is a bit stiff, too, and I couldn’t get it to fit comfortably on my wrist; it was either too tight or too loose (fortunately, you can swap out the watchband). Of course, this is an issue of personal taste (and wrist circumfrence): If you like to wear big watches, the size and heft of the G Watch R won’t be a stopper. One thing that may be, though, is the cost: At $300, the G Watch R is on the expensive end of the smart-watch price spectrum.

We’ll test the LG G Watch R in our lab along with other new smart watches, so look for those results soon. Meanwhile, here are our first impressions.

Using the LG G Watch R

Like the G Watch, the G Watch R runs on Android Wear, Google’s operating system for wearable-tech devices. Android Wear adds a good deal of function and usability to smart watches, including Google Now. Just tell the watch, "OK Google," as you do with Android smart phones, and you can navigate the watch, do Web searches, initiate phone calls, compose texts, and more.

Google Now also pushes relevant notifications to your watch: In addition to alerts for incoming calls, e-mails, texts, and so on, you get the Google Now information cards that tell you things like how many minutes it would take you to get home from your current location, for example; you can then click on the card and get specific traffic and navigation information.

As with other Android Wear watches, you need to use the G Watch R with a smart phone running Android 4.3 or later. We paired the watch to a Samsung Note 3 phone with ease; just download the Android Wear app to your phone, turn on Bluetooth, and have it find the watch.

The G Watch R has a power button on the right; you charge the watch and turn it on, and it gives you an easy-to-follow tutorial on how to use it.

For more, visit our reviews of smart watches.

As on other Android Wear watches, navigation is via voice commands and swipes on the watch’s touch screen. The voice recognition worked well for us overall. To get back to the main screen quickly, you briefly press your palm on the watch's face.

By the way, one difference between this watch and the Moto 360, the first round smart watch we saw, is that there’s no small black bar at the bottom of the display, as there is on the 360's display (on which it serves as an ambient light sensor).

Features

Built into the G Watch R are a 1.2-GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, and 4GB of memory, which is useful to store some songs if you’re using it as a music player. As for sensors (primarily used for various kinds of fitness tracking), there’s a barometer, heart rate monitor, gyro, accelerometer, and compass.

The P-OLED screen, crisp and vivid, has a resolution of 320-by-320—and the screen is always on, so you don’t have to raise your arm or tap the face to see the time, as you do with some other smart watches. (In fact, if you choose a traditional-looking watch face, people might mistake this for a non-smart watch.) To activate the watch for voice commands, just flick your wrist or tap the face.

Like its older sibling, the G Watch R comes with a wireless charging dock: Place your watch on it, matching up the connectors, and it charges pretty rapidly.

You can get to available apps for this smart watch via your phone’s Android Wear app. As this relatively new OS evolves, more and more apps are showing up, for health and fitness, social media, travel, shopping, productivity, and more. (You’ll even find games, though playing them on a small round screen wasn’t too compelling for us.)

Bottom line

The LG G Watch R is a big step forward from LG’s first smart watch. The evolving Android Wear OS is a great fit for smart watches, too. And unlike most of Samsung’s Gear line of smart watches, LG lets its watches work with Android phones of any brand (as long as they are running version 4.3 or later). And the round face is a design plus. But we found the G Watch R to be bulky and a bit uncomfortable.

Check back for our lab-test results on this watch and others soon.

—Carol Mangis

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

The state Health Insurance Marketplaces will open on Saturday Nov. 15 and stay open through Feb. 15, 2015. As was the case the first time around last year, if you buy insurance on your own, this will be your only chance to enroll in or change your plan until next year (with a few exceptions, such as if you lose other coverage midyear).

Here’s what you need to know to get ready.

You can window shop ahead of time

HealthCare.gov, which handles shopping for 37 states (look up your state on this interactive map) started a window shopping function over the weekend. We recommend you use it. Without logging into it or creating an account, you can put in info about your household size and income, get a quick estimate of your 2015 subsidy (if any), and start shopping and comparing plans. But you won’t be able to buy a plan for real until Nov. 15.

We played with the window shopping tool a bit and were impressed—especially in comparison to 2014. Back then, in order to see the health plans available in your state, you had to create an account, get your identity verified, and fill out an application that was 76 screens long.  

This time around, the plan preview feature is chock-full of helpful explanations that appear just when you need them. For instance, when it's time to enter your household income, you'll see a link to click to explain how to count that income if you're not sure.

You can see the plans within a couple of screens, and then you can filter them by multiple factors, such as the name of the insurer, the size of the deductible, and the monthly premium. And if you see a plan you like, you can save or e-mail to yourself a link that will take you straight back there on your next visit.

Many of the state-run marketplaces also allow window shopping. As of today, they included California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Idaho, Maryland, Rhode Island, and Washington. We couldn't find plan previews on the Massachusetts, Minnesota, or New York sites, and the marketplaces in Hawaii, Kentucky, and Vermont were down for maintenance.

Collect these documents and info

You're going to need them to fill out your application.

• Your most recent income tax return.
• Social Security number and birth dates for everyone in your household who’s going to be buying insurance with you. (If you’re confused about this, just collect info for everyone who is on your household’s tax return with you.)
• If you’re self-employed or didn’t file taxes last year, whatever information you have on your income and business expenses.
• Log in and password for your marketplace account, if you already have one.

If you want your insurance to start on Jan. 1, you have to sign up for a plan by Dec. 15

You can sign up later, but if you don’t have insurance now, you’ll be waiting another month or two for it to start. And if you do have insurance now that you’d like to replace with something else, you’ll be automatically re-enrolled in your existing plan if you don't change to another one by Dec. 15. You can still switch out if you do it by Feb. 15 but you’ll be stuck with your old plan until at least February or March.

If you want a plan that has specific doctors in it, do some advance research

Many marketplace plans have smaller doctor and hospital networks than people expected. If you found yourself in a plan that your favorite doctors didn’t take, now’s the time to fix that. The fastest way to get this done is to call the doctor’s billing office and ask what marketplace plans it accepts.

Tell your uninsured friends about open enrollment

Nine out of 10 uninsured Americans don’t know open enrollment is coming up, according to a recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation. And more than half of them have no idea that financial help with insurance is available if they have low and moderate incomes. Do them a favor and let them know.

—Nancy Metcalf

Submit a question to Consumer Reports' health insurance expert. Be sure to include the state you live in so we can provide a more-detailed answer.

More health insurance information

To find out how to apply for, select, and use health insurance, including Medicare, visit our main health insurance page.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

A simple idea that could easily pay for itself, the Misfuel Alert is a warning system to keep diesel owners from accidentally pumping gasoline into their tanks.

The light-sensitive warning device uses a small, self-adhesive plastic module that adheres to the inside of the fuel door. It then flashes a warning when the door is opened, to remind drivers that they’re driving a diesel. Another version adds an audible alert. The manufacturer tells us the device has been tested in bright sunlight and in low light conditions, and that it works well in both.

Introduced at SEMA, the idea for the Misfuel Alert came when the distracted inventor pumped several gallons of gasoline into his own diesel pickup, a mistake he says was made by 150,000 European drivers last year.

Prices have not been finalized, but we’re told the Misfuel Alert will retail for between $25 and $40 when it goes on sale by early 2015.

—Jim Travers

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

When do you need to review your insurance coverage? As often as once a year. As you acquire, improve, or sell property, as your family size grows and shrinks, as your financial situation changes—all of those life situations can prompt a need for more or less insurance.

It's a good opportunity to take stock, and refamiliarize yourself with your coverage. A recent survey from Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America found that more than 60 percent of respondents were either not familiar or only somewhat familiar with the details of their homeowners insurance policies, and 40 percent said they weren’t confident that their coverage was appropriate and adequate for their needs. That’s a lot of anxiety to have about what for most people is their largest asset.

Here are three key questions to ask of your insurance agent or the representatives of the companies that cover you.

Flood maps may have shifted and weather patterns evolved since you last updated your insurance. You’ve probably made home improvements that you’d want to see compensated in the event of damage. “You should go over your policy whenever it is up for renewal,” which means annually, said Jeanne Salvatore, spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute. Similarly, any major lifestyle change, such as getting married, adding a new room to the house, purchasing new furniture, or having an elderly parent move in—“all that should trigger a call,” Salvatore said. Basically, you need enough insurance to rebuild your home if it’s destroyed or made unlivable, to replace or repurchase your personal possessions, to provide adequate living expenses until you can move back in, and to protect your assets in the event that an accident happens in your home and you’re sued.

Get all the answers on homeowners, auto, and other coverages through Consumer Reports' Insurance Center.

Not having some specialty coverage could cost you dearly. For example, most homeowners’ policies cover damage from rain and wind in a hurricane, but as many unhappy survivors of Superstorm Sandy discovered, they don’t reimburse you for flood damage, which you have to buy separately. Earthquake damage is also covered separately or as an endorsement to your current home­owners policy.

Another area in which homeowners insurance might come up short is liability protection. An umbrella policy, as the name suggests, extends further protection from lawsuits resulting from an injury in your home or on your property (that includes your vacation home, car, and boat). “An additional $1 million of coverage costs between $150 and $200 per year, whereas if someone sues you and you lose, you have to empty your bank account to pay the damage,” said Steven Spiro, principal of the Excelsior Group, an insurance agency in Valley Stream, N.Y.

About two-thirds of Americans lack disability insurance, despite a survey finding that more than three-quarters said they would suffer great or moderate financial hardship if they didn’t work for three months because of injury or illness. Social Security disability benefits only cover total disability that has lasted or is expected to last at least a year; they do not apply to partial or short-term disability. “If you have others who ­depend on your income, disability insurance makes the difference between survival and despair,” Steven Weisbart, chief economist for the Insurance Information Institute, said.

A version of this article appeared in the October 2014 Consumer Reports Money Adviser.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

When you think about technology and play, you might visualize motionless kids staring at screens and playing mindless video games. But every year, we visit the annual Toy Fair in New York and scour the Internet looking for better options. And we always manage to find plenty of tech toys that can engage, motivate, and teach your children, and get them moving,  thinking, and creating.

Don't forget the batteries for the toys that need them, or for other electronics presents you're giving. Our review of AA batteries lets you know which are worth the money and which to avoid. And find more ideas with the help of our Holiday Gift Ideas page.

Read on to see our picks for 2014.

Hexbug Aquabot 2, ($20, bowl included)

Age 3 and up

This little robotic fish starts swimming when it’s immersed in water—and it moves so realistically, it's almost scary. The Aquabot explores its environment, sensing when it hits a wall and needs to adjust direction. The fish-bot has a 5-minute shutoff timer; you reawaken it by dropping it back in the water. Our Aquabot did need to dry out once in a while before it started swimming again. You may want to pick up an extra one for your office, by the way; we did!

Crayola Virtual Design Pro Fashion Collection, Crayola Virtual Design Pro Car Collection ($40 each)

Age 6 and up

Popar Human Anatomy 3D Chart ($20)
Age 5 and up

The colorful, detailed chart is impressive all on its own, but kids can get even more out of it by downloading Popar’s companion app to an Android or iOs smart device. Point the device’s camera at the chart to see close-ups of anatomical systems (skeletal, respiratory, and so on) that you can rotate and zoom into using familiar touch-screen gestures. Some sections offer additional facts, animations, and videos, too. If kids are away from the poster, they can still watch videos and view different aspects of the human anatomy.

The app is free, but it’s very large; you’ll need to make sure there's room for it on your device, and it’s best to download it when you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network. It worked well with the chart, but was sometimes unresponsive on its own. 

Find more reviews, tips, and news in our guide to video games, consoles, tech toys, and kid tablets.

3Doodler ($100; extra plastic packs, $10 each)

Age 14 and up

If a 3D printer and a glue gun had a baby, it would be named “3Doodler.” This clever device comes with two packs of colorful plastic strands that you load in through the back. The 3Doodler heats the plastic and extrudes the melted material—so you can build any 3D object you can draw. It takes some practice and a steady hand, but once you get the hang of it, your imagination is your only limit!

We strongly recommend that beginners visit the3doodler.com and watch the tutorial videos before they start; the tips are invaluable. Caution: This is not for children; it gets very hot. But teens and grown-ups with a crafty, maker bent will love it. 

Sphero Ollie ($100)

Ages 7 to 14

This charming little cylinder on wheels is actually an app-controlled robot: It rolls and spins very fast in all directions, and you control everything it does via a free app on your iOS or Android smart phone (check at gosphero.com to make sure that your device is compatible!). You can race Ollie, have it do tricks and jumps, and even bounce it off the walls—it’s made of tough polycarbonate.

But there’s more: Two additional free apps Sphero offers for its other robot toy (also Sphero) work with Ollie too. MacroLab and OrbBasic let kids create their own routines for Ollie to follow, a fun way to learn about programming. Battery life is about an hour, and Ollie recharges via USB. 

MaKey MaKey ($50)

Age 8 and up

This unassuming-looking kit holds lots of inventive possibilities! It lets kids turn everyday objects—anything that can conduct a current—into computer touchpads. First connect the included circuit board to a computer. Then find some conductive objects (silverware, fruit, Play-Doh) and clip them to the board using included cords with alligator clips on either end, assigning keyboard functions to each object (the Space bar, the mouse click, and Arrow keys). We used a spoon and fork to try it out—and were playing onscreen drums with silverware in no time!

The website has lots of wonderful projects you can create—including a banana piano. You may need to experiment with various objects to find the best conductors.  

Activity trackers are a great way to monitor your child's movements and motivate them to consider physical fitness. This year, we found several such devices made just for kids. We tried out two of them.

LeapFrog LeapBand ($40; green, blue, or pink)

Ages 4 to 7

When they first use the LeapBand (pictured at left), kids choose a cute onscreen pet to customize and play with (games offer healthful tips). The LeapBand also issues movement challenges, such as "Pretend to hit a baseball!" and "Jump like a tiger and make a loud roar!" As they move, kids earn “Joules” that they can redeem for additional games and use to unlock more pets.

Parents can personalize this device for their child—for example, specifying “Quiet Mode” hours when the LeapBand operates only as a watch. When the LeapBand is synced with a computer, parents can see their child’s daily activity and progress over time, and load more challenges. It’s easy to learn to use the LeapBand, and young kids will have a lot of fun with it—and move more, too. Our only complaints: The wristband is stiff and could feel uncomfortable on some small wrists, and there’s no way to lower or mute the sound. 

Doria KidFit, $50; blue, pink, yellow, or black
Ages 5 to 13

The KidFit (pictured at right) works more like a "grown-up" activity tracker: This rugged slap-bracelet-style device syncs with your phone and the KidFit app (Android or iOS) to record your child’s activity and sleep patterns throughout the day and over time. It also motivates kids to keep moving with a variety of goals (“Hit your daily target 3 times,” “Walk 20 miles in one week”). 

Setup was seamless; just turn on your phone's Bluetooth and press the Action button on the KidFit’s display, and you’re done. No data shows up on the display; you use different color lights to control the KidFit. Press the Action button to sync, and a blue light appears. Hold it for 2 seconds to turn sleep-tracking on—an amber light blinks 5 times. In the morning, wake the KidFit up by holding the button again for 2 seconds, and a green light blinks 5 times. Nothing is stored in the cloud; it's all on your paired phone, so don't worry about data privacy. To charge, you have to pop the small unit out of the band, which is a little awkward, but a charge should last about a week.

A couple of wristband devices for children that we didn’t test but which look promising are the GeoPalz ibitz, $35, and Vtech Kidizoom Smartwatch, $60. The iBitz is a clip-on wireless pedometer that syncs to an app on your smart device. Parents can set goals for kids, and they earn rewards such as play time, screen time, an adventure with a parent, and coins and content to use on Disney's ClubPenguin.com. The Kidizoom isn’t a "real" smart watch, but it lets kids 4 and older take photos and videos with effects and filters, play games, and learn how to tell time.

—Carol Mangis

This story also appeared in the December 2014 issue of ShopSmart magazine.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

Although most stores hold back some pricing fireworks for Black Friday, for many retailers the former three-day shopping holiday has turned into a monthlong event. Walmart, which once again kicks off Black Friday on Thanksgiving, jump-started its holiday sales with a pre-Black Friday "Early Bird" online savings event, promising special prices on TVs, tablets, and other electronic items for as long as supplies last.

So how great are these early TV deals? We decided to find out by combing through all the listed items and comparing them to current prices when we could find them elsewhere. We also checked these sets to see if they've turned up in our Ratings.

Based on our review, we think that better deals await if you can hang in there a bit longer, as most of the deals were on lesser-known brands that for the most part haven't done very well in our Ratings. Sony and Vizio were the only bigger names in the sale, and even then, assortment was limited.

Major-brand models

Compared with secondary brands such as RCA and Sceptre, there were fewer major-brand sets in the Early Bird sale. We saw three TVs from Sony in the listing, though most are fairly basic models without many of the features you'd expect from the company. The cheapest is a 32-inch 720p model—the KDL32R300B—priced at $199, followed by two 1080p sets: the 40-inch KDL40R350B for $348 HDMI, and the 48-inch KDL48R470B, priced at $398. All are 60Hz models with 2 HDMI inputs. These models seem to be available mainly at Walmart, so it's hard to compare prices.

Two Vizio sets are featured, although one—the 60-inch E600i-B3, priced at $798—is already sold out. That leaves the larger 70-inch E700i-B3, which is priced at $1,498. That's about the same price we're seeing at several other retailers, including Amazon.com. The 60-inch model is priced about the same at several retailers, including B&H Photo and Dell. Unlike the Sonys, both are full-featured 1080p sets with full-array LED backlights and Vizio's smart TV platform, with access to online content, including streaming movies and TV shows from several services. Coincidentally, we just finished testing both models. Though each has its flaws, they both did fairly well in our Ratings, with either very good or excellent high-definition picture quality. But we expect them to be cheaper around Black Friday.

Find the best flat-panel TV for your needs and budget with our TV buying guide and Ratings. And find out the best places to shop with our electronics store buying guide and Ratings.

RCA and Sanyo

There are more RCA sets in the Early Bird sale than any other TV brand. (The RCA brand for televisions is licensed now by On Corporation, a Korean company.)  The largest, and highest priced, is the 65-inch LED65G55R120Q, a 120Hz 1080p set priced at $799, about $50 cheaper than it is at Best Buy right now. But we just finished testing this set, and it has among the worst picture quality of any set in our TV Ratings. Just below that is the 55-inch version, model LED55G55R120Q, also a 120Hz 1080p LCD TV selling for $478. We haven't tested that set.

For those looking for a midsized TV, there is a 50-inch 1080p LED50B45RQ LCD TV for $379—it's the same price at Sears, but a bit more elsewhere—and a 48-inch 1080p set, the LED48G45RQ, also priced at $379. (We could only find this model at Walmart). Both are 60Hz sets with two HDMI inputs. Just below those models in size and price are the 46-inch LED46C45RQ, for $299—the same price as at Best Buy, but about $80 less than at Sears—and the 42-inch LED42C45RQ, priced at $289. (It was, but is no longer, available at Best Buy.) Both of those sets are 60Hz 1080p LCD TVs with 2 inputs. A 40-inch 1080p model (LED40C45RQ) is $278.

Smaller-sized sets include a 24-inch 1080p model (LED24C45RQ) for $149, and a 20-inch 720p set (LED20G30RQ) for $118.

Based on our recent history, we wouldn't recommend many RCA TVs as a primary set, though some might be fine as a TV for a secondary room of the house if you're not a critical viewer and the price is low enough.

These days, Sanyo pretty much acts as a Walmart house brand, although we are seeing some of its sets elsewhere. The largest set advertised is the Sanyo DP58D34, a 58-inch 1080p LCD TV with 120Hz technology for $549. It's priced at $700 at H.H. Gregg, but $570 at BrandsMart. There's also a 40-inch 60Hz 1080p set—the DP40D64, priced at $279—that we don't see elsewhere. Sanyo TVs haven't fared so well in our most recent ratings, though we didn't test these sets.

Sceptre and Element

Sceptre is another secondary brand we've seen featured at Walmart during its Black Friday sales. There are several Sceptre-brand LCD TVs in Walmart's Early Bird sale, including a 50-inch 60Hz 1080p set (X505BV-FMQR) for $349, and a 40-inch 1080p model (X405BV-FHDR) priced at $249. Smaller models include a 32-inch 720p set (X322BV-HDR) for $169, and a 19-inch 720p LCD (E195BV-SHD) for just $98. These TVs don't seem to be available elsewhere, except via the Amazon.com marketplace, or sometimes on NewEgg.com, where prices are a bit higher.

There is just a single Element-brand TV in Walmart's Early Bird sale, the 42-inch ELEFS421A, priced at $299. Like most of the other secondary brand sets, this is a basic 60Hz 1080p model.

Given the limited number of major-brand sets, we don't see much in the way of TVs in Walmart's Early Bird sale that would compel us to jump into the Black Friday frenzy early. We feel pretty confident that the deals will get better as we get closer to the three- or four-day event. If you do intend to head out for Black Friday shopping, check out our Top 10 Black Friday shopping tips, and keep checking back for all our coverage of the best deals throughout the holiday season.

—James K. Willcox

Visit our Holiday Gift Ideas page throughout the season to find the best deals, time-saving advice, and much more.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

If you had not figured it out from our slew of articles covering the subject, we’re big on reliability. In a perfect world, the most reliable car is also one that you can afford—but that’s not always the case. You might be surprised, but there are many great options for those looking for a reliable vehicle on a budget. And while this list may not include the best performing vehicles in our tests, they’re, bar-none, the most reliable. To that end, here are the 10 most reliable cars with a base MSRP under $25,000, ranked in terms of reliability.

Scion xB

As tested: $18,360
Base MSRP price range: $16,970 - $20,420

Overall, Scion is one of the most reliable brands from our survey (8th out of 28), and the xB is the leader from this offshoot brand from Toyota. The xB was last redesigned in 2008, which means the boxy hatchback is long beyond any teething issues. Its 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine delivers good performance, but returns only 23 mpg overall. The xB was the most reliable car in our entire 2014 survey, and it starts at under $17,000.

Honda Civic

As Tested: $21,880
Base MSRP price range: $18,290 - $24,590

Behind the Scion xB, the Civic, in coupe and sedan form, is the second most reliable compact car. Both versions start under $19,000, and benefit from two consecutive years of updates. After a lackluster 2012 model, Honda went back to the drawing board, and then again provided updates for 2014. The Civic has an impressive list of standard features, including backup camera, and is likely to have strong resale values.

Toyota Prius c

As Tested: $20,850
Base MSRP price range: $19,080 - $23,360

Despite scoring low in our road test, the Prius c returned strong reliability scores. But its 37 mpg is the best city fuel economy of any car we've tested, and its 43 mpg overall is just 1 mpg less than the regular Prius. And while this small car excels in stretching a gallon gas, you have to live with a harsh ride, noisy engine, and slow acceleration. It starts under $20,000.

Subaru Forester

As tested: $26,814 (non-turbo)
Base MSRP price range: $22,195 - $33,095

The Subaru brand jumped up three places among overall brand reliability, and the nonturbocharged version of the Forester led the way. This small crossover features an upright, boxy design that makes for terrific access and storage. This design makes for outward visibility that is unheard of in modern vehicles. Its 26 mpg overall isn’t bad, either.

Volkswagen Passat 1.8T

As Tested: $27,485
Base MSRP price range: $21,120 - $35,660

The reliability of the Passat has been strong in the last two years, and this year is no different. The 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivers the ideal combination of power and efficiency; we measured 28 mpg overall. The Passat 1.8T might be the fourth most reliable under $25K, but it is the highest ranked family sedan­– something to keep in mind for those shopping for a car with excellent passenger and trunk space.

Mazda6

As Tested: $23,590
Base MSRP price range: $21,190 - $29,895

Right on the heels of the Passat is the second of three family sedans on this list. As a brand, Mazda jumped up two spots to No. 3 overall, and the Mazda6 is the most reliable in the Japanese automaker’s lineup. In our road test, we found that the Mazda6 had fetching styling, fun handling characteristics, and returned an impressive 32 mpg overall.

Honda Civic Si

As Tested: $23,175
Base MSRP price range: $18,290 - $24,590

Don’t think this list is just for the frugal! With a responsive 201-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, the Civic Si is fun to drive, and is backed up with strong reliability. The coupe and sedan Civic Si comes in at about $22,000 and $23,000, respectively. Combine that price with its score as the most reliable among sporty cars, and you have a great deal for thrill seekers on a budget.

Subaru XV Crosstrek

As Tested: $24,215
Base MSRP price range: $21,995 - $29,295

The XV Crosstrek is basically a taller Subaru Impreza wagon, with some butched up styling elements. That places it as third among small SUVs in terms of reliability (behind the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport and the aforementioned nonturbo Forester). Strengths include a user-friendly cabin with simple controls and generous visibility.

Toyota Yaris

As Tested: $17,290
Base MSRP price range: $14,845 - $17,620

The Yaris was last updated in late 2011, sold as a 2012 model. That means it has matured and moved past any potential problems that typically plague a car in its first year. With solid fuel economy going for it (we measured 32 mpg overall), and the highest among subcompact cars in the reliability survey, the Yaris has some redeeming qualities. But the car is noisy, its ride is choppy, and the driving position and front seats are uncomfortable.

Toyota Camry

As Tested: $23,830
Base MSRP price range: $22,970 - $31,370

Rounding out this list is the four-cylinder version of the Toyota Camry. Toyota is the most reliable nonluxury brand, and the Camry has been a best seller for years. The four-cylinder model returned an excellent 27 mpg overall in our tests.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

What will it take to pry you from your home, out of your typical holiday routine, and into a Walmart store on Thanksgiving Day this year?

Based on an early peak at the retailer's one-hour deals that run from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thanksgiving Night, Walmart is hoping a 65-inch 1080p name-brand smart TV for under $650, or a 50-inch LED/LCD set for just $218, will do just that. If not, other one-hour deals—all eligible for Walmart's "1-Hour Guarantee"—will include:

• Apple iPad Mini 16GB with Wi-Fi for $199 with a $30 Walmart Gift Card.
  
• Xbox One Halo “The Master Chief Collection” Bundle for $329 with a $30 Walmart Gift Card.
• LG Blu-ray Disc Player for $35 (a claimed special buy).
• Beats by Dr. Dre Wireless Headphones for $149.
  
• 7-inch RCA Google Play Wi-Fi tablet for $29.
• Samsung Galaxy Ace Style on Straight Talk Wireless for $29.
  
• HP Intel Celeron touch laptop for $249 (another claimed special buy).

Last year, one of the best Black Friday TV deals we saw was for a 60-inch Vizio E-series smart TV, which sold for $688 at Walmart and Amazon. This year the 65-inch set is priced even lower. Walmart didn't specify the model, but we think it might be the Vizio E650i B2, which sells for about $1,100. As we reported earlier, two Vizio models—the 60-inch E600i-B3 ($798) and the 70-inch E700i-B3 ($1,498)—are part of the company's deals leading up to Black Friday. The 50-inch LED/LCD TV for $218 will be sourced from more than one brand, we were told during the conference call, but the sets will be comparable.

As part of its one-hour guarantee, Walmart promises that all customers who are in the designated areas of the store between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Nov. 27 will get the gift they want, either taking it home from the store that night if it's still available or picking it up from a store at a later date before Christmas.

Walmart will follow those store-opening sales with a big electronics event that starts at 8 p.m. Thanksgiving Night, with special deals across a range of categories. The chain said the deals would include:

• Samsung smart HDTVs that range in price from $298 for a 32-inch set to $798 for a 60-inch model.
• 50-inch Vizio smart Ultra HD TV for $698, a claimed $300 savings.
• Sony Bluetooth sound bar with a wired subwoofer for $88.
  
• Beats by Dr. Dre Pill portable speaker for $100, a claimed $100 savings.
  
• Fitbit Flex wristband for $69.
  
• Google Chromecast streaming media player for $25, $10 off its regular price.
  
• Nabi 2 Nickelodeon Edition Wi-Fi tablet for $99.
  
• Nikon D3200 dSLR camera and two-lens bundle for $499.
  
• Samsung Galaxy S4 on Straight Talk Wireless for $249.
  
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite 7-inch Wi-Fi tablet for $99.

Then, starting at 6 a.m. on Black Friday (Nov. 28), the chain says in-store shoppers can save 30 percent on whole categories of products, including select Samsung TVs and home audio gear.

Find the right TV for your needs and budget with our TV buying guide and Ratings. And learn the best places to shop for electronics. Visit our Holiday Gift Ideas page for more news on deals and advice on ways to save.

Online deals start Thanksgiving morning

Walmart is kicking off its online sales early Thanksgiving morning, with some of the same deals it will offer later at stores and with some online-only specials. Deals at Walmart.com will include:

• 55-inch Samsung 4K Ultra HD smart TV with a curved screen for $1,298.
  
• Dell 15.6-inch touch screen laptop for $549.
  
• Toshiba 2-in-1 11.6-inch touch screen laptop for $299.
  
• GoPro Hero3+ Silver Edition camera for $250.
  
• Canon Rebel TSi dSLR camera two-lens bundle for $699.
• Neato XV-21 Robotic Vacuum for $269.

Online shoppers will also get hundreds of deals on Saturday and Sunday, Walmart said, leading up to the chain's Cyber Monday sale.

In all, Walmart will have five days of special deals, including in-store and online-only offers. To help improve the shopping experience, Walmart has created an interactive circular for online customers, with product reviews, buyer’s guides, and how-to tutorials. It will also have online and in-store maps showing the locations of popular items. And it will once again have a wristband program for high-demand items, such as the Beats Pill and iPad Air, so you don’t stand in line for a product that isn’t available. Wristbands are to be distributed while supplies last, so you can shop for other items and claim products later, as long as it's within a two-hour time limit.

The company said it has simplified the registration and pickup process this year to make it easier to get items that are out of stock but covered by the one-hour guarantee. In the conference call, Walmart executives said the chain is buying wider and deeper this year, so it will have a wider assortment of sale merchandise, plus more in-stock supplies.

Walmart's Black Friday sales tend to be a bellwether for other holiday sales, so as we get closer to the actual holiday, we'll be poring over competitors' ads to compare prices and see where you'll get the best deals on TVs and other electronic items.

So keep checking back for all our Black Friday and holiday coverage, and use our Black Friday 2014 shopping tips.

—James K. Willcox

Visit our Holiday Gift Ideas page throughout the season to find the best deals, time-saving advice, and much more.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

When you’re super-short on time, carving out room in your schedule to entertain—especially during the holidays—can seem like extra stress. But don’t delete fun from your to-do list just yet. There are smart ways to throw a dinner or party that reduce prep time to a minimum. Just be sure to save a few hours for the actual event!
 
Step away from the kitchen. Skip the home-baked Christmas cookies this year and buy your party fare ready made. You can pick up everything from hors d’oeuvres to the main dish at your grocery store deli or local gourmet shop—or order out from your favorite restaurant. But presentation counts: Andrea Greco, a New York stylist and crafter, recommends a couldn’t-be-easier charcuterie party: cover your table in butcher or kraft paper, then stock up on cheeses, cured meats, baguettes, cornichons, and olives at a better deli or upscale supermarket. Display the foods on plates and write the name of the food on the paper beside it, with tips on meat and cheese pairings. Ask your guests to bring wine and, voila, it’s a party.
 
Look for ways to double the fun. “Turn an activity into a social event so that you get two things done at once,” suggest Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, founders of the lifestyle brand Beekman 1802. “For instance have a trim-the-tree party or invite people over to “tailgate” in the driveway while you string the Christmas lights outside.”  Or, prep once and party twice—if you need to entertain two different groups of people, have one party Saturday night and a brunch or open house the next day. David Mashburn, proprietor of the restaurant Classic on Noble in Anniston, Alabama, suggests ordering two hams, or two turkeys, slicing one, and using the other as a table centerpiece for the first party. The next day, it’s the entrée.

Go for the shortcut decor. “Think flowers, candles, and pretty table toppings—like clear vases filled with fresh cranberries and candles—to set a festive holiday atmosphere,” says Nicole Straight, marketing manager of Marcia Selden Catering & Event Planning in Stamford, Connecticut. “Call your local florist and tell them what colors you’re using around your home and on your table.” For linens, Straight recommends Home Goods and Pier 1—or, rent linens, and crystal, china, and flatware as well. “There’s nothing to iron or polish beforehand, and nothing to wash afterwards,” she says. “When you’re finished, simply put it back into the crates they came in and they’ll be whisked away.”
 
Hire a little help ... A bartender, servers, or at the very least someone in the kitchen handling clean up goes a long way toward freeing up your time during and particularly after the party. Ask the bartenders at your favorite restaurant if they’d be willing to work at a private party. “Don’t scrimp on the clean up,” says Nicole Straight. “The last thing you want at the end of the evening is to be left with a million dishes and platters to wash.”
 
… Or hire a lot. Calling in a caterer is as close as you can come to being a guest at your own party. To make the process as efficient as possible, Serena Thompson, founder of The Farm Chicks in Mead, Washington, advises: “Either have a clear idea of the direction you’d like your menu to go, or hire a caterer you trust to entirely plan the menu. If you’re indecisive or unclear, you’re going to spend a lot of time working out the details.” Also key to a smooth event: Identify beforehand what your caterer will need—the type of space, serving dishes, etc.—so the problems don’t have to be solved once they arrive. And be sure to nail down what the servers will wear, that cleanup is part of the deal, and whether leftover food will go into your fridge, or be delivered to a soup kitchen.

—Cathy Cavender

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

You can now get financial help to lower the cost of your monthly health insurance. These FAQs will explain what you need to know when applying for financial help for health insurance. They will help you understand how to report your income.

How much can I make and still get financial help?

The health care law (known as the Affordable Care Act, ACA, or “Obamacare”) offers special financial assistance to help people pay for insurance. To get the help, you have to buy insurance on your state’s Health Insurance Marketplace.  For 2015, tax credits are available to single people who make up to $46,680 a year.  A family of four can make up to $95,400 a year and get tax credits.

You can use these tax credits several ways to reduce the cost of your health insurance. For people whose income is lower, you can also get cost-sharing reductions (lower co-payments, co-insurance or deductibles).  A single person can make up to $29,175 a year and get lower cost-sharing and tax credits. A family of four can make up to $59,625 a year and get cost-sharing reductions in addition to tax credits.

To figure out if you qualify for financial assistance for 2015, your Health Insurance Marketplace needs to know your household income.  The Marketplace needs to know how much you expect your tax household’s income will be for the year you will have the insurance.  (For Medicaid, they will look at your current monthly income.) That’s an easy question to answer if you have a steady income from a job or other regular, predictable income. But it is not so easy if you have unsteady or hard-to-predict income from self-employment, sales commissions, seasonal work, or another form of income.

How does the tax credit work?

The Health Premium Tax Credit is a new way to lower the cost of health insurance when you buy it through the Marketplace. Because it is a tax credit, it lowers the total amount of tax you owe the IRS.  Or, if you don't owe any tax, it increases your refund. You can use the tax credit even if you did not make enough to file taxes last year.

There are two ways to use the tax credit. You can get it "in advance" and use it to lower your monthly health premiums right away.  Or, you can wait until tax time and get the full amount as a refund when you file your taxes. Keep in mind, if you use it "in advance" you should call your Health Insurance Marketplace to report any changes in income or family size during the year. Take a look at our tax credit tool to help you understand better how the tax credits work.  

What counts as income?

The ACA counts income based on something called your “Modified Adjusted Gross Income” (MAGI).  MAGI is your taxable income, the income you report on your tax return. For most people, MAGI will be the adjusted gross income (AGI) that is on your federal tax return. You can find your adjusted gross income in the following places:

• Tax Form 1040 - Line 37
• Tax Form 1040-EZ - Line 4
• Tax Form 1040A - Line 21

All Social Security benefits count towards MAGI, not just the taxable amount. Here’s an annotated version of Form 1040 that we marked up to show what goes into MAGI.

If you don’t have a previous tax return to use or you think you may be eligible for Medicaid, this worksheet can help you learn more about MAGI.

Do I report everybody’s income or just my own?

Just like when you complete your income taxes, for the tax credits you report everyone in your tax household’s income.  That means you report your income, your spouse’s income and the income of any dependents who are on your tax return.

Do I report my past income, current income or future income?

The income that you report should be for the year that you want health insurance.  If you apply in November 2014 for insurance to start in January 2015, you will need to estimate your future income for 2015.

If you are applying during the same year you will have insurance (for example, applying in February 2015 for insurance that would start in March 2015), you would report your expected income for 2015.

How do I estimate my income for a year that has not ended yet?

If your income is from a regular paycheck, it will be easy to estimate your income even if the year hasn’t ended.  But if your income is unpredictable, you may not know your exact income because it has not come in yet. You might have to guess.  Think about what jobs you expect to work this year and how much you think each job might pay.

If you filed a federal tax return last year, you can use it as a starting point.  Look for the Adjusted Gross Income you reported. Then add or subtract, depending on how you think your income might change. Which jobs will be different this year?  Which jobs will be the same?  Don’t forget to deduct self-employment expenses.

What happens if I guess my income wrong?

It is important to be as accurate as you can when estimating your income.  If you get advance tax credits and guess your income too low on your application, you may get too much tax credit.  If you do, then you might have to pay all or part of the advance tax credits back when you file your taxes. The amount you owe will depend on what your final income turns out to be.

But, if you guessed your income too high on your application, the advance tax credit may be less than what you should get.  If that’s the case, you will get the rest of the tax credit when you file your taxes.  You may even get a tax refund.

One way to avoid owing all or a part of your tax credit later is to only ask for part of it in advance. You can still lower your monthly premiums that way.  And you will get the rest of your tax credit when you file your taxes. You can also take none of the credit in advance.  Then you would get the whole tax credit when you file your taxes. We have an interactive online tool that explains more about how the tax credits work.

How will the Marketplace check my income?

The Marketplace will check the income you reported on your application and compare it to what the IRS has on file for you. This is called “income verification.” The Marketplace does this by electronically asking the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) database and other databases if what you reported is the same as what they have on file.  The IRS will not share your personal tax data with your Marketplace.  They will just tell the Marketplace if the income you reported does or does not match what they have on file for you.

The IRS information comes from your latest income tax return. When you apply for coverage in 2015, that’s probably going to be your 2013 tax return. If your income has changed since then, your reported income may not match the data on file.

• If your estimated income is the same as or more than what is on file, the Marketplace will consider it to be verified.
• If your estimated income is lower than what is on file or if the Marketplace cannot find any electronic data on your income (for example, if you have not filed a recent tax return), the Marketplace may ask you to provide more information to prove that your guess is accurate. You will have 90 days to get this done. You will get health insurance and temporary tax credits while you are waiting. If you don’t prove your income is what you say it is, your tax credits may end or change to match the information in the electronic files.

What documents will I need to prove my income?

If the Marketplace can’t verify your income, you might have to give them documents to show them what you say is likely true. Many kinds of proof are acceptable.

If you cannot get any of the listed documents, do your best to give the Marketplace something that shows that you expect to make the amount of money you put on your application.  Your marketplace will give you instructions on how to send in your documents. Follow them carefully so your paperwork doesn't get lost.

This fact sheet was produced by Julie Silas, Senior Attorney, Consumers Union at jsilas@consumer.org. It is also available as a downloadable .pdf in English and Spanish.

See our complete health insurance information

Visit our health insurance center to find out how to select, obtain, and use all kinds of health insurance, including private insurance, employer insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

For drivers looking for car bling on a budget, Black Magic Tire Color offers a quick and easy way to give your tires a glittery look. We spotted this product at the SEMA aftermarket auto show in Las Vegas, where high-dollar chrome and horsepower are commonplace. But this product costs just $7.50 for an 8 oz. bottle—enough to do four tires.

Just daub Tire Color on your sidewalls using the included applicator, and your tires will take on a Vegas-grade glittery appearance.

Tire Color may be just the thing for a special event or night on the town, but don’t expect it to last. The product is water soluble, so your tires will be back to basic black before long.

On sale in spring 2015, Platinum will be the only color available at launch. Depending on how it’s received, other colors may follow. Look for Tire Color in auto parts stores.

—Jim Travers

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

Prepaid cards have come a long way. Once considered a pretty niche product, the cards were mostly marketed to low-income people with few or no banking relationships. The cards were expensive, carried many fees, and, because they offered few protections, were risky. Prepaid cards were last resort for consumers who really didn’t have a choice.

But some prepaid cards have changed for the better, as our latest report, "Prepaid Cards: How They Rate 2014" (PDF) and Ratings of 23 cards show. Fees on some prepaid cards are very low, cheaper even than checking accounts. What’s more, today’s prepaid cards more often offer the kinds of features that can help with good money management. 

These improvements for the better have not been lost on consumers. Prepaid cards are the fastest-growing segment of the payments market. About one in four American households use them, not necessarily as a bank-account substitute but as an adjunct. Who might use them?

• A parent of a college student might give his son a prepaid card as a way to keep a check on spending, for instance.
• A mom might load a younger child’s allowance on a card every week to teach her about money management.
• Young working adults can manage cash flow by having their paycheck loaded onto their card.
• People who worry that a credit card could make it too easy to overspend can still enjoy the convenience of shopping online and paying bills electronically.

Our Ratings rank prepaid cards for use as a substitute for a bank account and as an addition to a bank account. Click on the links to download the charts.

Check our tips for using a prepaid card, and stay on top of the personal finance news.

Problems persist

Concerns remain for prepaid cards. Prepaid cards lack the federal consumer protections that come with debit cards linked to bank accounts. If your card is lost or stolen, you’re out of luck (although all of the cards we reviewed voluntarily offer protection against loss and fraud). Fees can be tough to pin down, and some costs, such as when using an out-of-network ATM, can be hard to figure out ahead of time.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is expected to close some of these gaps when it issues proposed prepaid card rules, though any federal rules are not expected to be final for some time.

Different cards offer different features, so be sure the prepaid card you choose does what you want it to do, including: paying bills and having a paper check sent, managing your account by mobile phone and even depositing checks digitally, and linking your prepaid card to your savings account and possibly earning interest on balances. Our top-rated cards have all or most of the features you could want.

Our Ratings rank prepaid cards for use as a substitute for a bank account and as an addition to a bank account. Click on the links to download the charts.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

With more than one million square feet of exhibit space occupied by some 2,500 exhibitors, to say that there’s a lot to see at the annual gathering of the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association in Las Vegas is a bit of an understatement.

It’s kind of like saying you might see a slot machine during the week of SEMA. Or a guy in an Elvis suit.

Beyond the metal flake, chrome, lift kits, and low riders generously spread around Las Vegas, it’s easy to spot trends at SEMA—products that weren’t even there last year and now seem to be popping up in booths all over the show. Here’s a look at five of the notable trends and products we saw this year.

Wraps

Films are a way to customize the look of your car, or simply change the color without repainting. Not just for customizers anymore, wraps have gone mainstream. That’s partly because wraps cost a fraction of a good paint job, and they can be peeled off without damage, if you’d prefer to go back to your car’s original look. 3M offers a wide variety of colors, textures, and combinations, from solid colors to a carbon fiber look. A factory representative said a professional can do a whole car in 8 to 10 hours, at a cost of about $2,500 and up for the wrap and labor. Check out out the possibilities on the 3M website.

Compact battery jump boxes

Emergency jump starters that can fit in a glove compartment are a growing category, with more suppliers entering the fray and existing makers broadening their product lines. We saw at least 25 of the miniature powerhouses at SEMA this year, all of which double as phone and laptop chargers. Companies claim that these small devices can hold a charge for months. Powerall, Weego, and Whistler are among the manufacturers now offering models in different sizes, capacities, and prices. Typical of the category, the new Whistler Mini Jump & Go is about the size of an iPhone 6, and it is priced at about $75.

Aftermarket backup cameras

With many drivers hanging on to their cars for 10 years or more, the aftermarket industry is stepping up with ways to add newer safety equipment to older vehicles. Advent, Audiovox, Brandmotion, and Rosen are among those who showed add-on rear camera systems at SEMA. Available in a variety of styles and price points, some use a screen mounted in the rearview mirror, while others have their own screen or are compatible with a built-in screen. Prices start at around $100, with many name brand systems available in the $300 to $500 range. Professional installation is strongly recommended, which can add $100 to $150. Some of the same manufacturers also make backup sensors, and lane-departure and forward-collision warning systems.

Dash cams

Already a popular accessory in other parts of the world, cameras that can record crashes and other events for playback are now appearing in the United States. Typically mounted to the dash or windshield using a suction-cup mount, cameras such as the ones we saw from DriveProof and SteelMate retain a few seconds of video before, during, and after a crash. They can also be used to capture parking lot incidents when your car is unoccupied, and a less litigious-focused option is the ability to record scenic drives for later sharing. Prices start at about $100, but check state and local laws before you buy.

3D-printed car

A fledgling carmaker, Local Motors, is aiming to have a 3D-printed car on sale in 2015—crash tested, emissions compliant, and ready to go. Given the traditional new model development period of five years or more from an established automaker, that’s especially impressive. In fairness, not all of the Strati shown at SEMA was printed—some components such as the engine were outsourced, and the car is rather basic. Still, Local Motors is off to a good start. The Strati went from conception to construction in about six months, and the car it showed at SEMA was built in two days. Other benefits of 3D printing are being able to quickly make improvements to the design, localized production, easy recyclability, and production costs low enough that Local Motion says the Strati will be priced between $18,000 and $30,000.

See our complete SEMA show coverage.

—Jim Travers

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

To test snow blowers, you need to use snow, right? That works if you're in the upper Midwest and are trying out a brand-new machine following the major storm that just hit. But at Consumer Reports we use a different material, wet sawdust, to guarantee precise results when you need them. For one, the specially sized and screened particles we use absorb four times their weight in water, behaving like the wettest, heaviest snow. Here are two other good reasons:

Snowfall isn’t reliable. Just as we test lawn mowers and tractors in Florida during the winter, we have to test snow blowers months before winter. If we waited until December, you wouldn’t see results until at least March. Using wet sawdust to simulate snow lets us test during the summer. Once snow actually arrives, we take the models up to a snowy, 30-foot-wide airstrip in upstate New York for a check-test, to ensure that our latest results with the sawdust jibe with what we get using real snow.

Snow tends to melt. During a day of testing, the colder temperatures of the morning compared to the afternoon make the snow vary in consistency, with hour-to-hour fluctuations common. This can make fair comparisons difficult. Sawdust, however, behaves the same whatever the hour in our tests of clearing speed, throwing distance, and other criteria.

If you need a new snow blower, better get out there now before the good models are gone. Which are those? Our snow blower Ratings of more than 110 gas and electric models will tell you; among top picks in gas-powered machines are the dual-stage Troy-Bilt Vortex 2890 31AH55Q, $1,300, and the single-stage Toro Power Clear 721E, $570. Check out our snow blower buying guide if you’re not sure how much muscle you need or what features most matter.

—Ed Perratore (@EdPerratore on Twitter)

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

It’s a problem that probably goes back all the way to the Pilgrims: How the heck do you know when your Thanksgiving turkey is done? Getting the right answer is important—undercook it, and you risk sickening your guests with food poisoning; overcook it, and the meat ends up tough and dry.

For decades, one popular solution to this culinary conundrum has been the pop-up timer, a device invented to take the uncertainty out of poultry cooking times, especially for Thanksgiving turkeys.

But are these timers safe and reliable? To find out, we recently tested 21 pop-up thermometers in whole turkeys and turkey breasts. Our testing covered pop-up timers bought online and put into place by cooks before cooking, and models pre-inserted in the meat at the processing plant. To determine the pop-ups’ accuracy, we also measured the internal temperature of the meat with a calibrated reference thermometer. Our findings may make a few eyebrows pop:

• Self-inserted and manufacturer-inserted timers generally “popped” in our tests at internal temperatures above 165° F—the minimum safe temperature for all poultry. But three timers popped up when meat was still below that safe zone, one as low as 139.5° F.
• These low readings are a concern. Cooking poultry to 165° F helps ensure potentially harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning—such as campylobacter and salmonella—are destroyed. Serving undercooked turkey means you risk sending your guests home with a nasty case of food poisoning. Our food safety experts recommend that cooks do not rely on these timers to tell whether their holiday bird is done. Instead, use a conventional meat thermometer to check the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast and in the thigh between the drumstick and the body, and take several readings.
  

Get more advice on choosing a meat thermometer in our buying guide. Keep everyone at your holiday table healthy by following our cooking do's and don'ts.

Meat thermometers: Our recommendations

In a separate round of testing, our experts assessed instant-read and leave-in analog and digital meat thermometers for temperature accuracy, repeatability, response time, and product features.

Based on this testing our experts recommend home cooks purchase a digital meat thermometer. Overall, compared with analog models, instant-read and leave-in digitals are more accurate, easier to read, and have faster response times. Testing found analog thermometers are also not suitable for use in thinner cuts of meat such as most steaks and boneless chicken breasts.

Among instant-read thermometers we tested, the CDN ProAccurate TCT572 was the top model. Accurate and consistent, it also features a foldaway probe. But at $85, it’s also the most expensive recommended instant-read digital. Another highly rated model, the Polder Stable Read THM-379, performed nearly as well as the CDN, yet costs just $20.

Leave-in digitals that remain in the meat while it cooks offer more features—such as audible alerts and the ability to transmit temperature readings to a wireless unit or smart phone—but generally cost more than instant reads. Williams-Sonoma’s Smart Thermometer 87072 was the top-rated model of all those tested; at $200 it was also the most expensive. When connected to Wi-Fi and paired with a free app, the Smart Thermometer sends temperature readings and other alerts to any Apple mobile device. Two less costly leave-in wireless models are Oregon Scientific’s Wireless BBQ/Oven AW131 ($50) and iGrill’s mini Bluetooth ($40). The Oregon Scientific doesn’t  offer as many features as the Williams-Sonoma thermometer, but performed very well in testing.

—Ian Landau

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.

The holiday spirit hangs in the air this time of year, filling shoppers with feelings of good will and generosity—when they’re not busy fighting for bargains. It also brings out a spike in crime, as bad guys prey on distracted shoppers who make their work all too easy.

“We see a definite rise in crime around the holidays,” says Sgt. 1st Class Gregory Williams of the New Jersey State Police. “People leave packages in vehicles, and criminals know it’s that time of year. They’re just looking for something they can grab.”

By taking a few simple precautions, you can help make sure that your gifts end up with their intended recipients, rather than in the hands of a thief.

1) Watch where you park. Find a parking space as close as you can to the store entrance and under a light, if it’s dark. Make a note of any nearby signs, poles, or other landmarks to make it easier to find your way back. Try to avoid parking next to large vans or SUVs that give a thief privacy.

2) Lock it up. It may sound obvious, but law enforcement professionals say that many thefts are the result of unlocked cars. Double check to make sure you close the windows and lock all the doors before leaving the car. And don’t forget the sunroof.

3) Hide the goods. Don’t leave packages, phones, music players, or other valuables on the seats, floor, dash, or anywhere in sight. Lock items in the trunk or otherwise stash them out of sight. Even a cell phone cord is an invitation for trouble.

4) Keep moving. If you come out of the store to drop off a load of packages, move the car to another space before going back for more shopping. Criminals may be watching and know you won’t be back for a while.

5) Stay focused. Pay attention to your surroundings while walking to and from your car. Walk with a purpose, and stay off the phone. Have your keys ready as you approach the car, and get yourself and your packages inside quickly. Then lock the doors.

—Jim Travers

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.