Get the 411 on what to look out for when buying a new car, shopping for home appliances (both big-ticket items and smaller purchases!), and picking out the right furniture for your style. We divulge all of our secrets -- from the best ways to bargain-shop to our featured deal of the week!

Photo by JCPenney

The coffee table won't cut it for dinner parties. You've got some shopping to do.

Know Before You Go:
Repeat after us: hardwood, hardwood, hardwood. From this moment on, forget about particleboard or plywood models and focus on investing in a long-lasting, hardwood table. Does that mean pine is cut from the list? No way. The yellow kind is strong, but watch out for the white stuff: It's very soft and bends easily.

Do an In-Store Inspection:
Read the tag and knock on the wood to make sure it's not hollow. Test to make sure the table is stable and doesn't wobble -- lean on all corners. Use the sales associate as a resource...ahem, that's why they're there. If you've got dining chairs, sit at the table in a seat of the same height as your own and make sure it's comfy. If full-wood isn't your style, you've got metal frame and glass-topped options.

Pick the Right Size:
Plan to have at least five feet (four feet if you're really pinched for space) around the table on all sides to leave room for guests getting in and out of their chairs. Tables that can expand to fit more guests with an insert or drop leaves are a great option. Check out the chart below to figure out how many guests you can fit comfortably at various sized tables.

Keep a Few Things in Mind:
If you know you won't use your dining table often -- or ever -- don't let it hog valuable real estate! Look for a table that can fold down to save space.

We know how many Super Bowl parties you will be going to this weekend and cannot deny that the onset of TV envy can be quite sudden. It starts by visiting your friends’ apartment, where they show you their new 52-inch flat-screen hung ever-so-chicly on the wall. Your tube starts to feel ancient (hey, you bought it when Brad was with Jennifer and the Red Sox were underdogs. What’d you expect?). Still, you try to convince yourself you’re sophisticated and don’t need those fancy gadgets. You’d rather read, anyway. Bright, bold flat-screens are so Big Mac, and you’re strictly grilled chicken. No bun, please.

Then you get home and the game’s on. You put down War and Peace (okay, you never even picked it up) and turn on your TV. Panic sets in as images of the 52-inch wonder race through your head. You start to think, That 60-yard pass would’ve been way better on a flat-screen TV. And then you look to your right and see that your spouse must be thinking the same thing. How do you know? He’s staring at War and Peace, halfway considering it. There’s only one cure: a flat-screen of your own. Here’s how to end your TV envy for good.

Know the Basics 
When it comes to flat-screen TVs, LCDs (liquid-crystal display) and plasmas are the two best options. Either one will give you a quality picture, and they’re available in thin, sleek models. Which one you pick basically depends on your budget, where you’re planning on putting it and how you use your TV (that means you, video gamers).

Plasma vs. LCD 
There’s literally a “go big or go home� mentality when you’re buying a plasma TV since they don’t come any smaller than 40 inches or so. The good news is that if size matters to you (and why wouldn’t it?), plasmas will give you the most screen for your buck. Typical plasmas range from about $800 to $2,000 for a 42-inch set and $1,500 to $4,000 for a 50-inch model. You’ll pay in that same range for LCDs that are up to 10 inches smaller...which is actually a lot. LCDs are catching up, but plasmas still offer the most accurate colors, deep blacks and contrast. Plasmas are also better if your couch isn’t directly in front of your TV, but is instead angled a bit.

So why even bother with LCDs? There are really four reasons... For one, plasmas can have what’s called “burn-in,� which is when a pixel breaks and the image on the screen is more or less left there. This can happen if the screen doesn’t change frequently, like when you’re playing a video game. LCDs don’t have this issue. Also, if you have an influx of natural light in, say, your living room, an LCD might be the better option since they come with an antiglare surface that blocks sunlight. Plasmas are also made with thick glass, making them almost twice as heavy as LCDs, so they’re more difficult to mount. For a flat-screen smaller than 42 inches, like for your bedroom or kitchen (or pimped out bathroom, if your house looks like something out of MTV’s Cribs), LCDs are more or less your only option and cost between $600 and $1,300 for a 32-inch model. Just keep in mind: In order to view an LCD, you need to sit directly in front of it.

Resolution 
Resolution is another big issue to consider. A 1080p (full HD) TV will cost you more, but it’s definitely worth it. That being said, don’t despair if a 720p is more in your price range. Wondering what we’re talking about? Basically, the higher the number, the sharper the image.

Size 
Size totally matters. You don’t want to put a 32-inch TV in your big living room and then squint to see the screen. That’s why your viewing distance should be 1.5 to 2.5 times the diagonal measurement of your TV screen. So if you buy a 50-inch TV, place your couch between 7 and 10 feet away.

Continue reading!

Photo by Ellen Silverman

A five-figure makeover might not be in your plans, but the kitchen of your dreams can be. Here are seven ways to resuscitate a tired, old kitchen for $5,000 or much less along with product-specific advice on ways to save.

Revamp the Cabinets

Provided the cabinets are structurally sound you can spruce them up with a fresh coat of paint or reface them with peel-and-stick veneers. Improve capacity with inexpensive cabinet organizers.And applying crown molding to the top of cabinets gives them a finished look.

Add or Update an Island

Whether it’s a permanent unit with furniture-style looks or a small portable one on casters, an island adds work and storage space. The style should complement your cabinets, but it needn’t match exactly. A wood island can add warmth to a white kitchen, and a painted finish can inject color into an all-wood one. Be sure that there is at least a 42-inch clearance around the island to ensure easy access and smooth traffic flow. Prices start around $150 and go up to $1,000 or more.

Already have an island? Try applying a decorative beadboard panel and a baseboard to make the island look like a piece of furniture, says certified kitchen designer Pam Newton.

Refinish the Backsplash

Visually prominent but small enough not to need much material, the wall space above the counter or between the top cabinets and the counter is a great place to add color or contrast. Paint is the simplest and cheapest option for making over a backsplash. Tile—ceramic, colored glass, or stone—costs $10 to $40 per square foot installed. Or use stainless steel, at $100 to $150 per square foot installed, to complement stainless appliances.

Bring in the Old

Choosing energy-efficient appliances isn’t the only way to go green. Salvage shops are stocked with new or gently used stone countertops, hardwood flooring, decorative lumber, kitchen cabinets, and stained glass. Habitat for Humanity sells used and surplus building materials at outlets called ReStores.

Free-cycling, used by networks of people who offer household items free of charge, is another option. Membership is free, and you'll get e-mail postings of items. Groups include www.freecycle.org, www.sharingisgiving.org, and www.freesharing.org. Craigslist also has an area for free items.

Upgrade the Appliances

New features, improved efficiency and styling, and relatively stable prices make replacing your appliances tempting. French-door refrigerators, which combine split doors on top with one or two freezer drawers; faux-pro ranges; and quieter dishwashers are all available in stainless steel for about $150 to $250 more than basic black or white. Check the Ratings in each appliance report for models that combine performance, value, and reliability.

Read on for more tips on how to revamp your kitchen for less!

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How long should we expect our couch to last?

The general prognosis is about 10 to 15 years, says Sotheby’s-trained home shopping expert Jennifer Litwin, author of Best Furniture Buying Tips Ever. But it depends on how you and your family are using those couches.

“If it’s your only couch and you’re laying on it every night, it’s going to wear faster,� says Litwin, who currently has couches in her house going on 10 years -- because she says, “we take really good care of them.� Here are some of Litwin’s suggestions for making your couch last longer:

(1) Keep it out of the sun, as the sun will fade fabric couches, and suck the moisture out of leather ones, which can lead to cracking.

(2) Keep the fabric of an upholstered couch clean and vacuum under the cushions, on the backside, and on the underside, as stains or lost Craisins can add to the wear and tear of the fibers.

(3) Clean the couch legs. If they are metal, wipe them down with sudsy warm water, but avoid those alcohol-based spray cleaners, which can break down the metal or coating. “If they’re wooden legs, oil them to keep them in good condition,� says Litwin, “so they will be less likely to chip or crack.�

It’s a new era, and paper books are falling by the wayside. Our children may never even know what it’s like to hold a book made out of paper in their hands! So what’s your digital reader of choice, Nesties? More competitors are arriving on the market -- the Amazon Kindle led the way, with the Sony Wireless E-Reader hot on its tail. Now, Barnes & Noble has released the Nook, and the boards are buzzing. Onto the comparison!

Now, what would hot, new technology be without an entry from the gurus of gadgets themselves, Apple? Rumors of the Apple Tablet e-reader are hotter than ever, so stay tuned if you’re a Mac-lover. Plus, another reader called the iRex will soon be entering the market. Lots to choose from -- book-lovers, rejoice!

[ Amazon Kindle ]

[ Barnes & Noble Nook ]