Buying Guides

What should you consider when buying a new refrigerator?

2008-01-18T20:01:00Z

Only get the features absolutely necessary for the household it will be used in. The more gadgets an appliance has, the more failures that can occur.
The extra bells and whistles are usually the most difficult for the average owner to repair themselves, and this invariably increases the cost of maintaining the appliance over its lifetime. On models with a water dispenser and internal water filter for example, a consumer should expect to spend $50 to $100 a year on replacement filters alone.

Tip: A refrigerator’s condenser (the hot part under or behind the cabinet) should be cleaned several times a year. This allows the fridge to do as much cooling as possible while using the least amount of energy.

What’s a “megapixel” and how many do I need in my digital camera?

2007-10-16T12:00:00Z

The resolution or sharp quality of your photos depends on how many megapixels your camera has. A megapixel is 1 million pixels or little points that make up an image, or in the case of a digital camera, the capacity to produce quality photos.

These days, cameras usually come with no less than 5 megapixels, but even 4 is adequate for general use such as emailing photos or making prints up to 8x10.

6 to 8 megapixels are needed to make larger images, say 11x14 or to do cropping and other detailed altering of your images (you will be making the image larger if you crop and close in on one point so you’ll need better resolution).

Any higher than 8 megapixels is really getting in to professional usage. Keep in mind, the higher number of megapixels and the greater the resolution, the more space the images files will take up on your memory card and your computer hard drive. Do you want to eat up a 1GB card in an hour or use it for days? For most of us, having greater storage and less time spent uploading photos is a better choice than more megapixels.

Nest-pert: Perello, course advisor and associate editor at BetterPhoto.com

When is the best month to buy a car?

2007-10-16T11:56:00Z

Like strawberries, oysters and white pants, cars have a season. You might think that a big metal thing like a car that is meant to brave the elements would not have a peak buying time, but it does. Actually, it has several, as you might have noted from car ads blaring specials around President's Day and other holiday weekend.

One of the best times to get a deal is August, when the new years models are about to come in and dealers want to get rid of their existing stock. You can also sometimes get a deal at the end of the year, when salesmen are trying to meet their quotas or earn some extra holiday bonus cash.

Nest Tip: Never shop for cars on weekends. There’s too much competition from other buyers so you won’t get as much attention and dealerships will be hungry to make money, not cut deals -- after a slow earning week.

- Beth Pinsker

What if I get caught returning a gift? Or the present is not present in my home?

2007-08-21T15:00:00Z

The odds are really slim that you would be returning that ugly etched vase at the exact same time the gift giver was making another ill-fated purchase. But hey, anything is possible! Your response should not be pretending she is invisible or running away real fast. Whether you have an in-store situation, or your cousin shows up at your home and asks, “Where are the kitty cat figurines I gave you for your birthday?” you can handle it in the same way. Gift giving is a really charged subject, so respond with diplomacy.

Try a semi-lie: “The seashell-encrusted candlesticks are lovely but my apartment is so crowded and I don’t want them to break so I tucked them away.” Or, just free it from the bottom of the closet when you know the giver is making an appearance.

Try the truth: “This holiday-themed sweater is lovely and I appreciate your thought but it’s just not suited to my tastes.”

Now let’s say the offending item is not actually hidden on a back shelf to protect your retinas from burning but that you actually exchanged it. Be upfront with your sister, and show her what you returned it for. Explain how much you appreciated the thought but how much more you needed the new item and how it works so much better for you.

If you happen to be on the other end of the equation, don’t get wounded if your friend returned something. Take it as chance to learn about her tastes (and yours). You can set a perfect present trend but checking in with her the next time you want to shop for her. The dialogue can sometimes help you find beautiful gifts everyone will love – even if you don’t. And remember: money talks. A gift card is always safe.

[Nestpert] Jane Greer, Ph.D., a NYC-based therapist

Are car leases a good idea?

2007-08-21T14:57:00Z

It depends on your money situation and your priorities, but in the long run most people will save money if they buy. Why?

- There is flexibility in the model you can select, unlike when you lease.

- You can drive for miles and miles without a monetary penalty.

- No one will care if there’s a small dent on the driver-side door (unless you have a picky spouse).

Basically, anyone who plans to keep a car for five to 10 years (or until their kids are embarrassed by it) should buy and start building equity. But if you don’t have much equity or cash to put against a down payment and you want to keep the monthly payments low, leasing might be the better option. It would allow you to get a new car every two to three years (hey, some people just can’t commit to a red coupe), and you’d get to take advantage of the latest technology and safety features as you keep trading up.

The downsides? There are limits on mileage (you might pay for going over) and you won’t be building equity since leasing is like renting. Plus, when you turn it in, there will be a close inspection for wear and tear, and you might be charged extra. And leases are hard to get out of if your auto needs change (like, you get a new job with a “company car”), so be very confident when making your choice.

- Alonna Friedman

[Nest Experts] Philip Reed, author of Strategies for Smart Car Buyers; and Jack Nerad, executive editorial director of Kelley Blue Book

What are some stores where I can buy great $15 gifts?

2007-08-14T17:15:00Z

We’ve found that one of the best places to get cool gifts on the cheap is the stationery store. Sure they sell cute cards and notepads, but chances are they also have small trinkets that make great gifts. Avoid the bigger chains and opt for your local stationer instead.

Stores that are known for having a random assortment of cool merchandise are another option. Some of our favorites are Target and discount stores like T.J. Maxx and Marshalls whose home departments have great finds if you’re willing to sift through it all.

Don’t want to leave your desk? That’s cool, too. Get unique, inexpensive gifts online at sites like Patina, Plum Party, Fred Flare and Uncommon Goods.

What’s the difference between plasma and LCD TV?

2007-08-14T17:13:00Z

Well, the main difference is in the way the picture is created on your TV screen. (For all you techies out there, the plasma is made up of thousands of phosphor-coated bubbles that emit light and create the picture. An LCD or liquid crystal display, on the other hand, has tons of pixels in the screen with a light source behind it.)

This probably means nothing to most of you, but it makes a big difference when it comes to cost and performance. You can get a big screen plasma TV for the same amount of cash as a smaller LCD (like a 32-inch LCD versus a 42-inch plasma) because LCDs have a longer screen life and provide a slightly sharper picture. Plasmas also have the drawback of "burn in," which happens when an image becomes frozen onto the screen if the TV left on the same channel for a long time.

If you’re still watching House on an old tube that requires an antenna, though, both of these are definitely well worth the upgrade.