Useful Websites Archive

Registering to Vote and Voting
This page on the USA.gov site provides links for information about absentee ballots for citizens within the U.S. and overseas; state voter registration deadlines; polling hours by state; and more.

66 Ways to Save Money
These tips cover a wide variety of topics including transportation, insurance, banking/credit, housing, and much more. It's from the Federal Citizen Information Center.

Farmers Market Search
Want to buy locally grown products? Then search the 4,385 farmers markets in the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service database to find one in your area.

The Privacy Implications of Cloud Computing
If you've used an online email account or stored any data online, then you've used cloud computing. This privacy alert from the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse provides a brief description of cloud computing and why you should weight the risk before putting your data online.

Student Loans: Avoiding Deceptive Offers
This factsheet from the FTC and the U.S. Department of Education, provides tips on spotting deceptive private student loan practices.

Privacy Basics and Opt-Out Strategies
This fact sheet from the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse provides tips for protecting your privacy.

With all the blogs on the Internet, how do you find ones that provide good information? Here are a few that are loaded with helpful information.

Consumer Reports Blogs
Loaded with tips, reviews, and lots more, these blogs cover cars, electronics, home & garden, safety, money & shopping, health, and babies & kids.

Gov Gab is the U.S. government blog from the Federal Citizen Information Center
These entertaining blog entries cover many topics and point readers to resources on various federal websites.

The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC) have created interactive tools to help you understand deposit insurance. NCUA provides the Share Insurance Estimator and FDIC provides the Electronic Deposit Insurance Estimator (EDIE).

BBB Warns Drivers to Be Wary of Gas-Saving Gadgets and Additives
These tips from the Better Business Bureau describe reliable ways to improve fuel economy.

Choosing A Credit Card: The Deal is in the Disclosures
This fact sheet from the FTC explains credit card terms, how the balance is computed, and protections for card holders.

Leave me alone. Your privacy online—and offline
This publication from Consumer Action describes why it is important to be careful about who has access to your personal information both online and offline.

Time-Saving Tips for Summer Travel
These tips from the Federal Citizen Information Center cover travel by air, land, and sea.

Energy in Brief is a section on the Energy Information Administration (EIA) website. These briefs explain energy topics such as How is my electricity generated, delivered, and priced?, How dependent are we on foreign oil?, and How much renewable energy do we use? The EIA is part of the U.S. Department of Energy.

Energy Savers Tips on Saving Energy & Money at Home
This site from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy provides tips for saving energy and money and home and on the road.

BBB Consumer Alert: Phony Escrow Companies Defraud Car-Buyers Out of Thousands
This alert from the Better Business Bureau provides tips on avoiding phony escrow services when purchasing a vehicle online.

Who's Calling? Recognize and Report Phone Fraud
This site from the FTC describes common phone scams, how to avoid them, and how to report them.

Freeze Your Credit File Leave ID Thieves Out in the Cold
This publication from Consumer Action explains what a security freeze is, how to determine if a freeze is right for you, and how to enact a freeze.

With almost half of U.S. gasoline now containing ethanol, check out Ethanol Myths and Facts. For more information about alternative fuels, alternative vehicles and advanced vehicles visit the Alternative Fuels & Advanced Vehicles Data Center from the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office of the U.S. Department of Energy.

Understanding Web Site Certificates
This cyber security tip from the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team describes how understanding these certificates can help protect your online privacy.

“Spring Cleaning” Your Personal and Financial Records
This alert from the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse is a quick reminder of how long you should keep your tax records.

Understanding Debit Cards Plastic with a difference
This article from Consumer Action describes how debit cards differ from credit cards, the consumer protections that exist and how to address problems with billing and unauthorized use.

Made in the USA? The truth behind the labels
This article from Consumer Reports describes how hard it can be to tell where a product originated and includes examples.

Guide to Worldwide Plugs and Sockets Patterns & Power Mains
This page from Interpower Corporation has pictures of the various electrical socket patterns used around the world. Listings for each country include voltage, frequency/hz, and a cross-referenced to the patterns.

U.S. Postal Service announces new prices coming on May 12, 2008
This announcement provides details about the prices changes for mailing services — First Class mail, Standard mail, periodicals, package services, special services — and shipping services — Express Mail, Priority Mail, Parcel Select, Parcel Return Service, International Mail.

Earth Day is April 22. Visit EarthDay.gov for suggestions and tips on how you can make a difference at home, at work, and in your community.

2008 Consumer Action Handbook
This handbook, produced by the Federal Information Center, is updated annually, and is available in pdf form online or in print. It contains many tips to help consumers be smart shoppers. It also has a sample complaint letter, a consumer assistance directory, and contact information for many corporations, manufacturers, state and local government offices, federal agencies, Better Business Bureaus, consumer organizations, and trade associations.

Minimizing the Effects of Malware on Your Computer
These Facts for Consumers from the FTC provides tips on how to reclaim your computer and data if malware is on it.

Information on Stimulus Payments
Stimulus payments — also known as rebate checks — have been approved by Congress. This page provides more information about when the checks will be sent, who qualifies, and the amount of the checks.

Digital Television Transition
In February 2009, televisions stations will switch to broadcasting only in digital signals. This site from the Federal Communications Commission provides information about the switch including a countdown clock.

Student Loan Borrower Assistance
This site from the National Consumer Law Center and the Project on Student Debt provides information to help those who already have student loans and want more information. Topics include understanding student loans, repayment, loan cancellation, where to go for help, and much more.

Spring checklist for the home
The checklist from Consumer Reports lists several potential issues that consumers should look out for around their homes.

Recycle Your Cell Phone. It's an Easy Call.
This initiative from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency describes how recycling old cell phones can help people in need and help protect the environment. The site also has links for places and ways to recycle your cell phone.

Recognizing Credit Card Fraud
This publication from Consumer Action describes how to recognize and avoid many forms of fraud that involve credit cards, including skimming, phishing, ID theft and counterfeit cards.

IRS Names Four New Frivolous Claims to Avoid
This notice from the IRS lists four new frivolous claims for avoiding the payment of taxes. The notice also provides a link to additional information on the truth about frivolous arguments.

Fruits & Veggies Matter
This site from the CDC and other federal government agencies describes the benefits of eating a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. The site includes the fruit and vegetable of the month, tips, recipes, and examples of what counts as a cup.

Gift returns: New rules require new tactics from Consumer Reports provides tips for successfully returning items received during the holidays.

AIRNow
This cross-agency U.S. Government site provides the current Air Quality Index and forecasts for the nation as well as state and local. The site also provides news, historical information and other resources.

Water — Use It Wisely
This site provides tips for saving water. It includes a monthly planner, a home water audit, and other information.

1040 Central
This page on the IRS site provides information about what's new for this filing season including tax law changes, the alternative minimum tax, and tips for choosing a tax preparer.

Trouble in Toyland: The 22nd Annual Survey of Toy Safety
This 2007 report from the U.S. Public Interest research Group (U.S. PIRG) provides safety guidelines for purchasing toys and examples of toys that pose potential safety hazards.

Recycling Tips for a Tech Savvy Holiday from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
These tips provide tips for recycling or donating cell phones, computers, TVs, and other electronics.

Fun for the Kids during the Holidays

AnimalCams at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park
Visit the animals at the National Zoo through these numerous web cams.

NGA Kids from the National Gallery of Art
This site features Adventures with Art — activities and projects that your kids can create online.

The 2008 Fuel Economy Guide is now available. The 2008 guide uses revised methods for estimating MPG that better represent current real-world driving conditions. The fueleconomy.gov site has also revised the 1985-2007 gas mileage ratings to make them comparable to the 2008 MPG estimates.

Where Does My Gasoline Come From? from the Energy Information Administration offers a basic description of how gasoline is made and how it gets to a pump near you.

Paying for It: Checks, Cash, and Electronic Payments
This brochure from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta decribes how checks and electronic payments work, the Federal Reserve's role in the nation's payment system, and how currency is processed and distributed.

Looking for a college or university? Check out the College Navigator from the U.S. Department of Education. Search options include location, programs/majors, type, tuition & fees, test scores, and more.

BBB Cautions Sports Fans: Play Smart When Buying Tickets Online
This alert provides tips to help you avoid being taken by con artists.

How to buy green electricity.
Cleaner and maybe even cheaper power options are widely available according to this article from Consumer Reports.

The Redesigned U.S. Currency
The new $5 bill will enter into circulation in 2008. View an interactive tutorial showing the security and design features of the new $5 bill.

"Free Lunch" Investment Seminar Examinations Uncover Widespread Problems, Perils for Older Investors
This release from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission describes the findings of a year-long examination of “free lunch” investment seminars.

51 Ways to Save Hundreds on Loans and Credit Cards
This special edition of FDIC Consumer News provides simple tips and other information on topics such as cutting your costs, avoiding fraudulent or deceptive deals, paying for college, and more.

BBB Warns College-Bound Students and Parents to Beware of Financial Aid Schemes.
This alert from the Better Business Bureau describes financial aid seminar and college grant scams and provides tips on how to avoid scholarship scams.

Turning 50 is turning point for preretirees
This news brief from the Credit Union National Association provides some tips for preparing for retirement.

Your Credit Rights How the Law Protects You
This brochure from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco describes the major laws that regulate credit and how they affect you.

Pay Your Money, or You're Taking a Chance
This investigative report from Consumer Reports' Webwatch looks at the practice of “dynamic pricing” used by various e-commerce vendors.

Dollars and Cents: Fundamental Facts about U.S. Money.
This site from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta provides information about how U.S. currency and coins are made, their design and features, how they circulate and how to spot counterfeits.

Keeping Your Telephone Number When You Change Your Service Provider
This fact sheet from the Federal Communications Commission describes the process and provides information on what to expect when changing your service provider.

To help you be prepared for possible emergencies, Ready America has tips for making an emergency supply kit, making a emergency plan for your family, and for being informed.

Keeping Children Safe in Crashes
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has produced photos and videos to help parents choose, install, and properly use child restraint systems — car seats, booster seats, and adult belts.

Call 811 Before You Dig
811 is the new federally mandated "Call Before You Dig" number. This site provides information about why you should call 811 before you dig and provides links to site specific information.

For fun, here's a video on The Life of a Dollar Bill from the Federal Reserve. It requires the flash player, version 6.0 or higher.

Speed Paying and Banking
This overview from the FDIC describes how high-tech cards and phone could change the way you spend and manage your money.

Planning to travel overseas this summer? Then visit the U.S. Dept. of State's travel site. It is full of information, including tips for traveling abroad and travel tips for students.

Savvy Strategies for Surviving a Fender Bender.
This article from the Better Business Bureau describes how to choose a trustworthy collision repair shop.

State and Local Government on the Net
This site is a directory that provides links to state government sites, state agency sites, city government sites, county government sites, and other local government sites. It also has links to federal resources, multi-state sites, and national organizations.

Looking for a new car or truck? Then visit fueleconomy.gov to check out gas mileage, gas emissions, air pollution ratings, and safety information for new and used cars and trucks. The site also has gas mileage tips, information on hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles, and much more.

Shopping for a Mortgage? Your Application May Trigger Competing Offers.
This FTC Consumer Alert explains why you may get competing offers, how you might benefit from them, and how to stop them if you choose.

Everyday Mysteries: Fun Science Facts from the Library of Congress
This site features questions asked by researchers and answered by librarians from the Library of Congress' Science Reference Services. Browse questions and answers in topics such as agriculture, botany, chemistry, meteorology/climatology, physics, zoology, and more.

Frauds and Scams Protect Yourself and Your Money
This brochure from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco describes various scams that can come calling on the phone, at the door, and through the mailbox.

Pretexting: Your Personal Information Revealed
This fact sheet from the Federal Trade Commission describes the practice of getting your personal information under false pretenses.

Moving from Analog to Digital TV.
This consumer focus from the Federal Citizen Information Center explains the impact the switch (in February 2009) of television stations to broadcasting only in digital signals could have on consumers.

Beginning this year, Daylight Savings Time will last a month longer. It begins three weeks earlier—on March 11th—and ends a week later—on November 4th. Read about its history and why we use it.

Giving the Bounce to Counterfeit Check Scams from the FTC

Understanding RFID — radio frequency identification.
This technology is increasingly being used in many ways in our daily lives—such as toll passes, employee building entry passes and no-swipe payment systems. Learn more about RFID from these FAQs and glossary provided by the National Consumers League.

Fake Check Scams, Wire Transfer Dominate 2006 Fraud Lists
These are the 2006 Telemarketing and Internet Fraud Top 10 lists from the National Consumers League Fraud Center.

Interested in making phone calls over the Internet? Then find out how it works (and more) at this site from Federal Communications Commission. This paper (pdf) from US-CERT (United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team) discusses the advantages and disadvantages of VoIP and covers related security issues.

FirstGov.gov—the United States Federal government website has changed it's name to USA.gov. In addition to the name change, the site also has introduced a new web chat feature.

Privacy and the Internet: Traveling in Cyberspace Safely
This recently updated guide from the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse provides lots of information about your privacy online.

CarCare.org: Be Car Care Aware
This site from the Car Care Council provides numerous tips and articles to help you take an active role in maintaining your vehicle.

Avoiding Costly Banking Mistakes: No Trivial Pursuit
This article from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) describes some common mistakes consumers make when using their checking account, credit card, or other banking services.

Thrive by Five^TM: Teaching Your Preschooler About Spending
This site from the Credit Union National Association has free activities and other resources for parents to help them encourage healthy attitudes about money in their preschool children.

Why you don't need an extended warranty from Consumer Reports

National Traffic and Road Closure Information
Before leaving on a road trip this holiday season, use this site to check out whether you might encounter construction or other issues.

Permitted and Prohibited Items
Flying during the holidays? Then check out this list from the Transportation Security Administration. It should help you be better prepared for the security screenings.

Shop with Speed and Ease on the Internet, But Be Cyber-Savvy!
Tips for Safe Online Holiday Shopping from the Better Business Bureau

New Year Begins for Free Annual Credit Report Program
This news release from the FTC highlights reminds consumers that there is only one authorized site for their free reports and what is required to obtain them.

A Cautionary Tale: Don't Gamble on Foreign Lotteries from the FBI

Interest-Only Mortgage Payments and Payment-Option ARMS — Are They for You? (pdf)
This brochure from the federal bank, thrift, and credit union regulatory agencies includes a glossary of lending terms, a mortgage shopping worksheet, and a list of additional resources.

Your Home Fire Safety Checklist (pdf)
This brochure from U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission can help you spot possible fire safety problems in your home.

The new pension law: What's in it for you
Provides some highlights on how the law may affect you. From Consumer Reports.

Software License Agreements: Ignore at Your Own Risk (pdf)
This report from the United State Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) describes how ignoring the End User License Agreement (EULA) can put your privacy and computer security at risk.

Weighing a Trial Offer: Is this the Deal for Me? (pdf)
This brochure from the National Consumers League describes what you should look for before accepting a trial offer.

Plastic Fraud: Getting a Handle on Debit and Credit Cards
This brochure from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco describes some common card fraud schemes and provides tips for avoiding them.

StopBadware.org
This site from Harvard Law's Berkman Center for Internet & Society and Oxford University's Oxford Internet Institute provides information about software downloads. The number of reports on the site is small but growing.

Insuring Your Deposits from the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) and Share Insurance from the NCUA (National Credit Union Administration) describe what deposits are covered by FDIC and NCUA insurance.

Interest Rates: An Introduction describes what interest rates are, how they are determined and the different ways they are used. From the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

ConsumerSearch reviews product reviews. It looks for the best reviews for numerous product categories, then provides descriptions of the reviews, a complete analysis and a listing of the top-rated products.

Mouseprint.org is a fun and informative site that highlights the strings and catches in advertising fine print.

What is a dollar worth? Have some fun with this calculator from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Enter a year and a dollar amount and calculate what it would cost in another year.

My Social Security Number: How Secure Is It? and Social Security Numbers: Frequently Asked Questions are fact sheets from the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. These fact sheets provides information that everyone should know about social security numbers.

Privacy Choices for Your Personal Financial Information from the Federal Reserve board

Privacy: Tips for Protecting Your Personal Information from the Federal Trade Commission

The summer traveling season is here. Here are some useful tips for your travels whether they are across town, across the country or in between.

Saving Money at the Gas Pump — Tips from the Federal Trade Commission

Cool Tips for a Safe Summer Trip — Focus on Safety from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

TSA Summer! — Tips from the Transportation Security Administration

Internet safety, especially for teens and kids has been in the news lately. Here are several sites with safety tips and information for the whole family.

Wiredsafety.org
This site has information on Internet safety, privacy and security. Check out the various categories and hot topics.

SafeKids.com, SafeTeens.com, and BlogSafety.com provide many tips for all ages for safely using the Internet.

Working to Halt Online Abuse and Working to Halt Online Abuse Kids-Teen Division
These sites provide have online safety brochures and other education material to help fight online bullying, harassment, and stalking.

Internet Fraud Tips: Government Grants
“Free Government Grant” offers are scams. These tips from the National Consumers League's Internet Fraud Watch show you why.

Almost everyday a new data breach occurs in which personal information is exposed. The fact sheet, How to Deal with a Security Breach, from the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse provides steps for you to take if you receive a letter informing you that your personal information has been compromised by a data breach.

The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse also has tips for Protecting Your Cell Phone Records.

Fire, Floods and Other Misfortunes: Are You Prepared Financially?
This guide from the FDIC can help you plan ahead for possible financial challenges.

Don't Be an On-line Victim: How to Guard Against Internet Thieves and Electronic Scams
This multimedia presentation (requires Flash Player) provides steps for securing your computer and protecting yourself form identity theft.

Tax Preparation: A Complete Guide
This guide from Consumer Reports provides numerous tips and reviews to help you prepare your taxes.

Buying, Giving, and Using Gift Cards
This alert from the FTC provides tips for buying and using gift cards and tips if you have problems or complaints with a gift card.

Prescreened Offers of Credit and Insurance
This factsheet from the FTC provides a Q&A about prescreened offers.

National Consumer Protection Week is February 5-11, 2006. Visit the official site and take the Grand Scam Challenge!.

10 Tips for Financial Security from Consumer Reports provides tips on controlling your debt.

Invest Wisely in 2006, BBB Advises
This alert from the Better Business Bureau provides a list of “red flags” to look for with any investment opportunity.

Saving Starts @ Home
This site from the FTC is called "The Inside Story on Conserving Energy." It provides information on how you can save money in every room of your home.

It's winter. Here are winter tips for your home, your car and yourself.

What You Should Know about Winter Weather from the Centers for Disease Control has articles on Winter Storm Facts, Extreme Cold Prevention Guide, Protect Yourself form Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, When the Power Goes Out, FAQs, and related links.

Exercise and cold weather: Stay motivated, fit and safe from MayoClinic.com provides tips for choosing indoor exercise options and dressing properly and staying safe when exercising outdoors.

Winter Tips from the Alliance to Save Energy provides tips to cut energy bills and increase comfort in your home.

Checklist & Tips for Safe Winter Driving from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides tips for winter car care and winter driving.

Shopping Online for the Holidays: Twelve Tips to Protect Yourself from Cyber Grinches, Scams and Schemes from the National Consumers League, the Better Business Bureau and the National Cyber Security Alliance. These tips provide a list of safe online shopping do's and don'ts.

Returns: Watch out this holiday season from Consumer Reports describes some of changes to return policies many retailers are implementing.

Holiday Fire Prevention: A Season for Sharing in Fire Safety is a factsheet from the U.S. Fire Administration. It has tips for preventing holiday tree fires, and safety with holiday lights, holiday decorations, and candles.

LooksTooGoodToBeTrue.com has lots of good information about numerous types of Internet scams and fraud. Categories include Identity Theft, Financial Fraud, Auction Fraud, Sweepstakes/Lottery Fraud, and Counterfeit Payments Fraud. It also has victim stories, FAQs/Tips, and Consumer Alerts. The site was developed and is maintained by a joint federal law enforcement and industry task force.

A Consumer Guide to Handling Disputes with Your Employer or PrivateHealth Plan
This guide from Consumers Union and the Kaiser Family Foundation describes what you need to know about your health plan coverage and rules, how to prepare for informal and formal reviews and whether your state has an external review program.

OnGuard Online
This site from the federal government offers tips to help you guard against Internet fraud, secure your computer and protect your personal information. Topics covered include Identity Theft, Spyware, Phishing, Spam Scams, Online Shopping, P2P File-Sharing and VoIP.

Model Year 2006 Fuel Economy Guide
This guide is a useful tool for comparing vehicles but not for acurately predicting the miles per gallon a consumer will get when driving. This guide and additional information is available at fueleconomy.gov.

It's Your Choice: Getting the Most of Your Communications Services
These tips from the National Consumers League cover topics such as: What You Need to Know to Shop for Telephone Services?, Are “bundled services” a good deal? Going online: Dial-Up vs. Broadband and more.

Reservation Rewards — and Rebate Risks
This report from Consumer Reports WebWatch describes risks associated with some online rebate offers and rewards.

Hurricane Recovery: Consumer Guidance
A special section from Consumer Reports offering articles on rebuilding, personal finance, cars, security & safety, and travel.

AAA Fuel Cost Calculator
Use this site to calculate the estimated fuel cost of your trip. The site also lists regional gasoline averages.

Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness
This guide from FEMA provides detailed information on disaster preparedness with basic information and in-depth information for specific hazards.

Back-To-School Safety Tips
These tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission covers getting to school safely, safety on playgrounds and athletic fields, and safety within schools.

Where There's a Will, There's a Way
This article from Consumer Reports WebWatch describes a fresh spin on ‘419 Fraud’, aka Nigerian Fee Scam, involving fake wills.

Consumer Action's 2005 Credit Card study shows that anyone could face much higher universal default and penalty interest rates.
This study describes various practices that are taking more money out of consumer's pockets.

timeanddate.com
This site has a world clock, time zone converter, calendars, date calculators, and more.

Cell Phones & Service Decision Guide
The guide from Consumer Reports has information to help you choose a plan, phone, or headset.

“Flash Cookies” — another way to track you online
This page from the Electronic Privacy Information Center describes Local Shared Objects also knows as “Flash Cookies”. It also provided pointers on how to control them.

Be Smart About Ordering Federally Mandated Free Credit Reports
This alert from the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse warns about web domains trying to misdirect consumers from the official Annualcreditreport.com site.

HealthRatings.org
Consumer Health WebWatch is a project of Consumer Reports WebWatch and the Health Improvement Institute. It's purpose is to provide a one-stop destination to help consumers determine if a health web site is credible and reliable. Detailed ratings include overall score, site strenghts, site weaknesses, and special notes.

Wi-Fi Woes—Wireless Networks Offer Flexibility, Potential Snooping
This consumer investigation from Consumer Reports WebWatch describes security issues with wireless networks and offers some simple safety solutions.

Taking Control of Your Finances: A Special Guide for Young Adults
This guide, from the FDIC, has numerous articles for those just beginning to manage money on their own and as a refresher for those who've been managing money for some time.

Fight the Bite!
Mosquito Season is here. This site from the Centers for Disease Control provides steps you can take to protect yourself, your family, and your community from mosquito born diseases such as the West Nile virus.

Planning a summer roadtrip? Then you may want to check out the National Traffic and Road Closure Information site. Click on a state to find links to numerous state and local information sites.

Graduates Cautioned to Avoid Online Job Scams from the Better Business Bureau describes some of the more common online job scams.

Did you know that May was Stroke Awareness Month? Did you know that stroke strikes on average every 45 seconds in the U.S.? Now and anytime is the right time to learn to recognize a stroke. The warning signs are simple. You'll find good information on recognizing and preventing strokes from the American Stroke Association, the National Stroke Association and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Federal Reserve Education is provided by the Federal Reserve System and has many tools and articles for personal financial education. You can also learn more about the Federal Reserve System through FED101.

Internet Scambusters can help you protect your wallet and your Identity with descriptions of scams and tips for avoiding them.

Afraid to Bank Electronically? Read these tips from the FDIC.

MyPyramid.gov from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture can help you choose the foods and amounts that are right for you. You can also tour the new pyramid and find tips and resources.

Electronic Stability Control—This less familiar safety feature enhances a driver's ability to control the vehicle on sharp turns, quick turns and emergency maneuvers. It could save your life. Check out 2005 ESC Equipped Vehicles from safercar.gov.

Medical Powers of Attorney & Living Wills from Nolo.com has various articles about various types of advance health care directives including living wills and powers of attorney for health care.

For the last minute tax return filers, here's 1040 Central from the IRS. It has fact sheets, tax tips, and links to the most commonly requested tax forms and instructions.

Don't ignore the new big-ticket deduction on income taxes from Consumer Reports Money Advisor Depending on what state you live in, you can deduct state and local sales taxes or state and local income taxes.

MedlinePlus
This site from the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health has information on over 650 health topics, drug information, medical encyclopedia and dictionary, directories and many other resources.

The dangers in phone batteries from Consumer Reports
Counterfeit cell phone batteries can be dangerous. Even legitimate batteries can cause problems.

Free File is a free online service that lets you prepare and file your federal income tax electronically. The free services are provided by commercial companies and you must access the program through the IRS site. Eligibility for using this service has been expanded this year.

Know Your Stuff.org—make a home inventory using free software from the Insurance Information Institute. The site also has lists of items to help you make your inventory.

Secret History of the Credit Card is the companion site to the PBS program in which Frontline and the New York Times investigate an industry “few Americans fully understand.” The site contains lots of revealing information. View the full program online, read Eight Things a Credit Card User Should Know, Take a Credit Card quiz, and more.

Recent Changes May Affect Your 2004 Taxes from the IRS

Winter is here! Here are some tips to help you save money heating your home.

Weathering the High Cost of Heating Your Home from the FTC

From the U.S. Dept. of Energy:

Tis the season for giving. Whether your gifts are for family, friends, or charities, check out these tips to ensure the best giving experience.

The gift of plastic—Choose your gift card carefully to avoid fees and expiration dates.

Here are tips from the FTC about shopping online:

Here are tips for checking out charities before you give.

Personal cyber security has been in the news lately. How knowledgeable are you about making and keeping your computer secure? Why does it matter? If your computer isn't secure, any personal and financial information that is on the computer is at risk. Here's some information that will improve your cyber security knowledge.

Start by taking the How Safe Are You? cyber security quiz from the National Cyber Security Alliance.

Next read up on anti-virus software, firewalls, and spyware with these tips from US-CERT (United States Computer Emergency Response Team):

Then visit the US-CERT Cyber Security Tips page for additional tips.

Phishing attacks are on the rise. These attacks attempt to steal your personal information like credit card and bank account numbers through email messages and fake websites. Visit the Anti-Phishing Working Group website for tips on spotting these messages and to check out the latest reports.

Phishing is just one method used in Identity Theft. Read more about Identity Theft, how you can protect yourself and what to do if it happens at the FTC's ID Theft website. For more information check out the StreetWise section on Privacy and Fraud.

The devastation caused by Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne in Florida and up the east coast shows how quickly lives can be changed. Such emergencies remind us that it's wise to plan and prepare before the unexpected hits. Here's some information on how to be prepared for emergencies and how to recover from disaster or to help others recover.

Your preparedness guide for any emergency from Consumer Reports describes creating a family preparedness plan including what to stock, how to shut off utilities, and how to keep in touch.

Generous Americans readily open their hearts and wallets to help fellow citizens in need. Unfortunately, the scam artists are there to take advantage, particularly after natural disasters. Learn the danger signals: FTC Warns Consumers about Potential Charity Scams including a Charity Checklist

Disaster Recovery: A guide to financial issues from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants(AICPA), the American Red Cross, and the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE)

Back to School Guide
This special section from Consumer Reports gives tips on numerous item such as best cars for teens and choosing a laptop.

What you should know about Wireless Phone Service
This brochure from the Federal Communications Commission is loaded with information about cell phones. Of particular interest, is the pricing section that describes all the various coverage terms such as “rollover minutes”, “nationwide pricing plans” “night & weekend” vs. “anytime” minutes. (PDF file)

Student Travel Tips from Young Money
Articles cover airfares, bargains, international travel,and lots more.

The Olympic Games, a Theme Collection from the Librarians' Index to the Internet, is loaded with information. Sections include The Games: Past, Present, Future; Competitions (Summer and Winter); Quick Facts, Symbols, Organizations, & Other Topics; Olympian Athletes; and Athens 2004: Of Regional Interest.

Need to know if today's a holiday in another country, or when an sporting or cultural event may be scheduled? Then check out DateDex, which lists the event calendars of many organizations, countries, religions, sports, and more.

Beat the heat this summer. Use the Home Energy Saver do-it-yourself energy audit tool to estimate how you can save money and energy by implementing certain energy-efficiency improvements. The project is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Summer is here and that means outdoor fun and recreation. Use the tips from these sites to help your family have an enjoyable and safe time.

Summer Safety Tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics cover fun in the sun, heat stress in exercising children, boat safety, pool safety, bug safety, playground safety, bicycle safety, skateboard and scooter safety, travel safety, lawn mower safety, and fireworks safety.

Summer Safety Tips from the American Red Cross is loaded with water, boating, sun, hiking, and camping safety tips. Take one of the summer safety tips and challenge!

Summer Health Tips from the Federal Citizen Information Center include managing the heat, healthy swimming, cooking outdoors, and other resources.

When You Swim This Summer, Swim Healthy! from the CDC provides information about recreational water illnesses (RWIs) and how you can protect your family.

Topix.net has news organized by topic and location. There are many local news links on the home page or enter a zip code.

The Nutrition Source from the Harvard School of Public Health provides clear tips for healthy eating. Find out what you should eat and why.

Project Gutenberg has thousands of free ebooks of primarily older literary works that are in the public domain. No special reader or software is necessary because the books are available in plain text.

Working on your family tree? Then check out Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet. It's loaded with over 200,000 links organized in 150 categories.

Celebrate Earth Day (April 22). Learn what you can do at home and in your community.

Howtoons, created by MIT graduate students, are one page “how to build things” cartoons for 5- to 15-year-old kids (adults too!) to help them actively discover the world.

It's not too early to look for a camp for the kids. Or why not one for the adults, too. Find a camp by choosing from a variety of criteria.

Health & Safety Information on Household Products
Check out the health effects and safety and handling information of various household products. This site is provided by the Specialized Information Services of the National Library of Medicine (part of the National Institutes of Health).

The Internet Archive is a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. The WaybackMachine allows you to surf the over 10 billion pages in the Internet Archives by URL. The archive also has Moving Images, Audio, and Text.

Bartleby.com is loaded with reference works. Choose from specific reference works, verse, fiction and non-fiction. Access is free.

FirstGov.gov is a good starting place when looking for government information, whether it's federal, state, or local.

The Digital Librarian is a librarian's choice of the best of the Web. The links are annotated and organized in numerous categories.

The National Atlas of the United States is provided by the U.S. Dept. of the Interior. Use the interactive map maker, view multimedia maps (need flash, shockwave, and quicktime), and print maps.

Explore the seas with NOAA's Ocean Explorer

refdesk.com is a site loaded with information. It contains a site of the day, thought of the day, word of the day, and current event topic. Links are provided to numerous reference sources: search, news, reference resources, facts-at-a-glance, help and advice, just for fun and much much more.

Daypop is a search engine for current events and breaking news. It searches 59,000 news sites, weblogs and RSS feeds.

Explore the universe without leaving home.

See the first images from the Spitzer Space Telescope. See other images from the Chandra X-Ray Observatory and Hubble Space Telescope. Explore the planets at the NASA Planetary Photojournal site.

Interested in learning more about Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings? Then check out these sites:

National Geographic Beyond the Movie: Lord of the Rings

The HarperCollins J.R.R. Tolkien site (U.K. publisher of Tolkien's works) has maps, artwork and other interesting features.

The Tolkien Archives from the New York Times

Holiday shopping still to do? Check out these tips:

Going to the movies over the holidays? Check out these movie review sites:

The Internet Movie Database
Movie Review Query Engine
The New York Times: Movies (requires free registration)
All Movie Guide

Thanksgiving Information

Check out the History of Thanksgiving from the History Channel. The sections include A Meal Without Forks, Mayflower Myths, and Pilgrim Interviews with Miles Standish and Ellinor Billington.

Need more info, then visit the Thanksgiving Resources from the Waterboro Maine Public Library. Sections include history and facts, celebration food and literature, and native american resources.

It's Fall! Want to check out the fall colors? Plan a day or weekend trip or catch a glimpse using these sites: Boston, Massachusetts , Maine, and New Hampshire. You can also call the National Forest Service's Fall Color Hotline: 1-800-354-4595 or visit their Fall Colors website.

The Consumer Action Website from the Federal Citizen Information Center is based on the Consumer Action Handbook. A consumer assistance directory, and categorized lists of useful addresses, phone numbers and websites are just a portion of the information this site provides.

Looking for information about a neighboring town or a travel location? ePodunk has detailed information about more than 25,000 communities around the country. Check out their vintage postcard collection.

Interested in digital books? Check out the Digital Book Index which provides access to commercial and non-commercial eBooks from more than 1800 publishers and private publishing organizations. Over 73,000 titles are listed. Use of the site is free, though registration is required. The Online Books Page provides access to books that are freely readable over the Internet. It lists over 20,000 titles.

Escape the Heat of August—Have Fun with Food

As the heat index peaks and back-to-school looms, take a break with a picnic. Whether you head to the nearest lake or park or just out into the back yard, have some fun with food fit for a summer feast. And don't forget to be safe. Check out these sites for fun and useful ideas.

Watermelon.org from the National Watermelon Promotion Board has lots of fun facts, recipes, and other information.

Learn about cheeses from around the world—always great on a picnic—from CheeseNet and Cheese.com. CheeseNet includes descriptions of cheeses, articles on cheesemaking and history, and lots more. Cheese.com has 652 cheeses in its database from the well-known to the obscure.

Tropical Fruit Information provides descriptions and tips for various common and uncommon tropical fruits.

Food Reference Website has lots of stuff: articles, facts & trivia, tips, quotes, humor, crossword puzzles, and more.

Summer Food Safety

Stay safe and healthy with the tips in these articles from the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the US Dept of Agriculture.

Barbecue Food Safety
Handling Food Safely on the Road
Food Safety While Hiking, Camping, and Boating