ShopSmart’s Six Steps to Score Big Savings on Clothes

Tricks and tips that can help shoppers save even more at their favorite stores

Yonkers, NY – It’s easier than ever to score deals on clothing and accessories─sales and coupons are everywhere and there’s always bargains online. But shoppers can do even better if they know how to work all the angles.

The October 2012 issue of ShopSmart magazine, from Consumer Reports, provides the ultimate guide to scoring deals on clothing and accessories and features six must-do steps to saving, tips for saving even more at go-to retailers, information on what’s new on the racks this fall and nine great bargain clothing sites. [Read more]

Eleven Store-Brand Products Tie or Beat Name-Brand Rivals in Consumer Reports Taste-Tests

Choosing private-label alternatives can save consumers up to sixty percent

Yonkers, NY – In Consumer Reports’ blind taste-test of 19 store-brand and name-brand grocery staples, store brands tied name brands for taste in ten instances, with one product, Giant Eagle chicken broth, beating out its name-brand counterpart, Swanson.

Switching from name-brand to private-label products can save consumers an average of 25 percent. [Read more]

Wegmans, Trader Joe’s, Publix & Fareway Top Consumer Reports Supermarket Ratings

However, half of those surveyed had something to complain about; many ‘fired’ a store. Changing habits, avoiding traps can slash bills by as much as 60 percent.

Yonkers, NY – Consumer Reports subscribers rated Wegmans, Trader Joe’s, Publix and Fareway tops among 52 of the nation’s major grocery stores. While most respondents were quite satisfied with their experiences, the survey also revealed even some of the high-rated chains gave plenty of shoppers something to complain about.

One-third of subscribers surveyed said they had given the heave-ho to a nearby grocery store. Forty-three percent changed their grocer in search of lower prices; about 25 percent cited poor selection, long lines, or lousy food; 17 percent blamed employee rudeness; 14 percent, the crowds. [Read more]

ShopSmart Uncovers the Truth in Anti-Wrinkle Products

Yonkers, NY – Calling wrinkles “smile lines” isn’t fooling anybody, and when those little wrinkles start to show up on your face, you probably won’t be smiling. The September 2011 issue of ShopSmart magazine, from the publisher of Consumer Reports¸ tested seven anti-wrinkle creams on 79 people over the course of twelve weeks to identify which anti-aging product worked the best.

“As our tests show, and as many women already know, you can’t erase wrinkles with creams” said Lisa Lee Freeman, editor-in-chief of ShopSmart. “Based on our test results, we found that the claims on the creams can be a bit overblown. While each cream made a small difference for some people, none of the products showed results as promised.” [Read more]

ShopSmart Slashes Your Grocery Bills

New Ways to Save at the Supermarket

Yonkers, NY – There’s no debating that today’s grocery bills are out of control. Sadly, snagging a deal on household staples such as cereal and toilet paper can be as much of a thrill as hitting a great shoe sale these days.

However, there is some good news: Deals on groceries are getting easier to find as competition is heating up. The September 2011 issue of ShopSmart magazine, from the publisher of Consumer Reports¸compiled a simple guide to the new world of grocery shopping and how to take advantage so that you can stretch your grocery dollars to the max. [Read more]