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Reports on the efforts of families, in the United States, to fully utilize telecommunication services. Profiles of the Harrison's who have monthly bills for various telecommunication services totalling around $1,000; Number of telephones (regular and cellular) and pagers they have; Services they use which cut costs; Reasons why New York state has the most competitive local telecommunications market in the US; Effect the acquisition of MediaOne by AT&T Corp. will have on the industry.

Looks at how the plentiful job market and the low interest rates are spurring the markets for the home buyer. A listing of the cost of homes in 100 cities across the United States; The opportunities for minorities; The competition; The tax breaks; The outlook from region to region. INSETS: Disaster strikes.;Home-price prospects for 100 cities..

Suggests that it is not too late to refinance a mortgage, even if a person missed the very low rates, as of November 1998. The question of whether it makes sense to refinance; The benefit of short-term mortgages; The change in the cost of several products, including electricity and condominiums; Why most refinancers will choose a no-points loan.

Offers suggestions to income-oriented investors who have watched Treasury bond prices dive in the first four to five months of 1996. Benefits of holding onto bonds; Turn to two- to five-year Treasury notes; What types of municipal bonds to consider; Possibility of new inflation-indexed Treasury bonds by end of 1996; Explaining why bond prices fell.

Announces that a study by the College Board found that students who had taken coaching classes boosted their Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores by an average of just 26 points, far less than the 100 or more points the test-preparation sellers advertise. Details about the study; Criticism of Andrew Rosen, chief operating officer of Kaplan Educational Centers; Loan rates in the United States.

Highlights United States banks that offer senior privileges. Westamerica Bank; Beneficial Savings Bank; Guaranty Federal Bank; Compass Bank; Loan rates in the US; Lender; Rate; Contact information.

Reports on check-clearing procedures and fees levied on personal accounts by United States banks. Class-action lawsuit against Wells Fargo Bank alleging systematic creation of the largest possible number of overdrafts in customers' accounts; Advice on avoiding bounced checks and high fees; Charts showing the best deals in low-interest and no-fee credit cards.

Suggests that there are better alternatives to inflation-indexed savings bonds. I-bonds being close cousins to the EE savings bonds, with two major exceptions; The appeal of savings-bonds that earn even less than series EE; Best deals in credit cards; No-fee gold cards; Low loan rates around the United States.

Presents information on finding a low-cost loan through rate surveying Internet sites. Author's preference for the RateNet site; RateNet offering the best ten rates in a particular area; Bank Rate Monitor's performance; Other services including BanxQuote; Charts of the best deals in credit cards, loan rates around the United States and national averages for loans.

Offers advice to home buyers and refinancers on getting a 30-year mortgage at seven percent without paying high closing costs. Intermediate-term, adjustable-rate mortgages; Higher monthly payments; Highlights of a survey by Bank Rate Monitor, a North Palm Beach, Florida, provider of financial-product information.

Looks at the efforts of credit card companies to scrutinize the way in which people use their credit cards. Consultants who are advising card issuers to divest themselves of thrifty users who pay less than $100 a year in finance charges, or people who charge less than $10,000 a year; Other credit card users who are targets; The balance liquidation fees which may be charged to users who pay off their balances within three months of the expiration of a `teaser' rate.

Presents charts of the top-yielding certificates of deposit, money-market mutual funds, loan rates in the United States, Best deals in credit cards. Graphs of the national averages.

Publishes yields and rates on investments and loans in the United States as of May 1996. Top yielding certificates of deposit; Top yielding money-market mutual funds; Yield benchmarks; Low loan rates around the United States with name of lender and contact points; National averages of rates from May 1995 to May 1996 on 30-year mortgages, one-year ARMs, and auto loans; Low-interest credit cards and no-fee gold cards, with contact points.

Reports that United States banks are aggressively courting customers to invest in money-market deposit accounts (MMDAs). Customers preferring higher yield money-market mutual funds; Banks increasing yields of MMDAs; Drawbacks of higher required minimum balances and fees; Examples of rates and fees at Signet Bank, First Deposit National Bank, and Key Bank USA.

Focuses on the increase of mortgage rates. Why mortgages are still relatively affordable; How the new rates have hampered the refinancing party; How to make refinancing worthwhile.

Declares that mortgage loan officers may be sizing you up as an opportunity to earn a little extra money at your expense. The commissions earned by loan officers; Overages, a bonus commission, which pads the interest rate; Advice for the borrower.

Asserts that savings-bonds are not as good a deal in the summer of 1995 as they were a year previously. Comments on yields; Comparison with CD rates; Top-yielding certificates of deposit; Top-yielding money-market mutual funds.

Evaluates the investment risks on high-yield bonds in the United States. Rate comparison with Treasury bonds; Factors which contribute to investment risk factors of bonds; Forecast of financial analyst Margaret Eagle and Bart Geer on bond returns; Trade-off between risk and reward in investments.

Suggests that now may be the time to begin investing again in longer-term bonds and funds. Recommendations from Peter Hegel (Van Kampen Merritt); The futility in attempting to time the exact peak in rates; Caution regarding selling bonds now; Other recommendations; Treasury yields.

Claims a long run of good economic news in the past several years has put the wind to the back of junk-bond prices and predicts that the smooth sailing should continue through 1994. The technical picture; Yields; The biggest risk.

Looks at Treasury yields, and notes that Randy Merk (Benham Capital Management) and Robert Peck (American Capital Research & Management) predict that by summer bond values will be rising again. Why Treasury bonds rose from 5.22% in early February to 5.88% in March; Which Treasuries to buy.

Predicts that yields on benchmark 30-year Treasury bonds will fall to 5.5%, and possibly to 5%, within a year. The case for still-lower long-term rates; Drop in interest rates across the entire spectrum of maturities; Effects of demographic trends regarding saving; Comments from Jim Kochan, Robert W. Baird & Co., on the risks of owning volatile, long-term bonds; Recommendations.

Mentions what to look for in credit-card balance-transfer offers. Length of the introductory period; Fees; Impact of late payments; Introductory rate limitations; Recommendation of the American Express platinum Optima card.

Reports on how the United States Federal Reserve decision to raise federal funds, in 1999, will effect consumers. Increases seen in prime loan rates, adjustable-rate mortgages, and automobile loans; Possible decreases in fixed-rate mortgages; Higher yields for money-market funds.

Reports on a warning from term life insurance companies in the United States who are urging consumers to buy policies and lock in low rates before state governments enact rules that will drive up costs. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners' (NAIC) push for a model regulation called XXX; The support that XXX is getting from state insurance departments; What the likely increase in premiums would be if XXX were enacted.

Summarizes loan rates in different parts of the United States as of May 1999. Rate and description at lenders in New York, New York, Atlanta, Georgia, Chicago, Illinois, Phoenix, Arizona, and Los Angeles, California; National averages on 30-year mortgages and other loans.

Discusses the rise in mortgage rates that has taken place in the United States in March 1999. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage; The money that could be saved by taking a 15-year loan instead of a 30-year loan; What type of loan to consider if the house will be sold in a few years.

Presents information the lowest loan rates from cities across the United States as of December 11, 1998. Boston, Massachusetts; Charlotte, North Carolina; Saint Louis, Missouri; Denver, Colorado; Seattle, Washington; Lenders; Rates; Contact information; National averages for 30-year mortgages, one-year adjustable rate mortgages (ARM) and auto loans.

Presents information for the lowest loan rates available in the United States as of October 14, 1998 on a variety of loans. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Tampa, Florida; Omaha, Nebraska; Las Vegas, Nevada; San Diego, California; National averages.

Discusses the high prices of cruises for New Year's Eve 1999. Cost of Holland America's ten-day cruise to Acapulco; Tighter restrictions; The trouble associated with the policy of airlines, most hotels, and car-rental companies in not taking reservations more than a year in advance.

Presents information on fees and rates for services and credit cards. Free electronic mail address from AmExMail; Details on the service; The AT&T Universal Card and its new owner, Citibank including fees that are not immediately noticed; Fees and a raise in the interest rate for late payments.

Suggests the best rates for term insurance as of November 1997. For healthy nonsmokers; Higher-risk standard smokers; Smokers; People with major health problems.

Predicts a rise in the monthly fee for basic cable service through the year 2001. Cable's only serious competitor; The willingness of cable subscribers to pay any cost for basic monthly service.

Focuses on rates for long distance telephone service. Marketing of various services; Various plans available; Tips on finding the best plan; Contact point for comparison of the top long-distance companies' rates.

Presents low loan rates for May 1997 from around the United States. Figures from New York, New York; Phoenix, Arizona; Others; Rate and description; Contact information.

Discusses jumbo loans, or large loans carrying a one-fourth to one-half percentage point increase over smaller conforming loans. The starting point for jumbo loans for 1997; The actions of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in setting the starting point; United States Congressional heat to minimize annual adjustments to the starting point.

Presents charts depicting low loan rates around the United States as of December 1996. New York; Atlanta; Chicago; Phoenix; Los Angeles; Fixed rate 30 year; One year ARM; Home equity line; Car loan; Lender; Rate/description (Index plus margin); Contact information; Rate benchmarks.

Offers tips for booking discount cruises. Two-for-one packages; Multipassenger rates; Special promotions; Group rates for individuals.

Focuses on the flat rate for domestic calls by long-distance phone companies. Brief details of AT&T's new One Rate plan; Plans by MCI and Sprint; Prediction by Aaron Golub of the Telecommunications Research & Action Group, a nonprofit consumer group, that telecommunication leaders are reaching a consensus on rates; Chart of monthly long-distance bills, based on average, including calling-card use.

Relates the difficulties facing home buyers trying to decide whether to lock in a mortgage interest rate for the 45 or 60 days it often takes to reach the closing. How mortgage buyers must contend with the daily fluctuation of interest rates.

Points out that prices will go up on medicare-supplement insurance on retirees covered through the American Association of Retired Persons. Why Prudential, which provides the health insurance, has had to institute the price increase; Advice for older policyholders who may not find a better deal for the same coverage; Recommendations for younger and healthier seniors.

Reports that the Bank of America plans to offer a fixed-rate loan with a penalty of around 1.6 percent of the original loan amount if one prepays during the first three years. Why this offer should appeal to investors and discourage borrowers from refinancing; Prepayment penalties not detrimental to the consumer at a time when mortgage rates are at historic lows.

Presents an overview of strategies for locating a low cost mortgage rate around the country. Table of five metropolitan areas; Phone number and requirements for HSH Associates and Mortgage Market Information Services.

Describes the interest-calculation methods used by credit card issuers to recoup the profits lost from slashing interest rates and eliminating annual fees to attract business. Two-cycle legerdemain used by both Discover and First USA; Retraction of grace periods; Lower rates for balance transfers from other cards but higher rates for new purchases.

Provides graphs of national averages for the week ending August 18, 1995 of loan rates for 30-year mortgages, one-year ARMs, and auto loans as surveyed by HSH Associates.

Looks at mortgage rates in the summer of 1995. The question of whether or not to lock in a rate; Information on loan rates; 30-year mortgages One-year ARMs; Auto loans.

Discusses the new rules on savings bonds in the United States that will take effect starting on May 1, 1995. Earnings for EE bonds held less than five years; Shorter-term rate for the first five years; Face value for bonds.

Reports on the impact of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s (FDIC) cutting of insurance premiums for banks in 1995. Percentage of premium decrease; Lack of savings for savings and loans institutions; Increase in premium rates between 1989 and 1992.

Offers investing tips concerning savings bonds in the United States. Increase in short-term rates; Long-term rates for savings bonds; Mortgage rates; Credit card rates.

Forecasts the performance of bonds, savings, and mortgages in the United States for autumn 1994. Likely Federal Reserve Board decisions on short-term and long-term rates; 30-year Treasury yield.