By the Numbers: 2009 Thanksgiving meal cheaper than last year's

$42.91

Average cost of a Thanksgiving meal for 10, down about 4 percent from last year's average of $44.61, according to the American Farm Bureau, an agribusiness lobbying group. The same meal cost $28.74 in 1986, the first year the AFB started tracking the price of the holiday meal.

"Consistent with the retail food price declines seen throughout the year, consumers will pay just a bit less for their Thanksgiving feast this year," said Jim Sartwelle, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, in a press release. "Consumers are benefiting at the grocery store from significantly lower energy prices and the effects of the economic slowdown. Again this year, the cost per person for this special meal is less than a typical 'value meal' at a fast-food outlet."

The components for the meal, described by the AFB as a "classic Thanksgiving dinner," include a 16-pound turkey, peas; sweet potatoes; cubed bread stuffing; fresh cranberries; 1 gallon of milk; a dozen rolls; a relish tray (carrots and celery); pumpkin filling; pie shells and cream for pumpkin pie; and sundries like onions, eggs, sugar, flour, evaporated milk, butter, and coffee. The AFB's figures are based on information from 200 shoppers in 35 states. The AFB graph shown tracks the actual cost and inflation-adjusted cost of the meal since 1986.

Missing from the AFB's list are premeal snacks for the noshing and grazing you'll do throughout the day—there are three National Football League games on Thursday, after all—and beverages, including wine and beer (again, there's football to watch).

If you're behind on your Thanksgiving work, check out this recent post about planning for the holiday, and learn how to shave 34 percent off your Thanksgiving food costs with the expert advice from Tightwad Tod of our Money blog.

Here's wishing you a wonderful holiday, one that's filled with good food, good company, and good times. And for a bit of Thanksgiving-related diversion, check out these two short films made in 1951 from the Prelinger Archives on the Internet Archive. The first covers Thanksgiving dining etiquette for kids and the other involves a family that's experiencing some hard times and won't be able to have a turkey for the holiday.—Steven H. Saltzman | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: While I don't plan to hit the stores on Black Friday—that's a day to sleep in and then go on a hike with my family and our dog—if you're inclined to do some holiday shopping this November 27, stay on top of the deals and the news by visiting our Holiday Shopping Guide.

By the Numbers: Federal funding for weatherization eclipses cash for clunkers for appliances money

$4,728,750,000

Money allocated to the U.S. Department of Energy's Weatherization Assistance Program under the 2009 Recovery Act. To date, the program has doled out about half of its multibillion-dollar funding for a variety of weatherization projects, such as properly insulating an attic.

New York tops the WAP recipient list with $394,686,513, followed by Texas ($326,975,732), Pennsylvania ($252,793,062), Michigan (243,398,975), and Illinois ($242,526,619).

The nearly $5 billion is a boatload of money, but if spent wisely it could go a long way toward saving millions of Americans money and helping the environment. A recent report from Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies estimates that residential energy use would decline by 22.5 percent if the roughly 120 million homes built before 2000 were made as efficient as those built since then.

Perhaps that potential significant impact explains why federal weatherization money so far exceeds that given to the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, also known as cash for clunkers for appliances. Visit the Energy Star Web site for information on special offers and rebates for appliances, heating and cooling equipment, water heaters, and the like, and find out how much money your state has available for rebates, weatherization programs, and more.

You'll find more information on other federal and state energy-efficiency programs on the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy Web site.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Our Energy Saving & Green Living guide can help you cut your carbon footprint and save money. Follow our overall advice for using less energy at home, and remember that some projects might qualify for federal tax credits.

By the Numbers: Energy Star homes reach major milestone

1 million

Number of Energy Star-qualified homes built nationwide since the program debuted in 1995. These homes have saved Americans $1.2 billion in energy costs, reduced greenhouse-gas emissions by 22 billion pounds, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The top 10 markets for Energy Star homes are Houston, Dallas, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Angeles, New York City, Tucson, San Antonio, Sacramento, and San Diego.

To qualify for Energy Star, says the EPA, a new home must be at least 15 percent more efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code and include other features that make them 20 to 30 percent more efficient than standard home, such as effective insulation, high-performance windows, and efficient heating and cooling equipment, appliances, lighting, and ventilation. (The image below, from Energy Star, shows typical locations of air leaks in a home. Check out our recent Weekend Project on weatherizing your attic.)

"This is an amazing achievement for the Energy Star program, but the real winners are the 1 million American families who have the chance to save money and keep harmful pollution out of the air. That's great news for anyone who wants to cut costs and protect our planet," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson in a press release. "We're going to keep the number of Energy Star homes growing, because every new Energy Star home is a step towards lower costs, cleaner air, and communities that are environmentally and economically sustainable."

To boost the energy efficiency of your home and save some real money, start with these simple, inexpensive steps and follow our overall advice for using less energy at home.—Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: If you haven't done so already, get your heating system tuned up and install a programmable thermostat. Also refer to our buyer's guides to furnaces (more details here), water heaters, pellet stoves, and solar water heaters, and find the best compact fluorescent lightbulbs. Remember, some projects might qualify for federal tax credits. If you want energy-efficient appliances, stay up on the news related to the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, also known as cash for clunkers for appliances.

 

By the Numbers: Home-buyer tax credit gets new life

2 million

Estimated number of Americans who will take advantage of the federal government's home-buyer tax credit this year, according to projections from the National Association of Realtors. The Internal Revenue Service has reported that 1.4 million families have already taken advantage of the credit, which took effect in January 2009.

The home-buyer tax credit was scheduled to expire at the end of this month but received a one-time reprieve last Friday when President Barack Obama signed the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009.

The credit had been limited to first-time buyers and those who hadn't owned a home in the past three years. Under the updated version of the credit, first-time buyers who purchase a home or have one under contract by April 30, 2010, can qualify for a credit of up to $8,000. And a credit of up to $6,500 is available to people who have lived in a home for at least five years and buy a new home or have it under contact by April 30, 2010. (Members of the uniformed services who have been stationed overseas can qualify for a similar credit until May 2011.) The maximum price for a qualifying home is $800,000.

The updated credit now covers individuals with a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) between $125,000 and $145,000, up from $75,000 to $95,000; for joint tax filers, the qualifying MAGI is $225,000 to $245,000, up from $150,000 to $170,000.

The new version of the credit also contains measures designed to prevent fraud, a topic we covered last month.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Learn the details of buying a foreclosed home and get a thorough inspection of any property you're considering. Once you've moved in, refer to our Kitchen-Planning Guide and Home Improvement Guide interactive.

By the Numbers: Where electricity prices are highest, Energy Star shines

38 percent

Market share of Energy Star-qualified appliances in Connecticut, Hawaii, and New Hampshire, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. As we reported yesterday, consumers in those states pay some of the highest electricity rates in the country.

“Market share for Energy Star qualified appliances is generally higher than average in states and regions with longstanding or very active energy efficiency programs (e.g., California and Vermont) and those with particularly high electricity prices (e.g., Hawaii, Connecticut, and New Hampshire),” reads the U.S. Department of Energy’s Refrigerator Market Profile: 2009 (PDF).

The state average market share for Energy Star-qualified appliances is 30 percent, but the share in West Virginia, Louisiana, and Kentucky is the lowest in the country, ranging from 23 to 25 percent. Residents in those states pay about 4 cents less per kilowatt hour than the national average of almost 12 cents and about 15 cents less than consumers in Hawaii.

If you’re in the market for new appliances, read up on the U.S. Department of Energy’s $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, aka cash for clunkers for appliances, and find the best places to buy appliances.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: “Energy Star Has Lost Some Luster” details some issues we found related to the Energy Star program.

By the Numbers: S&P/Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index continues upward trend

146.00

Current level of the 20-City Composite Home Price Index, part of the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index, which tracks residential prices in housing markets nationwide. The August 2009 level marks four consecutive months of improved readings and is up 1.2 percent from July, although it is still down 11.3 percent from it was a year ago. The index is calculated monthly and published with a two-month lag.

"While many of the markets remain down versus this time last year, the relative rate of decline has shown some real improvement," said David M. Blitzer, chairman of the Index Committee at Standard & Poor's, in today's press release. "California, in particular, has seen some real positive prints in recent months." The price index in San Francisco climbed 2.8 percent from July to August, behind only Minneapolis, which saw an increase of 3.2 percent. Charlotte, Cleveland, and Las Vegas were the only three markets whose price index fell from July to August.

The rise in the 20-City Composite Home Price Index comes at a time when the overall economy is expected to show 3.5 percent growth in the third quarter. But, said Blitzer, "We do want to remind people of the upcoming expiration of the federal first-time buyer's tax credit in November and anticipated higher unemployment rates through year end. Both may have a dampening effect on home prices."—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Learn how to buy a foreclosed home and be sure to get a thorough inspection of any property you're considering. After you've moved in, refer to our Kitchen-Planning Guide and Home Improvement Guide interactive.

By the Numbers: DOE Inspector General audit IDs Energy Star issues

90 percent

Approximate percentage of compact fluorescent lightbulbs that qualify for the federal government's Energy Star, according to the recently released "The Department's Management of the Energy Star Program," an audit by the U.S. Department of Energy's Inspector General.

Energy Star, a joint program of the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was launched in 1992 to help you identify the most energy-efficient options across dozens of product categories. The program has succeeded in saving consumers money and in raising public awareness of energy-efficiency matters; what's more, 70 percent of U.S. consumers recognize the Energy Star logo. But for many product categories, Energy Star hasn't been fast enough to update testing procedures or qualifying standards or implemented independent, third-party verification of energy use.

Consumer Reports has called for changes to the program for years, including in our October 2008 investigation "Energy Star Has Lost Some Luster," and the Inspector General's audit makes some of the same points.

Energy Star's guidelines indicated that about 25 percent of products in a category should qualify for an Energy Star. The fact that 90 percent of CFLs currently make the grade shows that the standards aren't tough enough, a point made in the Inspector General's audit: "One of the underlying principles of the Energy Star Program is to help consumers differentiate the most energy-efficient products within a given category. When 90 percent of the [products qualify], the consumer cannot easily judge the relative efficiencies of CFL products." (Note that using CFLs in the right applications can save you real money, and we recommend you buy Energy Star-qualified CFLs. As stated in our October 2009 report on CFLs, most non-Energy Star CFLs we tested had lower overall scores than Energy Star-qualified bulbs. Check our CFL ratings, available to subscribers, to find the top performers.)

This "overqualification" has not been limited to lighting. As we reported last fall, at one point half of all dishwashers qualified for an Energy Star, as did 67 percent of residential-use oil-fired boilers and 60 percent of dehumidifiers.

Less than three weeks after he took office, President Barack Obama issued a memorandum that called on the U.S. Department of Energy to update it efficiency standards for many household appliances. In that memorandum, the president requested that "the DOE take all necessary steps . . . to finalize legally required efficiency standards as expeditiously as possible and consistent with all applicable judicial and statutory deadlines."

Even when qualification standards are rigorous, the Energy Star program too often relies on self-regulated compliance from manufacturers. At best, this policy results in honest mistakes. At worst, it appears to open the door for obfuscation aimed at gaming the system. In our October 2008 report, we identified one refrigerator that used more than twice as much energy as claimed by the manufacturer. Citing that finding, the Inspector General called Energy Star's "lack of oversight and control in the area of product testing and certification" its most significant shortcoming.

"Third-party certification of compliance conducted by independent, accredited testing laboratories combined with DOE spot checking of Energy Star and energy-usage claims by manufacturers . . . is an important first step in ensuring Energy Star labeling is meaningful and helpful to consumers," wrote Shannon Baker-Branstetter, policy analyst for Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports and the Home & Garden blog, in an October 16, 2009, letter to Energy Secretary Steven Chu.

The DOE has made some recent moves to strengthen its enforcement of energy-efficiency standards. Last week, the agency announced that it had established an enforcement team within the Office of the General Counsel and will set up a program to randomly review compliance with DOE certification requirements by manufacturers, and further detailed its enforcement of energy-efficiency regulations.

"For the sake of our environment and our economy, it's critical that we enforce our energy-efficiency regulations," said Scott Blake Harris, general counsel of the DOE, in an October 13 release. "Strong enforcement of the rules will encourage compliance and keep manufacturers who break the law from having a competitive advantage over manufacturers who play by the rules."

We'll continue to follow the news surrounding Energy Star.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: If you're in the market for new, more-efficient appliances, read our FAQ on the $300 million cash for clunkers for appliances rebate program.

By the Numbers: Foreclosure filings rose in 3rd quarter

937,840

Number of foreclosure filings (default notices, scheduled auctions, and bank repos) reported nationwide in the third quarter of 2009, according to RealtyTrac, which has been tracking foreclosures since 2005. The filings represent a 5 percent increase over the second quarter and an almost 23 percent jump over a year earlier.

Nevada, Arizona, and California saw the greatest foreclosure activity last quarter, says RealtyTrac, with one in 23 homes in Nevada receiving a foreclosure filing; the rate in Arizona and California is one in 53 properties. Florida, Idaho, Utah, Georgia, Michigan, Colorado, and Illinois round out the foreclosure top 10.—Steven H. Saltzman | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: If you're considered taking out a reverse mortgage to try to fend off foreclosure, read "Reversals of Fortune" and this recent post from our Money blog to avoid the pitfalls of these loans. And check out Buzzwords: Fearclosure and Foreclobia to learn about the impact foreclosures are having on the American psyche.

U.S. households could bank savings on heating costs this winter

Your heating bill could drop this winter, thanks to lower fuel prices and a forecast of slightly milder weather in many areas, according to the latest projections from the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration.

The EIA estimates that the average U.S. household will spend about $960 on heating during the October 2009-March 2010 heating season. That's a decline of $84, or 8 percent, from the 2008-2009 heating season. The biggest savings are expected for homes that heat with natural gas or propane. You can save even more money by installing and using a programmable thermostat.

• Natural gas. The EIA expects that the average household that heats with gas save 12 percent this heating season, with those in the Midwest spending 15 percent less. (Check out our buyer's guide to furnaces.) A record high inventory of natural gas has resulted from a huge decrease in demand by the industrial sector and an increase in domestic production, including shale gas.

• Propane. Midwesterners might see an average decrease of 21 percent while those in the West should spend only 5 percent less. One reason for the variation is that the Midwest is projected to have a winter that's about 4 percent warmer while the West could be about 4 percent colder, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

• Heating oil. Oil is used by only 7 percent of U.S. households, the majority of which are in the Northeast. This season, those who heat with oil could save about 3 percent, around $60. Heating oil is averaging about $2.64 a gallon, 2 cents less than last season and 67 cents less than the in 2007-2008.

• Electricity. Those who heat with electricity will spend 2 percent less than last winter , an average of $20.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential reading: Our latest report on pellet stoves highlights the pros and cons of this alternative heat source. (Ratings are available to subscribers.) To cut energy use year-round, find out how to save up to $1,500 on your annual utility bills, read our report on solar water heaters, and learn which compact fluorescent lightbulbs top our ratings.

By the Numbers: U.S. consumers adopting some greener behaviors

83 percent

Americans who said they always run the dishwasher with a full load, according to a May 2009 nationally representative survey of 2,014 adults. The survey, conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, focused on energy-saving practices.

"Most of the energy used by a dishwasher goes to heat water. So fill your dishwasher to get the most from the energy used to run it," says Christina Kielich, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Energy.

While running a full load is widespread behavior, only 10 percent of respondents said they're not rinsing dishes before loading the dishwasher. That's a water- and energy-wasting step that costs people real money. As Consumer Reports and most dishwasher manufacturers advise, it's not necessary to prerinse dishes before a cycle; just scrape off any food from the dishes. Read our advice on the best way to load a dishwasher and check out our buyer's guide to dishwashers.

That wasteful move is surprising considering that less-expensive energy-saving measures seem to appeal to Americans these days. Indeed, only 3 percent of survey said they are using solar, wind, or geothermal energy systems, which have high up-front costs and, potentially, long payback periods. Still, 40 percent of respondents say they'll buy a green product even if it costs more.

Many of the newest dishwashers in our continuously updated ratings and latest report on these appliances (available to subscribers) use less water and electricity than their predecessors. Some tested models consume about 3 gallons per load, while thirsty models drink up to 12 gallons. New federal regulations taking effect on January 1, 2010, limit all dishwashers to a maximum of 6.5 gallons for the normal cycle; Energy Star-qualified models use even less water.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Our Energy Saving & Green Living guide features many easy ways to cut energy bills. Stay tuned for new details on the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, or cash for clunkers for appliances, and take advantage of existing incentives on Energy Star-qualified appliances.