Consumer news

It looks like a ruby, sparkles like a ruby and technically, it is a ruby. But a "composite ruby" is not natural; its beauty is created in a lab. And it can be damaged by lemon juice, household cleaners and jewelers' chemicals.

A local woman trying to refinance her mortgage got the shock of her life when she learned her credit report had her listed as dead. To make matters worse, the 78 year old had just survived a battle that nearly killed her.

Thanksgiving is now just six days away. Haven't planned your menu yet? No problem. Good Housekeeping has come up with some great recipes you might want to try.

Despite a 5-year-old state law prohibiting enforced expiration dates on most gift certificates and gift cards, some retail employees may not have gotten the message.

'Tis the season to give and give back. It's never too early to teach your children the importance of giving to those less fortunate.

The holidays may not be so sweet this year. Nestle - which sells nearly all the canned pumpkin in the U.S. - says poor weather hurt its harvest, creating a potential shortage of its Libby's pumpkin pie products through the holidays.

Some of the toys kids want for the holidays are the same toys consumer watchdogs say you should avoid this year. The first "Top 10" toy list comes from a Boston-area group called World Against Toys Causing Harm, or WATCH.

Often, the problem revolves around our tear production. Either we don't make enough tears to keep our eyes lubricated, or the makeup of our tears isn't just right.

Ford, Subaru and Volkswagen sit atop the insurance industry's annual list of the safest new vehicles, according to a closely watched assessment used by car companies to lure safety-conscious consumers to showrooms.

You might think that old MP3 player or cell phone is worthless, in fact, it could land you some cold hard cash, all the while keeping those devices and their toxic chemicals out of our landfills.

All counterfeit products are illegal. Some are incredibly dangerous. And the problem of counterfeit electrical products is getting worse.

Convenience stores have beefed up their focus on fresh and prepared foods with grab-and-go food service. But depending on where you go and what you buy, some of that food may not be as fresh as you think.

You probably don't know this - most pet owner's don't - but there's a blood bank for dogs and cats right here in Seattle. And it desperately needs donations.

You want a product that you could depend on to keep your food fresh -- a food storage container that can go from freezer to microwave to table. You're in luck. The Good Housekeeping Research Institute found a few food storage containers that passed their strict tests.