Consumers

For nearly a decade, television makers have been asking consumers to step into high definition. This week, they'll be asking buyers to step into three dimensions. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, companies such as Panasonic Corp., Samsung and Texas Instruments Inc. will show off TV technology capable of displaying 3-D-like pictures. The industry is billing it as the next big leap in TV technology.

At a time when consumers are increasingly concerned about what they eat, the owner of Albertsons is launching a wide-ranging nutrition labeling campaign today designed to help shoppers quickly sort out what's more healthful. But don't expect any labels on big sellers such as cookies, soft drinks, juice or ice cream. The stores are staying away from those nutritional hot potatoes for now. "We don't have an obligation to be the pizza police," said Jeff Noddle, Supervalu Inc.'

The nation's current economic slump is starting to hurt typically resilient supermarkets, says Jeff Noddle, chief executive of Supervalu Inc., the nation's third-largest grocery company. Noddle talked to The Times recently about Eden Prairie, Minn.-based Supervalu, which owns the Albertsons, Bristol Farms and Lucky stores in Southern California, discussing how the economy is affecting the supermarket business. -- What are shoppers doing to spend less at grocery stores?

You can go broke going green. Solar panels cost tens of thousands of dollars. And who's got the money to buy all new appliances? Don't despair. There is a lot you can do, right now, with very little cash outlay, to make your home energy efficient and cheaper to run. Go fluorescent. You'll save as much as 75% on the lighting portion of your electric bill by losing those incandescent bulbs. Your old pool pump sucks. Energy, that is.

Cash4Gold.com, the metal refinery that offers fast money to those who mail in baggies full of jewelry, has hit on a formula that would make 13th-century alchemists weep: It's found a way to turn desperation into gold. And in this economy, that's a growth business. The Florida company ponied up enough bullion Sunday to buy 30 seconds of famously expensive Super Bowl airtime, capping an ascent from the basement of late-night "as seen on TV" marketing.

Angelenos with old analog televisions don't have to worry about the major networks making an early leap to all-digital broadcasts. When it approved a four-month delay in the nationwide switch to all-digital transmissions, Congress allowed stations to seek permission from federal regulators to turn off their old analog signals earlier. Hundreds across the country plan to make the switch on the original date, Feb. 17, at least in part to save money. But Michael J.

Borrowers have less than 10 days to see their FICO credit scores calculated by Experian Group Ltd., one of the three biggest personal credit-rating bureaus. Experian notified Fair Isaac Corp., the Minneapolis credit-rating company, in January that it was terminating its contract Feb. 14 to provide information to MyFICO.com, the website operated by Fair Isaac that enables consumers to look at their scores, said Craig Watts, public relations director for Fair Isaac.

Amid a continuing mortgage meltdown across the nation, Congress has begun efforts to revive a controversial housing program to provide down payments for low- and moderate-income families. The program was killed late last year by the Bush administration and Congress due to concerns that its default rate was too high -- two to three times higher than standard mortgages, according to one government estimate.

Cupid is feeling thrifty this year, so retailers are showing the love this Valentine's Day with lower prices and discounted specials. The average consumer will spend $102.50 to celebrate the day, down 20 bucks from last year, according to a National Retail Federation survey. Total spending for Valentine's Day, which falls on Saturday, is expected to total about $14.7 billion.

Car dealers said Monday they hoped General Motors Corp. and Chrysler would be spared a trip to the wrecking yard, while shoppers were comforted by the Obama administration's promise to back new car warranties in case the auto giants failed. For the thousands of workers who depend on GM and Chrysler, the government's rejection of the companies' restructuring plans and the ouster of GM Chairman and Chief Executive Rick Wagoner were a big blow.