By Russ Pulley, The Kansas City Star, Mo. Jan. 26--High gasoline prices are prompting more Independence, Blue Springs and Lee's Summit residents to take commuter buses to downtown Kansas City.

By Mary Hunt There was a time when grocery stores carried only food items. Then along came the idea of a supermarket, and the humble grocery store expanded to include aisles of housewares, clothes, books, toys, greeting cards -- even automotive-care products.

By Mary Hunt Tonight, take a tour through your house with all the lights out. See all those digital clocks and glowing red and green "eyes" staring back at you? That's proof positive your household appliances are sucking energy and spending your money even when you're asleep.

By Mary Hunt On the off chance you missed a couple of important pieces of consumer information you need to know, here is a quick overview. A frantic message from a reader being hounded by a collection agency prompted me to do a little research. I turned up some disturbing information.

By Mary Hunt I know two women who are both in their 80s. Neither is wealthy; in fact, both live solely on their Social Security incomes in Southern California, where the cost of living ranks among the highest in the nation.