Internet Links

For more resources, see our Consumer Information databases

Consumer Information

Appliances
Comparison Shopping
Consumer Protection
Credit Reports

General Consumer Resources
Green Resources
Local Consumer Resources
Relocation

Appliances

Energy Star - ENERGY STAR is a government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency. Product lists of recommended appliances. Purchasing advice and savings calculators on some appliances are available here.
Consortium for Energy Efficiency - Lists of specifications for energy efficiency and product lists of CEE recommended appliances. Also includes information for residential, commercial, and industrial consumers.
Home Tips - Buying guides and reports - Advice on buying different appliances and home improvement materials.
TV Converter Box Coupon Program
This is the place to apply for a coupon for the digital tv converter box.

Comparison Shopping

Lowermybills.com - LowerMyBills.com is the first nationwide site that empowers you to lower all of your monthly bills - all in one place. With our marketplace partners and search engine technology we find the best offers for you, whether in insurance, mortgages, long distance, or credit cards.
ShoppingSpot - ShoppingSpot is the consumer information portal of the Web. The site was designed to break through the information overload of the Web to bring the best shopping and consumer information sites together with insightful editorial in one convenient, user-friendly spot.

Consumer Protection

Better Business Bureau in Louisville serving Louisville, Southern Indiana and Western Kentucky
Kentucky Consumer Protection Division
National Better Business Bureau online
Consumer Product Safety Commission - "The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction."

Credit Reports

Free Credit Reports for consumers in Kentucky
Your Access to Free Credit Reports - "The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. The FCRA promotes the accuracy and privacy of information in the files of the nation’s consumer reporting companies. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, enforces the FCRA with respect to consumer reporting companies. A credit report includes information on where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you’ve been sued, arrested, or filed for bankruptcy. Nationwide consumer reporting companies sell the information in your report to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use it to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or renting a home.
Transunion
Equifax
Experian

General Consumer Resources

Consumer Action Website - Federal Citizen Information Center - Tips on Before You Buy, After You Buy, Cars, Education, Employment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Housing, Insurance, Money and Credit, Investing, Privacy, Shopping at Home, Travel, Utilities.
ConsumerSearch - "ConsumerSearch is a Web-based publishing company that helps consumers find answers about what products are top-rated or best bets in their class. We try to provide consumers fast answers on top-rated products and provide an intelligent search engine to the best articles on any given product or service. Our mission is to reduce to minutes the time it takes consumers to make an intelligent purchase."
Consumer Reports - For full ratings reports a subscription is required, but Consumer Reports provides some information for free online.
Consumer World - Consumer World is a public service, non-commercial guide cataloging over 2000 of the most useful consumer resources.
Federal Citizen Information Center - Provides free or low cost publications, especially pamphlets and articles on a variety of consumer topics. Most of the information is produced by the government. Contains a downloadable Consumer Information Catalog for ordering pamphlets and other publications.
Keep Food Safe During an Emergency - This useful site is full of information on food safety after weather emergencies.
The Kentucky Real Estate Commission - "The Commission is charged with the responsibility of protecting the public interest through regulation, examination and licensing of Kentucky real estate brokers and sales associates pursuant to Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 324."
OnGuardOnline - A federal government site that provides tips and information about protecting yourself while online. Includes information about identity theft, spam, phishing, spyware and more.
Recalls.gov - Provides resources to find out about government recalls on everthing from drugs, food and cosmetics to vehicles and consumer products. Searchable by product type, name, problem, etc.
U.S. Consumer Gateway - Your resource for consumer information from the federal government.

Green Resources

Consumer’s Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy - Federal government website with quick links for consumers on saving energy.
Earth Day Network - Nonprofit responsible for annual worldwide Earth Day events.
Ecological Footprint Quiz - The quiz is available in a variety of languages for many countries of the world.
Energy Savers - From the Federal Government, this site provides information for homeowners and others involved in the building industry. Also includes the Energy Star® Program and energy calculators.
FuelEconomy.gov - Find and compare the gas mileage, greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution ratings of different cars. Also includes fuel economy guide, ratings, and tips as well as links to gasoline price data in cities across the US.
Global Footprint Network - Allows you to calculate your ecological footprint – the amount of resources it takes to sustain your lifestyle. You might be surprised.
Go Green Louisville - Take advantage of great suggestions and valuable services from Louisville Metro Government.
The Green Guide - Product of The National Geographic Society. Offers tips, buying guides, articles, product information and other useful facts about living Green.
Green Vehicle Guide - From the EPA. Find the air pollution score of any automobile from 2000-2008. Searchable by model name and by Greenhouse Gas Score.
TreeHugger - Provides a wealth of information about being green from witty writers all over the world. Includes information on such things as “How to Green Your Pets” and “How to Green Your Community”.

Local Consumer Resources

Better Business Bureau in Louisville serving Louisville, Southern Indiana and Western Kentucky
Kentucky Consumer Protection Division
Kentucky Forms Center - Kentucky.gov provides all their online forms at one site. This site also includes the Kentucky Drivers Manual.
Health Care Information Center - "The center provides both performance and outcome information on hospitals in Kentucky, as well as information about quality of care. Additionally, we will provide measurements of how well preventive care efforts are working to reduce the number of inpatient stays in Kentucky hospitals."

Relocation

World Chamber of Commerce Resources - World Chamber of Commerce resources are on this site.
Electronic Relocation Guide - A one-stop resource to find demographics, school information, home-buying information, real estate listings, mortgage loan help, local Chambers of Commerce and more.
Monstermoving.com - A large site with over 17,000 relocation links.
Occupational Compensation Survey-Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational wage data are available for local areas and for the nation.
Salary Calculator - Calculates cost-of-living differences between cities in the U.S. as well as some foreign cities.
Money Magazine's Best Places to Live
CityTownInfo.com - Stats on people, housing & more in U.S. cities & towns.

Last Updated: 7/22/08