susan hogan is working for you. >>> the 9-year-old died last may while helping t acher operate a motorized partition at franconia elementary school. this touched the hearts of so many ofur viewers and me, too. so we are investigating how could have happened and how it prevented. a h virginia lawmake drafted legislation to try to prevent another tragedy. >> i think we need to do everything we can. >> he is on a mission. >> i think we need to doyt evng we can. especially if there's a technological fix to make surav we safe places for our kids to learn. >> that's why he's drafted this legislation requiring safety devices. we told delegates about the

susan hogan explains what susan hogan explains what need to know about this tea tox z34hbz z16fz y34hbyfy >>> it's the latest diet trend and comes i ateacup. it's called the tea tox. >> people are trying to lose weight by pairing certain kinds of tea with light eating and exercise. but does it work and is it? sa >> susan hogan working for you to tell you what you need to know before you try it out. >> reporter: there are many ways to tackle those extra pounds gained over the holidays. >> try to stick toxe myise routine. >> exercise and eat right. >> have to get back to mypy la tees. >> the latest weapon in the batt of the bulge comes in a bag. americans spent $62 million on the trend last year. detox teas contain a variety of ingredients including some that claim to help wit weight loss. stimulants can contain up tos 4 tihe amount of caffeine than coffee. >> too much caffeine can cause issues. >> reporter: these also contain laxatives. >> the reason youight see a short term dip in the sca is because they're dehydratin once they consume enough liquid, your weight will go up. and used to

you typically can o save co-pay, sometimes two. >> and that was consumer reporter susan hogan reporting. there's another tip. we have more detail about apps that can save the pharmacy. search prescription drugs in the nbc washington app. >>> good mornin everybody. storm team 4 weather alert for you. temperatures just at or near the eezing mark. watch out for flslippery roads d sidewalks this morning. all about the temperature drop. plus, we're keeping on eye on the ro bs. we'rk live with everything you need to know to get your friday sta rt i'm alex trebek here to tell you about the colonial penn prram. if you're age 50-85 and looking to buy life insurance on a fixed budget, remember the three p's. e three what? the three p's? what are the three p's? the three p's of life insurance on a fixed budget are price, priceand price. a price you can afford, a price that can't increase, and a price that fits your budget. i'm 54 and i was a smoker but quit. alex, what's my pric you can get coverage for $9.95 a month. i'm 65, retired, and take medications. what's my price? also $9.95 a month. i ju

consumer reporter susan hogan working for you with the changes that are going to impact you. susan? >> reporter: many o new tax rules are expected to benefit taxpayers but how much your taxes go downn 19 depends on a number of things. splitting up i2019 big changes to alimony deductnns. the per receiving alimony no longer has to report the payments as part ofir the taxable income. meaning the person paying it now has to report it and pay the taxes on it, too. something that's going away,he penalty for americans without health coverage. prior to 2019re if you uninsured you had to pay the penalty. get ready to save more for retirement this year.mo thet you can contribute to your 401(k) or similar requirement plans went up from 18,500 to 19,000 oneore thing financial experts say you should think about in the new year and that is adjusting the with holdings to put more money in your pocket today. >> financial theory is you would not want to be giving the government an interest free ouloan. so take more money now, do something with that money, preerbli investing it or putting it in your

my passenger's life in danger, actually. >> if you have a you need help solving, contact susan hogann o app. search responds. >>> give you a live look outside on what is a srm team 4 weather alert day around here. it is a cold start. we are tracking some ow. clay anderson breaking down what you have a lot of deadlines in your business, right? we miss deadlines, we don't get paid. what if you lost your network connection you gotta be kidding me. chaotic. our gig-speed network lets you download files up to 20 times faster. and we go beyond fast with 4g lte backup for complete reliability. so, if you lose your network connection... ♪ ♪ you won't miss the deadlines. having the confidence of something that's never gonna go down would be priceless. one more way we go beyond. call today and pay just $49.95 a month for fast, reliable internet. comcast business. beyond fast. >>> back at 6:46. we have "today" up next on nbc 4. let's go to washington. we have kristen welker and alexander with a preview. >> hey, david. coming up on a saturday morning on"today," breaking overnight, the bombshell

susan hogan with a warning from experts about new self-dving features.ature racking a t roller coaster for your work week. plus no chances in the forecast for the weekend. news4 at 5:00 starts right now. >>> we want to beginith the latest on the government shutdown with neither side backing down, the president is t preparing toe his case to the public. >> tomorrow president trump will deliver a primetime address from the oval office on why he thinks american tax should foot the bill for that $5 billion border wall. >> and we are now on day 17. after the speechhe president plans to travel to the border on thursday. >>> meanwhile, affected federal worker will miss their first paycheck this friday if there is no deal. >> with no end in sight this could become the longest shutdown ever. >> so joining us now with closer look tonight where everything stands is whiteouse correspondent kristen welker. this afternoon thepr vice ident and homeland security secretary met with reporters and apparently he used the word crisis a lot. the presideng has been tal about a

>> if so, consumer reporter susan hogan is wor ng for you with a chance to save on your gym membershipning that contract. >> reporter: if you're thinking about joining a gym, this is a good time of ylsr to find d that will save you money. >> january is always a big one, without a doubt. january is one of those t mes whert gyms are offering some kind of incentive for you to come in, try the out. >> reporter: "consumer reports" says ask for amm non-ment trial. many gyms offer day try out their facilities and the if you have friends or family interested in signing up with you, they may offer you a lower monthly rate for a group. trying the place before you commit will help you decide what >>pe of gym is best for your goals. eporter: identify what your goal is. if you've already tried to do this goal already and l you joined a bigger gym where you did it htalone, that mot be the number one way. maybe joining a snow squaller gym, people are moreocus and you're getting ate tension and accountability and support that you need. >> reporter: wheyou find the perfect fit for you, you can negotiat

susan hogan with a few tricks to avoid car key to be headaches. >>> news 4 begins with a storm team 4 wea>er alert. let's start with the dangerous cold. a frigid wintery wallop, i'm leon harris. >> i'm pat larsson, it's just about unbearable to be tdrs. it feels like it's in the single digits for many of us. >> we have team coverage of the weather alert. mark segraves standing by with a report on the icy conditions outside. t let's start with doug kammerer with a look at how much longer this cold is going t last. >> you're talking about frigid, wintery, wallop, i love that, wind chills today way down there. 8 degrees right now in washington. 1 below 0 in around t a haguerstowa and to the north. the winds still gusting upwards of 30 to 40 miles an hour today. windsgh remain thrhe evening at 30 miles an hour or higher. feeling like 0 to 10 degrees all night right on into early tomorrow morning so another frigidt. st a frigid start at the bus stop tr sure,orrow is one cold start to the day. we'll talk about this coming i'll show you what's happening with the next storm moving in if we're

susan hogan with the details on the newefforts. >>> and a new warning from the cdc. the flu widespread in even mor states. when doctors expect the vir to peak. >> reporter: and you can watch >> reporter: and you can watch the golden globes coming up on so you finally got fios, wuh? yep, andanna know what the best part about it is? gaming with less lag? nope. watching movies in 4k? nope. the best part about it is, right now, my mom is streaming classes... ...my dad is streaming games... and because the fiber-optic network gives you insane speed and capacity... ...they don't have to ask you to get offline. you owe me so big time. exactly. 100% fiber-optic network. 100% phenomenal. get fios internet for just $39.99 per month and get a $50 amazon gift card when you switch. >>> we're keeping a close eye on this raging fire in mclean. crews with fire hydrants from a few blocks away. nobody was home. there are no reports of any injuries. a driver dialing 911. the driver losing control, flipping over before theru burst into flames. >>> a teenager is accused of driving drunk

so susan hogan has some easy tips to help you get most outf your appointment. >> how are you? how is it going? >> reporter: even before doctor's foot into your office, consumer reports suggests writing down a list of questions you want to ask. >> intis importa patients come with information what they want to discuss. > reporter: sometimes the best of intentions get derailed. >> doctors are distracted with entering data, getting calls from others and other disruptions. patients are distracted as well. >> reporter: she said both doctor and patient need on ignore disruptions and slow down nd really listen during an exam. consumer reports said for doctors, dealing with electronic healthecords can take time away from a patient. a 2014 study by northwestern university found primary care doctors intend a third of the time managing records on the computer during an exam, rather than loong a their patient. that can make it harder to pick up on nonverbal cues. >> if you feel like your doctor is distracted or files understand your problem, it is fine to politely let them know. sst will a

you typically can save one co-pay, sometimes two. >> reporter susan hogan reporting. there's another tip. check out websites and apps that offer coupons. he have more details about apps that can save atharmacy. search prescription drugs in the nbc washington app. >>> all right, erybody. a lot of crazy weather over the weekend. not a lot of snow arodhe d.c. metro area. he sleet chance for and freezing rain. where the cold air makes it mostly snow, a foot in co cumberla cumberland, maryland. >>> plus, keep ang eye ing an e roads for fyou. school delays after that overnight round of snow. we're back wit everything youh >>> news 4 begins with a sto team 4 weather alert. >> we are in weather alert mode today. most of the snow that fell overnight has stopped. >> it was coming down hard at points. ois was the scene here in northwest washingtrnight. you probably need to grab the snow scraper for your car and wear your boots. we're halfway through winter, i think chuck said. >> that's depressing. >>> you will need some extra time to get to where you're going today. >> several

susan hogan joins us with ways a to safegrd your information. >>> plus -- >> michael -- >> yep. >> -- don't do that. >> it's buble, a sneak pk at the super bowl commercials. how women are changing the game this year. > a look at how cold it feels across the country. doug is backith >>> take a looks at this. this is new drone video of steam rising from lake michigan in chicago. and in new york, fountains are frozen. doug says we're in for another cold night. he's tracking snow for the morning commute. doug's update in just a couple of minutes. >> next time you go to capitol one arena, you could be gambling along with watching theme ga d.c. is to become the first to offer sports betting. e question is still when. today speaking is the wizard's owner saying he hopes toffer sports betting inside capital one arena by april. >> my expectation is there will be built a very, very high end, world class restaurant called the sportsbook. there'll b televisions showing games from all over the world and that people will be able to come in and watch games and dine and bet. >> he says he thinks bett

you typically can save one co-pay, sometimes two. >> and that was consumer porter susan hogan reportingere's another tip. check out websites and apps that offer coupons. we have more detai about apps that can save at the pharmacy. search prescription drugs in the nbc washington app. >>> good morning, everybody. storm team 4 weather alert for you. 5:26 on a friday. fortunately all of the snow from overnight is pulling out. it's an impring weather picture today. we're going downhill fast over the weekend. complete check of the forecast coming up in a second. stay with us. >>> plus, we're keeping an eye on the roadss you wak up this morning. a few school delays out there after an overnight round of snow. snow. back live with everything you there are at least three ways to lower your novec electric bill: you could live off the grid. you could set your thermostat no higher than 68 degrees in winter. or, you could follow the ways to save tips on novec.com. you'll discover how installing and using a programmable thermostat you'll discover how can save you about $330 a year! novec helps u save

upnext, susan hogan iki wng for you with advice on getting ienancial r during the shutdown.r: >> repor well known muslim wemily is speaking out after they say the discriminated agnst by two fair oaks hospital employees. >>> a whole lot of anxiety tonight for 800,000 federal employees. >> many of those workers are nervous about their finances and thetomino effec this shutdown could create for em susan hogan is working for you for what you can tolessen the blow. >> a majority of workers likely tonight have enough savings. a recent survey found 78% of americans live paycheck-to-paycheck. for those of you with a mortgage, some lenders are offering assistance programs to federal employees impacted by the shutdown such as waiving late fees. but you need to contact your lender immediately to let them know of your fosituation. those of you who rent, contact property managersr your landlord, see if you can work out a payment plan with them. or at the least ask if they'll waive a late fee as well. same thing goesar with credit companies. contact them now and ask if th'll waive your late fee or p

. >> susan hogan is working for you.hathe says you want to do right now to protect your money. >>> new researc shows a startling spike in middle aged women overdosing on drugs from their doctors. >>> your weekend snow forecast is getting a little bit more >>> the government shutdown is affecting workers in more ways than you can image. hop t falls church. they're offering a shutdown cut down this weekend. offering free hair cuts. >> they were calling in saying wasn't going to work. there's too much uncertainty about their paycheck. so we decided to have a day -- we're all in this together. >> thatown cut down starts .t noon on nday ace neighborhood falls shop in false chch. >> 800,000 federal employees will go without paychecks starting tomorrow and many are nervous about their finances and theomino affect that will create. susan hogan is working for you with what you need t know right now tolessen the blow. >> reporter: a majority of workerson't have enough savings. a recent survey found 78% o americans live paycheck to

consumer reporter susan hogan is working for you on how you can care for your little friends and notoing broke. >> we love our pets, of course. and we have two dogs of our own now and our vet bills double. but there is a way to cut some of those bills way down. consumer report shows us what we can do. more than a quarter of all pet owners worryhey won't be able to afford their pet's medical treatment. >> we want our dogs to be healthy, but it costs a lot more to keep them t healthyn even us sometimes. >> pet owners spend anywh e from $9,000 to even $13,000 for medical treatme course of an animal's lifetime. and costs can continue to rise if your pet needs a prescription. consumer report says before you buy the meds directly from the uyt, shop around. >> you can also a lot of your pet's medications from a relar human pharmacy like ancvs walgreens. >> reporter: although there are some veterinary specific drugs a number of meds prescribed to pets are the same we use, and some pharmacies will even give you the same discounts on drugs they often their human customers. online pharmacies ar

consumer reporter susan hogan tips to save on your gym membership. storm team 4 issues a weather alert because of this. >> this storm could bring flooding to parts of our area, and we could get some pretty strong wind gusts. here's a le look at the flagou ide our studios. ut that bad right now is about to change. >> yeah, guys, you can see the flag blowing from left to right. yesterday it was blowing from righto left, meaning much colder air. but this is very warm air that's moving in ahead of this storm system. temperaturesig now 50 hagrees, double what it felt yesterday with cold air in place. and look how big this storm is. once again another monster of a storm. we've said this just out every single week over the last year we've had about 20 in one inchal rainfall t or more. we're going to get another inch outf this one. this storm coming with a couple of facets. one, the rain. the flood watch in effect through the day on thursday. rain one inch to possibly two inches of rain. you combine that with a little snow leftover from our snowstorm a week

susan hogan joins us next in tht io. >> plus something we can all relate to, not getting enough sleep. the growing concern among doctors about that. doreen gentzler breaks down the new findings for us. >>> a nice winter day today, srrently we're at 42 degr but with the sunset around temperatures fall quickly, 32 by 9:00 p.m., 29 by1 10 p.m. i'm >>> a beautiful but breezy afternoon as we look live outside our studios in washington. amelia is back in minutes with o look at the weather coming this way soon and our next storm. for a big >> as 800,000 federal workers miss a second paycheck toda we're working for you answering some of your top concerns about the >> from medical insurance to unemployment benefits, some employees tells ey're not getting the information they need. susan hogan getting thens rs, and she's here to walk us through this. >> we were able to find out theh answer many of you had questions from the office of personnel management which put togeer a fa sheet for department heads to pass along to their employees but most furloughed workers don't have access to the e-mails

. >>> we are continuing to follow breaking news, the government a shutdown over that susan hogan heres is affecting the benefits of federalorkers and now what happens. >> plus working to return -- a local doctor working to return local doctor working to return the sickest whawhat does it feel like?ke? does fearless age? or ds it simply grow... stronger? fearlesserooks a little difft to us all. t bwityou can find yours. call now to speak with a medigap specialist in your area, and discover the strength and security of a plan with low affordable rates, and the option to add dental and vision coverage. even a fitness program at no exa cost. call a medigap specialist now learn more. and get the support to find the answers, to every fearless question. carefirst medplus. live fearless. and the army taught me a lot about commitment. which i apply to my life and my work. c cast we're commited to delivering the best experience possible, by being on time everytime. and if we are ever late, we'll give yol a automatic twentyr credit. my name is antonio and i'm a technician at comcast. we're worki

up next, susan hogan tells us q thstion you should be asking to save you money. >>> she was out for a, she stopped to take a picture in the snow. that picture caused her to go mbling intohe icy waters of rock creek park. i'm erika gonlez wit theh hey! havertys is having a big sale. #newlivingroom you know, pehale don't actually ustags when they talk. #thisgirldoes like that. no one ever does that. #havertysboom stop it. #youstopit havertys 2019 kickoff is on $ get an ext0 off every $1000 you spend... ...on furniture that's already marked down. it's savings on top of savings! havertys #lifelooksod >>> all right. that's right out our front door. >> we can get to our cars. >> yes, we can. they won't have any shoveling to do. commuters are sharing the streets with r cdsws as we get set for another blast of winteryweather. amelia is back in a few with an update for us. >>> as a traffic reporter dave dilldine, a name you may be familiar with, knows h t deliver the news during the morning drive. >> but a chance encounter over our snowy weekend has him front and center after a dramatic rescue

susan hogan shows you how to cash in. >>> we have a hedgehog health alert.not make the best pets after all if you like t kiss and snuggle your little friend. >> we'll have pictures coming up in minutes. you have to stick around for that. >> okay. >> some people love their hedge hogs. >> we'll see you soon, and that's not ♪ you want a fresh-smelling home, but some air fresheners use heavy, overwhelming scents. introducing febreze one; but somea new rangeners use of innovative air freshenerspe with no heavy rfumes that you can feel good about using in your home to deleler a light, natural-ng freshness. febreze one neutralizes stale, stuffy odors and releases a subtle hint of fragrance like bamboo or lemongrass ginger. to eliminateesdors with no heavy perf try new febreze one.r. brand pohelping you b. >>> a multistate man hunt for a killer ends in virginia. >> the suspect is accused of killing five people i louisiana yesterday. his grandmother in richmond county, virginia tipped off police he might be on his way there. >> gabe gutierrez reports. >> reporter: th

our consumer reporter, susan hogan takes a close look at how they're keeping you safe on our roads. >re going to go back to spring and the next day is spring and the next day is may have a chance of snow by the people aren't talking about giant's spring and the next day is may have a chance of snow by the easy grab and go chicken wings, perfect for game day. they're not talking, because they're eating. oh, hello. at giant, it's the little things that make entertaining easy, leaving more time for those closest to you. it gives you super fast speeds for all your devices, powerful way to stay connected. enhanced coverage, and lets you control your network with the xfi app. it's the ultimate wifi experience. xfinity xfi. simple. easy. awesome.trad switch today. hey. i heard you're moving into yeah, it's pretty stressful. this music is supposed to relax me, though. ♪ maybe you'd mellow out a bit if you got geico to help you with your renters insurance. oh, geico helps with renters insurance? good to know. yeah, and they could save you a lot of money. wow, suddenly i feel so relieved. you g

. >> susan hogan, foworking for y to avoid penalties and epes. >>ter: when isabel was born, kim began putting money into a 529 college savings plan. isel is a college freshman and it's time to start taking that money out. but 's more complicated than kim expected. >> it's a bucket of money that we've been saving. and most recently, we're starting to learn that there are some strings attached a rules. >> reporter: rules that are important to followyo iwant to avoid hefty penalties. >> if you don't spend the money on legitimate 529 expenses, you will pay income tax on the earnings and a 1e penalty on ount you saved. >> reporter: legitimate expenses are things like tuition and supplies like books and computers. yo can also u the money toward room and board, if you're enrolled in school half-time. as you spend, keep all yof your receipts. and be aware that when you spend the money matters. >> you have to spend the money when you make the withdraw. th calendar year, not the school year. >> avoid taxes and penalties by saving it for graduate school or

susan hogan, "news4." >> there's a key blade inside too. >> that device can mapually unlock your doors. >>> you may dread the blast, but -- >> they're enjoying every minute of all of this. it was perfect weather for the penguins though to take a stroll through the grounds. the zoo's king penguins i like that, they waddle through pathways every friday through monday as long as it's cold enough. >> it's nice to see someone enjoying thi kind of cold. it must be cold for even chuck bell. >> i'm not going to std outside in bathing suit. it's cold, but we're nowhere near the record. the record is below zero. don't forget to put your heavy winter gear on because it is a cold start to the day. more about the changes cominup . >>> a desperate plea after her puppies were stolen at gunpnt. what she wants you to know about her attacker. >>> it's oscar announcement. >>> it's oscar announcement. get ready to fact: some of your favorite foods stain teeth. unlike ordinary whitening toothpaste, colgate optic white has hydrogen peroxide that goes below the tooth's surface for a smile that's 4 shades vis

. >> susan hogan gets a unique look at howge one safetyncy is working to keep you safe on the roads. >> reporter: the safety agency known for crashing cars is now ying to avoid accidents. at the insurance institute for highway safety in rutgers, virginia. >> put the car in drive. >> reporter: news 4 put automation and crash avoid dance to the test. whoa. i didn't hit it. driverless cars aren't here yet. more vehicles like the ones you see here are incorporating a degree of tomation. automatic braking. lain departure warning.d blin spot and park assist. but the iihs says,se just bec your car can do this -- doesn't mean you should stop paying attention. >> it's not a convenience feature. 's not something the driver is supposed to rel on. it's a feature, if the driver is aware ofng attention or the hazard in front of them, it will try to mitigate or avoid the crash completely. biggestter: one of the questions the iihs hopes to answer during all of the testing, is, do they handle driving tasks as humanssw would. the er so far, not always. >> we found that the driver needs to still remain

susan hogan is working 4 you to see what you can do to lessen the ow. >> reporter: that's right. a majority of furloughed workers don't have enough savings. a recent turvey foundt 78% of americans live for those of you with a mortgage, some lenders are offering aistancerograms to federal employees impacted by the shutdown, such as waiving late fees. but you need to contact your let them ediately to know of the situation. for those of you who rent, contact property managers or your landlord and see if you c o wo a payment plan with them or at the very least ask il they w waive a late fee for you, as well. the same thi goes with credit card companies. don't wait until you payment is due. talk to them n and see if they will waive your late fee. and consider talking out a short-term loan. so banks are offering furlough loans to those employees who have paychecks deposited into a checking or savings account. these loans don'tui r a credit check and have 0% interest, as well. cut a unnecessary spending. we cannot stress this enough. bee proact and talk to your creditors now. >> good ad

news 4 consumer reporter, susan hogan, shows us the ways we can keep costs down without sacricing care for our pets. >> reporter: more than a quarter of all pet owners worry they won't be abl to afford their pet's medical treatment. >> we want our dogs to be healthy. it costs more to keep them healthy than us sometimeet >> reporter: owners spend ,000 to $13,000 for medical anatments over the course of animal's lifetime. and costs can continue to rise if your peteeds a prescription. "consumer reports" says,efore u buy the meds from the vet, scha shound. >> you can buy a lot of your pet's medications from a regular pharmacy. >> reporter: a number of the ds prescribed to pets are the same we use and some pharmacies will give you the same discounts on drugs they offer their human customers. online pharmacies is another way you can save, filling your pup's prescription. make sure you're buying them from a safe site. >> there's the safe pharmacy program that screens online pharmacies for humans and for pets. itakes sure the storing their medication correctly, dispensing it correctly and disp

consumer reporter susan hogan gets a look into how one safety agency is worrong toct you on the road. >> the safety agency known for crashing cars is now trying to avoid accidents. at the institute for highway safety v ricle andearch center in virginia -- >>> you going to put the car in drive and keep your foot on the >> they put it to the test. >> i didn't hit it. >> driverless cars are here and moreehicles like the ones you see here are incorporating a degree ofnd automation automatic breaking and lane departure warning and rare crasn prevon. the iihs said just because your car can do this -- doesn't mean you should stop paying attention. >> it's not a convenience feature or the driver is supposed to rely on. if the driver is not paying attention or aware of thed haz in front of them, theyill mitigate or avoid the crash. >> one of the biggest questions they hope to answer during all of this testing of the systems is, do they handle drivings humans would? the answer so far is not always. >> we found that the definitely needs to remain engaged and have their hand on thteering wheel. w

susan hogan working for you with some tips to find the rightes headphor the gym. >> for working out, i prefer wired headphones. >> i don't mind if there's a wire or not a wire. >> one fell out and broke on tho ncrete. >> not a huge fan of the goverer ones. i feel like they're too bulky for me. >> reporter: everyone has a preference when it comes to headphones for workingut. consumer reports tests dozens for sound quality, features, comfort and fit. that's especially important, the fit factor. when you're out for a run or at th't gym, you don want to find out 20 minutes into your workout that you're getting pain in your ears. >> reporter: if you can, try on headphones to see how they fit before you buy them. more and more consurs are choosing wireless bluetooth models. >> a lot ofeadphones marketed as wireless still have a cable or cord that connects thewo ear pieces, but there are some which are called true wireless headphones. true wireless headphones don't have a cord or a cable connecting the two ear pieces which givesou more flexibility. >> the downside to true wireless headphone

. >> susan hogan is working for you with tips to save on your gym membership and what to sook for befoningt contract. >> if you're thinking about good g a gym, this is a time of year to find deals that will save you money. >> january is always a big one, without a doubt. january is one of those times where most gyms are offering some kind of incentive for you to come in, try them out. >> consumer reports says ask for a noncommitment trial. many gyms offer day passes to try out their facilities. if you have friends or family interested in signing up with you, they may offer you a lower monthly rate for ap. grou trying the place before you commit will help you decide what type of gym is best for your goals. >> identify what your goal is. if you've tried to do thi goal already andlet say, you joined a bigger gym where you did it alone, maybe that route might not be the number one way. maybe joining a smaller gym, people are more focused, the accountability and the support that you need. >> when you find the perfect fit for you, you can negotiate a better price. speak with a salesperson or man

susan hogan. >> i have two key fobs ple one o doesn't. i've been leaving it in the car. i need a new battery. >> it costs a lot of money. >> "consumer reports" says if all else fails, beware that many of the fobs have a key bla tucked inside, but you can't lock the car. >> right. chuck? >> i can't save you from that. >> no. but look. we've got this for you, chuck. you know, yu may dread the winter blast, but the penguins at the cincinnati zoo, they love it. the zoo's penguins, they waddle through the pathways every friday through monday during the winter months as long as it's cold enough for them to go out.' >> th the only ones who like this cold, chuck. >> what do they do onaal friday though? all right. your car, you can get it washed and get the salt off of it. just know more rain is coming and >soon. plus dog-watching danger. a desperate plea after her do were stolen at gunpoint. what she wants you to know about the attacker. >>> plusat it's nomn day. we want to get you caught up. you may have missed some of them what's better than having fast, reliable wifi with cov

. >> consumer reporter susan hogan ts a unique look into how one safety agency is working to kees youafethe roads. >> three seconds. two, one. >> reporter: the safety ency known for crashing cars is now trying to avoid accidents. at the insurance institute for highway fety in rutgers, virginia. >> put the car in drive. keep your foot steady on the gas. >> reporter: news 4 put automation and crash avoidt.ce to the t whoa. i didn't hit it. driverless cars en't here yet.s more vehiclelike the ones you e sehere are incorporating a degree of automation.ti autobraking. lain departure warning. blind spotnd park assist. but the iihs says, just because d ur caran do this -- doesn't mean you sstop paying attention. >> it's not a convenience featurhi it's not somng the driver is supposed to rely on. it's a feature, if the driver it not payiention or aware of the hazard in front of them, it will try to mitigate or avoid the crash completely. >> reporter: one of the biggest questions the iihs hopes to answer during all of the testing, is, do they handle driving tasks as humans would? the answer so fa

susan hogan is working for you. >>> the 9-year-old died last may while helping t acher operate a motorized partition at franconia elementary school. this touched the hearts of so many ofur viewers and me, too. so we are investigating how could have happened and how it prevented. a h virginia lawmake drafted legislation to try to prevent another tragedy. >> i think we need to do everything we can. >> he is on a mission. >> i think we need to doyt evng we can. especially if there's a technological fix to make surav we safe places for our kids to learn. >> that's why he's drafted this legislation requiring safety devices. we told delegates about the fiings of o news4 consumer investigation. out of 21 school districn our area that have motorized partitions, 17 told us they had no formal written policies. heold us he plans to now add language b to hisl requiring policies and training. >> i was very surprised that schools are not mandated. >> we've learned some are making changes west followed up all of them. the schools said they are introducing an extra layer of security. so only pre trade sta

susan hogan has all up need to know about a anbased diet. >> vegetarian. a looking most menus and grocery stores, there are lots of options for people who wan a plant-based diet but there is a right way and wrong way. >> you need to do your homework, plan your meals, learn as much as you can about the nutrition of food. >> reporter: you need to pay special attention of getting enough of these four important nutrients, protein, calcium, iron and vitamin -12. protein,f foods have for example, tofu and several her foods. >> andow do you get calcium when you don't eat dairy? >> almond, bokchoy, collared green, orange juice and tofu. >> getting enough iron can be a challenge when y don't eat meat. and swiss charred with vitamin c containing food such as oranges and red bell peppers. >> combining plant foods rich in iron with a source of vitamin c can boost iron absorption. >> and vitamin b12 is important for absorption. >>> the music world is mourning a loss, best known as captain of captain and tenille, daryl dragon. he was 76 years old. make someally did good

reporter susan hogan reports some basic maintenance is needed to keep your keyless entry running. >>orter: sometimes it's thelile things thatake you happy like locking and unlocking the door with the click of your kefob. >> i'm a firm-time , and having a new infant,to i want get in the car as quick as possible. having the key fob mak it really easy for me. >> you have to get in the habit of clickingt at least twice. >> i don't want to ever go back to a regular key. >> what if your key fob stops working? >> sometimes they need a little f k. >> if yoy fob stops working, you likely doble have to shell out hundreds of dollars. the auto team at consumer report says t first thi you should look at is the battery. >> the battery lasts a year or two. where you store the key fob is also important. >> leaving it in your car or on a hook by your car is a bad idea. >> it's close to your car, it could continue to communicate with the car, draining your battery. >> you can repce the battery for a few bucks. suz hoga "news4." >> consumer report says if all else fails man fobs have a key blade tucked

. >> as consumer reporter susan hogan found out, if you do, you may be missing out on some cash. >> reporter: if you agree to >> reporter: robin newhouse is treating herself to a new laptop. that means tre will be one re old laptop in her kitchen cabinet. >> i feel bad throwing them away. >> reporter: the tech team at "consumer reports" says don'y. throw them a they may not be the latest models but they could be worth something. >> electronics companies when they put out new products, theyi make tngs seem exciting and fresh. but your old stuff is still perfectly good. if it's working, it's a great py to make cash. >> reporter: therenty of online classified services you can use, but if you want something simple, think of eco atms. you can sell mp3 players, tablets and cell phones. just plug your device in and it newill examine it to deterhe storage, the condition and the valuon the market. then, they make you an offer. >> sell it f cash now. >> reporter: if you agree to as sell, voila,on the spot. online services work in much the same way, answering a few quick questions gets you a price. if

news 4 consumer reporter, susan hogan, shows us the ways we can keep costs down without ancrificing care for our pets. >> reporter: more quarter of all pet owners worry they won't be able to afford their pet's medical treatment. >> we want our dogs to be p althy. it costs more to kem healthy than us sometimes.te >> reporr: pet owners spend $9,000 to $13,000 r medical treatments over the course of an animal's lifetime. and costs can continue to rise if your pet needs a prescription. "consumer reports" says, before you buy the meds from the vet, shop around. >> you can buy a lot of your pet's medications fromular pharmacy. >> rorter: a number of the meds prescribed to pets are the same we use and some pharmacies will give you the same discounts on drugs they offer their human customers. onli pharmacies is another w you can save, filling your pup's prescription. make sure you're buying them from a safe site. >> there's the safe pharmacy s program theens online pharmacies for humans and for pets. it makes sure they're storing their medication correctly, dispensing it correctly and dispensing

going vegetarian may have several health benefits.as susan hogan says you may need to take extra care get the nutrients you need. >> reporter: there's a variety of people who don't eat >> vegetarian. >> vegan. >> reporter looking at most menus and grocery stores, there are lots of options for a plant based diet. there is a right way and wrong way. >> you need to do your homework, plan yr meal and learn about the nutrition aspects of od. >> reporter: for a balances vegetarian or vegan dit, pay attention to getting enough of these four important nutrient protein, also yum, iron and vitamin b12. >> tofu, chick peas and grains likenoa meet your protein needs. have some protein at every meal. >> reporter: don't forget bone building, 1200 milligrams if you are over 50. how do you get it if you don't eat dairy? >>almonds, boc choi. >> reporter: getting enough iron can be a challenge. lentils, white beans and other things. > a source of vitamin c he with iron absorption. >> reporter:fi for plants, breakfa breakfast cerls help you get at b12. if you are may recollecting a switch, check with yo

. >> as consumer reporter susan hogan found out, if you do, you may be missing out on some cash. >> reporter: robin newhouse is treating herself to a new laptop. that means there will be o more old laptop in her kitchen cabinet. >> i feel bad throwing them away. >> reporter: the tech t "consumer reports" says don't throw them away. they may not be the latest models but they could be worth something. >> electronics companies when they put out new products, they make things seem exciting and fresh. but your old stuff is still perftly good. if it's working, it's a great way to make r:sh. >> reporhere's plenty of online classified services you can use, but if you want something simple, think of eco atms. you can sell mp3 players, tablets and cell phones. just plug your device in and it will examine it to determine the storage, the condition and the value on the market. then, they make you an offer. >> sell it for cash now. >> reporter: if you agree sell, voila, cash on the spot. online services work in much the same way, answering a few quick questions gets you a price. if you're happy, you can

susan hogan is working 4 you to see what you can do to lessen the blow. >> reporter: that's right. a majority of furloughed workers don't have enough saving a recent survey found that 78% of americans live paycheck-to-paycheck. for those of you with a rtgage, some lenders are offering assistance programs to federal employees impacted by the shutdown, such as waiving late fees. but you need to contact your lender immediately to let them know of the situation. for those of you who rent, er contact pr managers or your landlord and see if you can work out a payment plan th them or at the very least ask if they will waive a late fee for you, as well. the same thing goes wi credit card companies. don't wait until you payment is due. talk to them now and see if they will waive your late fee. and consider talking out a short-term loan. some banks are offering furlough loans to those empyees who have paychecks deposited into a checking or savings accoun these loans don't require a credit check and have 0% interest, as well. cut all unnecessary spending. we cannot stress this enough. be proa

>> consumer reporter susan hogan is working with you for some tips to save on your gymip membershnd what signing the contracts. >> if you'reuthinking a joining a gym, that is good time of year to find deals that will you money. >> january is always a big up. january is one of those times where most gyms are offering some kind of incentive for you to come in, try t >> reporter: "consumer reports" says ask for a non-commit nth trial and many gyms offer day passes to try out their f yility and i have friends or family interested in signing up with you, they may offer you a lower monthly rate for a group, trying the place before you commit will help you decide what type of gym bst for your goals. >> identify what your goal is. if you've already tried to do this goal already and let's say you joined a bigger gym where did it alone, then maybe that might not be the number one way. maybe joining a smaller gym. people are more focused and you're getting attention and accountability and support that you need. >> when you find the pfofect fit you, you can negotiate a better price, speak with a sal

waws 4 consumer reporter, susan hogan, shows us th we can keep costs down without sacrificing care for our pets. >> reporter: more than a quarter of all pet owners worry they won't be able to afford their pet's medical treatment. >> we want our dogs to be healthy. costs more to keep them healthy than us sometimes. >> reporter: pet owners spend $9,000 to $13,000 for medical treatments over the course of af animal's letime. and costs can continue to rise if your pet needs a prescription. "consumer reports" says, before you buy the meds from the vet, shop around. you can buy a lot of your pet's medications from a regular pharmacy. >> reporter: a number of the meds prescribed to pets are the ieme we use and some pharm will give you the same discounts on drugs they offer their human customers. online pharmacies is another way you can save, filling your pup's pres make sure you're buying them phom a safe site. >> there's the safmacy th progra screens online pharmacies for humans and for pets. it makes sure they're storing their medication correctly, dispensing it correctly and dispensing the

susan hogan gets a unique look at how one safety agency is working to keep you safe on the roads. >>eporter: the safety agency knownor crashing cars is now trying to avoid accidents. at the insurance institute for highway safety's center in virginia,t news4 pu automation and crash avoidan to the test. itoa. i didn't it. driverless cars are here yet. more vehicles like the one you see here are a incorporating degree of automation. automatic breaking, lane detection, park assist and rear crash prevention. just because your car can do this, doesn't mean you should ever stop paying attention. >> it's not a convenient e. featur it's not something the driveration supposed to rely on. ha's a featuret if the driver s not paying attentio or aware of the hazard in front of them, it will mitigate or avoid the crashet comely. >> reporter: one of the biggest qstion they hope to answer during all of this testing is, do they handle driving tasks as humans would, the answer so far, not always. >> what we found is that the driver definitely needs remain engaged, have their hands on the steering wheel

susan hogan working for you with the latest on the alleged tree cutting scheme that targeted elderly home owners. >> these two men you see right there behind me michael jackson and john lker, well, they were arrested after our undercover investigation this week. they reached plea deals in their cases, and we werehere as they appeed before a judge. this is related to a story we first told you about in october of 2017. police say jackson and his company, savannah's tree and yard expert preyed on elderly home owners takinghousands of dollars for tree removal jobs they didn't finish and tricking them intoaying for roofing serviceshey didn' need. rose was one of those home owners. sh says walker tried to get her to pay $14,000 to fix her roono she calledther company for a se snd opinion andhe was told her roof never had any damage to begin d with. youo roofing, too? hen we confronted jackson he denied even knowing walker or rose. you don't remember going over to her house? o's john walker? >> i don't know. >> reporter: he also told us he was aicensed contractor. and you're all insured? tu

our consumer reporter susan hogan is working for you tonight with arn update o this story she's been following for two years now. >> well, he is facing four felonies in stafford heunty. owned a company called access mobility equipment. today's hearing was continued and when we caught up with him outside the courthouse, he didn't have anything to say. this is your chance to say something. our news4 consumer investigation uncovered dozens ofs complai against him, all of the people you see here were customers of his through access mobility or a yearompany he started last called 29-11 mobility. he did pay a couple of these folks back, but others are out thousands and sti wting for promised refunds while trying to talk to clore outsidert of c today we met someone else who said he's owedus tds of dollars. arthur fox showed up at today's hearing a seeing our recent stories. >> he has no conscience. when i saw the news, several months later, i said, i can't believe he's done this to other people. a lot of people. i'm surprised they let him walk out of here. >> now clore is also facing felony

susan hogan has information what you can do now to lessen the blow. >> reporter: that's right.he majority of furloughed workers likely e don't haveugh savings. a survey found 78% of americans live paycheck to paycheck. for those of you with a mortgagr some helpembers offering assistance programs to federal employees impacted byhe shutdown such as waving late fees but you need to contact them immediately to let them situation. for those of you who rent contact property managers or landlords and see if you can work out a payment plan with them or at the least ask if they will wave a late fee for you as well. same thing goes with credit card companies. contact them now and ask if they will wave your lateee or pay only the minimum amount. and consider taking out a ort-term loan. some banks are offering furlough loans to those federal employe who have their checks deposited. those loans don't require a credit check. and some have 0% interest as well. bottom line, cut all unnecessary spending. and we cannot stress this enough, be proactive and talk with your creditors >now. n the nbc

susan hogan is here now with an date on the story she's been following for two years now. >> reporteris facing four felonies in stafford county. he owned a company called access mobility equipment. today's hearing was continued. when we caught up with him outsthe the course, he didn't have anything to say. >> this is your chance to say somethin o >> reporte news4 consumer investigation uncovered dozens of complaints against him, all of the people you see here were customers of his through access mobility or a new company he started last year called 29-11 mobility. he did pay a t couple ofse folks back buts oth are out thousands and still f waiting promised refunds wle trying to talk to him outside of court today, we met someone else who says he's also owed thousands of dollars. arthur foxwed up at today's hearing after seeing our recent stories. >> he has no conscience. then when i saw the news several months later, i said i can't believe he's done this to other people. a lot of people. i'm surprised they let him walk out of here. >> reporter: now he's also facing felony charges in th

this impacts millions of consumers part of a massive data breach susan hogan is working for you to help you protect yourself. >> we're talking about that massive equifax data breach thak happened bn 2017. it impacted more than 145 million u.s. consumers. social security numbers, birth dates and even some credit card and driver's license information were exposed. so after the breach, equifax fered free credi monitoring through its trusted id premier service. that free service ends today. if youon do anything your credit report will automatly unlock. meaning identity thieves may be able to open up accounts in your name. so you need to go to equifax's website, sign up for a free credit freeze. while you're at it, have freezes set up with the other two bureaus as well. for those of you with the trusted id premier service with equifax. you probably received an e-mail giving you o theion with free credit monitoring with a service through expeerian. if you want that y have to do it today. the question we get aske's whhe difference between a credit lock and freeze, they 'basically the same thin

. >>> susan hogan working for you, helping you cash in on the old devices. >> robin newhouse is treating herself to a new laptop, means there's one more old laptop. >> i always feel bad throwing them away but i don't know what to do with them. >> reporter: the tech team at consumer reports says don't throw them ay. they could be worth something. >> a lot of big electronics companies putting out their products they do a lot to make everything seem exciting and fresh. but your old stuff that you have lying around is still perfectly good. if it's working, it's great way to make extra cash. >> reporter: if you want something simple, think about eco atms, they're popping up arou the country. just plug your device in and it willxamine it to determine the storage, condition and value on the market. then they'll make you an offer. and if you agree to sell, cash on the spot. online buy back services such as decluttr and ga sell work the same way.in answg a few questions, get happy,price and if you're print the shipping label, box up your device and end it off. maybe you'll make enough to pay off

consum reporter susan hogan is working for you with tips on how to save money caring for your four-leggeepfriends. >>ter: more than a quarter of all pet owners worry they won't be able to afford their pets medical treatments. >> we want our dogs to be healthy but it costs a lot more to keep the healthy than us sometimes. >> reporter: they spend anywhere from $9,000 to more than $13,000 for medal treatment over the course of ananimal's lifetime. and costs can continue to rise if your pet needs prescription. consumer reports says before you buy the medsro directlythe vet shop around. >> you can also buy a lot of your pets medications fromla a re human pharmacy like cvs or walgreen's. >> rorter: although there are some that a number of the ones we prescpebe to , some pharmacies will give you the same discount onli pharmacies are another way you could save filling your pet's precipitation, but just make sure you're buying them from a safe site. >> there's something called the safe dot p pharmacygram that screens online pharmacy for both humans and pets and it makesha sure they're storing their medica