Your Money

By Daniel Eisenberg

CARS WITH GREAT MILEAGE

This fall may be one of the best times to buy a new car, with low prices and high rebates. And when it comes to the gas tank, some good deals are better than others. Among 1999 models on the EPA's brand-new mileage survey, Chevrolet's Metro offers the best bang for your buck, with 47 highway m.p.g., followed by Suzuki's Swift, Honda's Civic and Toyota's Paseo.

DIAL AROUND FOR DISCOUNTS?

Choosing the best long-distance service just got more complicated. Last week AT&T launched its dial-around discount service, dubbed Lucky Dog, which lets consumers bypass their carrier and pay 10[cents] a minute by punching in 10-10-345. Though they make big promises, dial-arounds like MCI's 10-10-321 tend to deliver savings for people with monthly bills under $20 or those who make calls during peak daytime hours. Otherwise, Lucky Dog may have more bark than bite.

MAKE THAT A DIRECT DEPOSIT

The U.S. may finally catch up to the rest of the banking world, with senior citizens in the lead. Starting next year, the government is strongly encouraging Social Security recipients to have checks transferred to bank accounts via direct deposit, which only half of American workers use. It helps earn a little extra interest, and some banks charge lower fees on those accounts.

--By Daniel Eisenberg