Survival Kits Can Jolt the Wallet

Can your wallet survive the cost of an earthquake survival kit? We paid $29.99 at Vons this week for a kit containing supplies that would cost 25% less if purchased separately.

The kit contains 1.5 pints of water (79 cents for half a gallon at Lucky), six high-calorie food bars ($4 at Extend-a-Life in Pasadena), a space blanket ($2 at Extend-a-Life), a plastic flashlight (98 cents at Home Depot), an AM transistor radio ($6.99 at Radio Shack), two D batteries ($2.55 for six at Home Depot), two AA batteries ($2.87 for eight at Home Depot), eight Bayer aspirin tablets ($6.39 for 100 at Lucky), less than a tenth of an ounce of antibiotic ($3.99 an ounce at Sav-on), six alcohol prep pads ($1.79 for 100 at Sav-on), three gauze pads ($2.29 for 10 at Lucky), four Band-Aids ($2.15 for 60 at Lucky) and six antiseptic towelettes ($1.67 for 20 at Sav-on).

Based on these prices, you could duplicate the survival kit’s contents for just over $21, while including 10 times the antibiotic (the kit gives you three foil packets; our price is for a tube) and more than twice as much water. You could lower the cost further by buying generic medications and supplies.

The only thing missing from our list is the belt pack the kit’s items come in. If you need that to survive, the Lands End catalogue recently had them on sale for $4.

Some people may find the kits convenient. Other people concerned about saving a few bucks might want to assemble their own kits.

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Now for really frequent fliers: United Airlines is requiring its frequent fliers to go the extra mile--5,000 miles to be exact.

In notices to its frequent fliers this month, United said it is raising the mileage points needed for a free domestic round-trip ticket to 25,000 from 20,000. In another change, the airline said that unused mileage points will expire after three years, making it harder for occasional fliers to earn free trips.

The changes reduce United’s outstanding liability for free tickets and shift the emphasis of the program toward people who fly often, primarily business travelers. It comes amid other industry moves to limit mileage point accumulation. Recently American Airlines placed a cap on the mileage points people can earn by using its Citibank AAdvantage Visa or MasterCard.

United’s changes take effect Feb. 1, 1995.

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Gone flat: The company that makes STP automotive products is recalling STP Flat Fixer, an aerosol product that temporarily patches flat tires. The company said a chemical in the aerosol spray is flammable and could ignite if precautions are not taken when the tire is later removed at a gas station for permanent repair.

The product inflates a flat tire to about 15 pounds of pressure, enough to allow a car to be driven a short distance for repair. First Brands Corp. Vice President Mark Haglund said the product is safe for consumers to use. The hazard arises when the tire is removed for repair and flammable gas is released. A fire could result if anyone nearby is smoking or if friction from removing the tire sets off a spark, he said.

Haglund said the company cannot be certain that mechanics are aware of the hazard. He said the recall is voluntary and that no injuries have been reported. The problem was uncovered through internal product testing, Haglund said.

Consumers may call (800) 277-3766 for a refund and disposal instructions.

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Not too well done: American Express, in a pitch to cardholders, is offering 28 ounces of steaks from Omaha Steaks International for $39.95, plus a free one-pound tin of pistachio nuts.

Is this a good deal? An ad in New Yorker magazine offers 30 ounces of Omaha steaks for the special introductory price of $29.95. First-time buyers may want to pass up the American Express special offer, unless they take their filet mignon with pistachios.

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Odds and ends: Marketers are continuing to work the earthquake angle. An Arcadia company is touting its cellular phone as an “earthquake survival kit,” and a Westwood clinic offers to relieve quake-related stress. . . . La Mirada-based Playmates hopes to boost sales of its action figures by further mutating its Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into amphibian Indiana Jones and Star Trek personalities.