Most common questions our readers ask our experts

How much storage will I need for an iPad that I intend to use every day?

You might be able to get away with a 16-gigabyte iPad ($499; $629 for 3G model) if you don't store many movies and TV shows on it. Keep these ballpark figures in mind when calculating your storage needs: Songs take about 1 megabyte of space per minute. Photos are usually 2MB to 3MB apiece. A 2-hour high-definition movie eats up about 4GB; in standard def, it needs 2GB or less. Some apps take up minimal space (as little as 1MB), but others, including games, take 200MB or more. If you want greater capacity, get the 32GB or 64GB iPad for an additional $100 or $200, respectively.

Does it make sense to buy water- and sewer-line repair/replacement coverage from my utility company?

At $4 to $6 per month, that coverage is pretty inexpensive for work that could cost several thousand dollars. If you have an older home with aging pipes, adding the coverage probably makes sense. But before you sign up, find out exactly what's covered. If repairing a pipe requires tearing up your driveway, is rebuilding the driveway covered? Also check that your homeowners insurance doesn't offer similar protection. And make sure that your homeowners policy has sewer-backup protection.

Why do you emphasize the importance of electronic stability control when other car magazines demonstrate that cars can safely execute high-speed maneuvers with ESC turned off?

ESC might slow a professional driver trying to maneuver a slalom or similar course. But it provides a level of control that no typical driver can match, and it is a proven lifesaving safety system. It activates only when a car begins to slide and is designed to mitigate that by applying individual brakes and cutting back on engine power. In a real-world emergency situation, the goal is to control the car and keep it from spinning out, sliding off the road, or rolling over.

I need to rebuild my credit and am considering a secured credit card. Which cards are worth considering?

Two to consider are the Orchard Bank Secured MasterCard and the Citi Secured MasterCard. They have a low annual fee—$35 and $29, respectively—and Orchard waives the fee for the first year.