Recycling of Newspapers May Be Worth The Trouble

RECYCLING newspapers is paying off, reports the American Forest & Paper Association and Newspaper Association of America. In 1993, 58 percent of used newspapers were recycled; in 1988, the rate was 35 percent. North American newsprint mills have increased use of newspapers from 1.5 million tons in 1989 to more than 3.2 million tons today. Market forces have found uses in egg cartons, cereal boxes, and other products.

Few seek saving advice

YOU may be setting aside income for the future. If you are doing it without an adviser's help, you're not alone, reports a survey for Lutheran Brotherhood of Minneapolis.

Only 1 person in 10 surveyed say they've discussed estate planning in depth with their parents; 3 of 4 say they're counting on Social Security as their main income after retirement. Only 1 in 5 is seeking the aid of a financial adviser each year. People with more education and higher incomes are more likely to consult a professional, the study finds. One-stop shopping

A GREEN pantsuit and lemon yogurt in the same store?

Corporate giants Wal-Mart and K mart each plan to open 500 ``supercenters'' in the next decade. They'll compete with supermarkets in everything from franks to capers, according to a Cornell University study of consumers in Medina, Ohio, and Springdale, Ark., where two of the nation's supercenters are located.

The study finds supermarkets still have an edge in these communities. The big loser may be wholesale club stores: 60 percent of those surveyed say they never shop at club stores. Lucrative sports goods

IF you're a sports participant, softball or golf may be your bag.

The National Sporting Goods Association Sports Participation Study finds that more than 19 million people play softball. It's reportedly a billion-dollar industry in which uniforms account for more than $225 million.

More than 50 percent of golfers in 1992 had household incomes of $35,000 to $74,999; more than 16 percent had incomes of $75,000 or more. Americans bought 20.8 million sets of golf clubs in 1992.