For Better Living Inc. reported a net...

For Better Living Inc. reported a net loss of $1 million for the third quarter ended Sept. 24. The results included a $500,000 write-down of the company’s investment in oil and gas properties and a $2.8-million write-down of the company’s investment in Apache Securities. For the comparable period of the prior year, the company posted net income of $795,000. Net sales rose 9%, to $24.5 million from $22.5 million a year earlier. The net loss for the 9-month period was $73,000, contrasted with net income of $1.7 million for the year-earlier period. Net sales totaled $64.3 million, a 10% increase from the $58.5 million posted a year ago. The diversified San Juan Capistrano-based company has interests in concrete, plastics and magazine publishing.