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In 1972, the percentage of Americans who said they were “pretty happy” was about 50%. In the years since, the U.S.’s standard of living has risen dramatically, and our gross domestic product per capita has increased by 96%. That means we have more, we consume more and we can afford more. But today, what percentage [...]
Starting on Monday, October 31, Redbox is raising its DVD rental prices from $1 to $1.20 per day. While a 20% increase is significant, we’re only talking about a price hike of a mere two dimes daily. Still, wouldn’t you rather keep that 20¢?
The day after Thanksgiving has become the official kickoff for the holiday shopping season. It’s also become a day to exhibit nonsensical consumer behavior, such as waiting outside for hours in the freezing cold at stores that don’t have special Black Friday discounts. This year, signs indicate that fewer consumers will bother putting up with [...]
Blockbuster has had a miserable couple of years, closing thousands of movie rental stores, entering bankruptcy, and generally serving as one of the recession era’s biggest business flop stories. Now, though, as Netflix and Redbox—the movie-rental competitors that helped put Blockbuster on the ropes—are raising prices, Blockbuster sees an opening to get back in the [...]
While we can’t promise a season free of sniffles and sore throats, there are steps you can take that will safeguard your health as well as your budget.
France’s own economic problems will soon make it unable to help bail out weaker European countries. When that happens, the euro game will be up
It’s a rare about-face prompted by a groundswell of consumer anger. Will it placate furious customers, or is the response too little, too late?
In September, consumers spent more but made less than expected. As a result, the national savings rate dropped to 3.6%, which is the lowest level it has been since the beginning of the recession. And that has some people nervous.
*What’s the asterisk for? Well, while several big banks say they won’t start charging monthly fees for debit cards a la Bank of America, in most cases they are adding other fees or changing account requirements to increase revenues anyway.
Extreme couponing, meet the daily deal craze. A mother-of-the-groom in the Washington, D.C., suburbs wedded these two hot money-saving trends by using a total of two dozen daily-deal site coupons to save $3,434 on her son and daughter-in-law’s rehearsal dinner.
It’s not even Halloween yet. Black Friday—the day after Thanksgiving, traditionally when the winter holiday shopping season actually kicks off—is weeks away. All in all, it seems early for retailers to even be launching shopping deals categorized as “early season.” But they’re launching them nonetheless. These deals are not only particularly early, but long-lasting as [...]
