The continued uncertainty and overall dreariness of the economy doesn’t seem to be dampening consumers’ holiday spirits. Nor is it stopping shoppers from stocking up on LED holiday light displays, inflatable lawn decorations, and artificial and freshly cut Christmas trees alike. Overall, décor sales are expected to rise more than 8% for the 2011 holidays—totaling roughly $6 billion, the most since such data has been tracked.
The stumbling economic recovery has led many of us to rein in our expenses, even on necessities like diapers. But there are a few lucky sectors that benefit from a weak economy — things that let us escape, give us momentary pleasure or temporarily relieve our stress. They’re the small things, like donuts and yoga [...]
Our financial state is pretty scary right now, and we’re all watching our spending pretty closely. So what’s the one thing Americans are willing to shell out for in this economy? Costumes, decorations and entertainment designed to scare us even more.
It’s not nearly as bad as it sounds. Actually, it’s quite good—for your family, and for our troops overseas.
Here’s the weekly roundup of eye-opening, headache-erasing, money-saving tips—some wacky, some creative, and some that might even prove to be helpful and practical.
Still in need of a costume? Here’s an upside to procrastination: Kmart has marked down prices on all Halloween costumes, with many available for 50% off. If store-bought costumes aren’t appealing, check out these cheap and easy ideas from previous posts:
Candy isn’t the only free food being handed out to kids this weekend. Check out these four restaurant chains also offering freebies for the kids.
If you wear a “horrifying processed food product” (chicken nugget, for instance) as your costume, and you wear it to a Chipotle restaurant on Halloween after 6 p.m., you can get an order of tacos, salad, bowl, or a “boorito” for just $2.
Come on, who are you kidding? You’ve got less than a week left. Stop pretending you’re going to throw that over-the-top Lady Gaga outfit together. Besides, that’s a lot of expensive meat to be wasting on a costume. Here are ten of the easiest free or nearly free alternatives, perfect for procrastinators and cheapskates alike.
In this week’s roundup, we’ve got myths to debunk (about used cars, coupons), things to avoid (absurd kitchen gadgets, preemptive brake jobs on your car, going into debt from calling psychic hotlines), and ways to trick your brain—and your belly—into thinking you’re consuming more, thereby helping you eat (and spend) less.
A new survey asked American consumers how much they plan on spending this Halloween. I wonder about this kind of anticipatory survey. Do people really plan on spending a set amount for a holiday like Halloween? Do people answer honestly? Do people even know enough about themselves and the marketplace to have a chance at [...]
