According to the experts, the best explanation for why consumers wait in line just so that they can hand over money for the newest iPhone or a Black Friday doorbuster deal is that … it’s fun?
Psychology of Money
Millions on Pet Halloween Costumes? Why We Spend More and More on Pets
American consumers are expected to collectively spend $370 million on pet costumes this Halloween. That’s $70 million more than last year, and a whopping 40% increase compared to 2010. And how’s this for perspective: Americans …
The Big Business of Bandwagon Baseball
Obviously, sports fans root for their teams to do well. But business owners who sell team merchandise probably root even harder, considering how much of an impact a team’s success (or failure) can have on sales of hats, jerseys, …
Women and Money: Why You Need to Take Control Now
The good news: More than a third of American women are now the family breadwinner (look at that!). The bad news: We still tend to pass the buck on important money matters, such as investing and retirement. Ready to take charge of …
Proof That Loyalty Is For Suckers: Best Customers Get Penalized With Higher Bills
We appreciate your business. And as thanks for being a loyal customer all these years, we’re going to overcharge you.
Will Inflationary Tooth Fairy Payments Ever Be Stopped?
According to surveys and anecdotal evidence, there has been a significant rise in generosity at the high end of the Tooth Fairy payout scale. Instances of kids receiving $5, $10, even $20 per tooth appear to be increasing, and as …
The Verdict Is In: Tackle Smaller Debts First
Financial experts have long debated the best strategy for paying down debt. Some advise paying off debt in the order of APR, taking on the loan with the highest interest rate first. With this approach, you reduce the amount spent …
Senior Discounts That Really Aren’t
If there’s anything baby boomers hate more than aging, it’s the idea of being considered senior citizens. A collective aversion to ask for “senior” discounts or specials has prompted some companies and organizations to start …
Sad but True? Shopping Promoted as a Way to ‘Fill the Void’
Your life sucks. But it’ll suck less if you buy this thing we’re advertising. That, in a nutshell, is the message behind many advertising campaigns. It’s just that usually the message comes across in a fairly subtle way. Few ads …
Study: Guys Spend Stupidly When There Are Fewer Women to Date
Most men tend to do dumb things around women just to get their attention — wearing muscle shirts, flexing in muscle shirts, and lying about their job and marital status while wearing and flexing in muscle shirts, for instance. Add this to the list: spending money on stupid things and taking on credit card debt because they sense …
Big Data Knows What You’re Doing Right Now
“Big Brother is watching you.” That’s a line from the dystopian classic 1984, but it’s also far closer to reality than most Americans realize. No, there’s not some totalitarian government spy in a trench coat following you, but …
Baby Boomers Like Discounts – Just Not the ‘Senior Discount’
The senior members of the Baby Boom generation are turning 65 at a clip of roughly 10,000 per day. Even so, the generation famous for being at the center of the “youth culture” of the ’60s, doesn’t particularly like to think of …