I have some issues with gift cards. To me, gift cards play off a widespread yet totally illogical sense of etiquette, in which giving cash seems crass, while giving gift cards—which are celebrated mainly for being as good as cash—is deemed more thoughtful and appropriate. Gift cards can also prod consumers to spend thoughtlessly and …
What Does the 2010 Census say about America?
The New Americans: US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke unveils the US count (Photo: Yuri Gripas/REUTERS)
For the first time in history, there are more than 300 million Americans. But two recessions, an increased wariness of immigrants and a souring of opinion of the United States abroad led to the slowest growth in US residents since …
It’s a Deal: 50% Off Last-Minute Gifts from Eddie Bauer
Coats, vests, watches, tank tops, and T-shirts are among the items discounted by 50% during Eddie Bauer’s 12 Days of Gifts sale. Marked-down items are listed separately for men and women, and the discounts are promised for today only, December 21.
Huh? Post-Christmas Sales Four Days BEFORE Christmas
This holiday shopping season got off to a start with Black Friday sales starting way before Black Friday, and continued with Black Friday sales lasting way after Black Friday. Based on this kind of logic, it should come as no surprise that retailers are offering after-Christmas sales well before Christmas.
It’s the Most Rant-Filled Time of the Year
This is a season known for making people feel jolly and merry. The festivities, pumped up and twisted as they sometimes can be, can also get folks agitated enough to want to sound off on how they really feel about holiday shopping, annoying holiday ads—and even about volunteers and God.
Toys R Us 88-Hour Shopping Marathon Begins Tuesday Morning
Yikes! In an unprecedented move, Toys R Us stores across the country will open at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, December 21, and won’t close until 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
How Dogfish Keeps Brewing Winners
The brewery’s long-term success has come from its word-of-mouth reputation for great beer, careful attention to business efficiencies, and the growing popularity of craft beer in the United States
Five Simple Steps to Free Stuff at Drugstores
“I have not bought toothpaste since 2008.”
It’s a Deal: 20% Off Everything at CVS.com
Use the coupon code HOLIDAY20 to get 20% off your entire order at cvs.com. The code is valid for discounts on orders placed by December 22. Free shipping is available for orders of $49 and up.
What Happens When Three Savvy Shoppers Hit the Mall, Smartphones in Hand
During a six-hour shopping excursion in Dallas-area malls, three shoppers armed with three different smartphones—Android, Blackberry, iPhone—scan, search, and take advantage of every app under the sun on a two-prong online-real world quest for great gifts and the best prices. What do they find out? While smartphone-enhanced shopping …
How Close are Madoff Victims to Getting Their Money Back?
Madoff victims are half way toward getting the money they put into the world’s largest ponzi scheme back.
Last week, I wrote a post saying that based on my calculations victims of Bernie Madoff would end up getting much more of their money back than was originally thought. They might even break even. I got a lot of flack from …
Daily Dupes: When ‘What a Bargain!’ Is Followed By ‘Why Did I Buy That?’
Regrets … have you had a few? If yes, you’ve probably been suckered into plenty of can’t-pass-up daily deals sold online.