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Christmas Crooks Are on the Loose This Holiday Season — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 16:46:49 +0000

Employee theft and shoplifting will cost retailers nearly $9 billion this holiday season, and unfortunately it’s the upstanding consumer who pays for that loss in the end. New statistics from the Centre for Retail Research indicates that U.S. retailers are at risk of losing approximately $5 billion by way of employee theft, nearly $4 billion [...]

The Other Winner of That Big Powerball Prize? The I.R.S. — Dollars and Sense

Chris Chaberski — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 19:27:52 +0000

On Wednesday, the Powerball lottery reached a record $587.5 million. So far two winning tickets have been announced, one in Arizona and one in Missouri. But there's at least one more guaranteed winner: the Internal Revenue Serv

The Middle Class Is Poorer Than It Has Been in 43 Years — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:04:35 +0000

The median net worth of working-class Americans is now lingering at a 43-year low of $57,000. According to New York University economics professor Edward N. Wolff, the American population is poorer and less stable than it was in 1969, with nearly 40 percent of all households having less than $10,000 in assets. This includes those households [...]

Where to Find the Best Cyber Monday Deals — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 16:49:12 +0000

For those holiday shoppers wanting a second chance at the deals they might have missed over Thanksgiving weekend, Cyber Monday awaits. And while there may be a bit less hand-to-hand combat involved, industry experts say that Cyber Monday is great for bargains—as long as you know where to look.

Target Has Better Deals Than Walmart on Thanksgiving Meal Kits — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 15:56:17 +0000

If you are still trying to figure out where to get the best deal on this year’s Thanksgiving dinner, industry analysts say that Target, not Walmart, is your best bet for coming in under $50. In fact, meal baskets from Target that include turkey, cranberries, onions, corn, pumpkin and heavy cream, are selling for $45.48, [...]

Which Companies Are on Consumer Reports' 'Naughty and Nice' List? — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 15:49:18 +0000

If you still need a list to check twice this holiday season, perhaps a good place to start would be the recently released annual Consumer Reports “Naughty and Nice” list. What determines how a company earns a slot on the naughty and nice list? According to Consumer Reports senior editor Tod Marks, the naughty list [...]

There Is Still Time to Save on Last-Minute Holiday Airfare, but Not Much — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:33:54 +0000

There is still time to find a few holiday travel deals before Thanksgiving weekend. However, with last-minute flights costing as much as $200 more than those booked in advance, it’s hard to say just how good those deals will be. Industry experts say that round-trip domestic flights for prime-time holiday travel (November 17-27) cost an [...]

What Will Thanksgiving Dinner Cost This Year? — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 16:07:50 +0000

The price of Thanksgiving is going up this year, but not as much as you might think. According to the latest statistics from the American Farm Bureau Federation, the majority of households can expect to spend about 30 cents more this year to cover the cost of serving up Thanksgiving dinner—just under $50 to feed [...]

Facebook Makes You Spend More and Over-Eat — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 16:30:11 +0000

Facebook may be giving people a false sense of self-esteem, leading to overspending and gluttonous behavior, according to new research.

New Report Shows Wage Recovery Across the Board — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 15:02:06 +0000

In a possible sign of further economic recovery, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that wages are making a steady recovery across the board, with a great number of companies now offering higher paying jobs. After the job market cratered before our very eyes in 2008, seemingly the only jobs available were menial positions in [...]

Fraudulent Credit Card Charges Really Do Happen All the Time — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 15:45:31 +0000

Recent reports indicate that the majority of the time when your credit card company calls you to inquire about potentially fraudulent activity on your account, it is not an attempt to sell you additional products and services. Rather, it is a real security warning. and going forward you might want to start answering those calls.

The Time Is Now for Getting Sweet Deals on Popular Cars — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 16:36:13 +0000

It is that time of year again, the time of year when auto dealers are desperately trying to rid themselves of the previous year’s models still taking up space on their lots so that they can make room for the new and improved editions on their way in from the manufacturers.

This, of course, benefits the consumer because there is a lot more room to “move and shake” with dealers in hopes of getting a sweet deal on a new ride. However, not every discounted model from the previous year is a good buy.

Tips on How to Avoid Going Broke This Holiday Season — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 15:38:07 +0000

The season of giving could lead to a year of financial distress, as a recent survey indicates that holiday generosity is making more Americans bro-ho-ho-ho-ke by the beginning of the new year. According to Bankrate.com, nearly 20 percent of holiday shoppers with a reported income of over $75,000 claim their holiday cheer significantly went beyond what [...]

Higher Taxes and Higher Prices Are Coming in 2013 — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 13:30:16 +0000

Regardless of the American economy’s checkered enthusiasm, it appears as if consumers are currently aboard the fast track to higher taxes and rising prices on things like health care and grocery items scheduled to come around at the turn of the new year.

Could Gas Prices Fall Below $3 This Holiday Season? — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 16:04:59 +0000

The chances of gas prices falling below the $3 mark anytime in the near future might seem unlikely, but analysts say that it could come close. Fuel costs, already dropping, are expected to continue to do so for the rest of the year. Certain parts of the country have recently experienced as much as a [...]

Who Are the Richest People in Each State? — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 16:27:39 +0000

The people at Wealth-X recently put some of the wealthiest people in the United States under their discriminating microscope in an attempt to flush out the richest people in each state. In order to qualify for their glorified rich list, individuals must be worth at least $30 million, a requirement easily met by all of the people on this year's list.

Gloomy Economic Sign: People in China Are Eating Less McDonald's — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 16:16:18 +0000

Fast food sales are on the decline in China, as many popular junk food retailers in that part of the world have reported puny earningsin the third quarter. Earlier last week, McDonald’s posted its shakiest quarterly growth in almost a decade, while KFC/Taco Bell conglomerate Yum Brands watched fried chicken and taco sales growth drop [...]

Selling Something Online? Use Pinterest, Not Facebook — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 13:30:14 +0000

Marketers all over the world are using social media more and more to sell their products, but new research shows that it may be more advantageous for them to utilize Pinterest rather than Facebook to lure in clientele. Bizrate Insights recently conducted a study that indicated more people are turning to Pinterest for things like [...]

Shoppers Spending More on Themselves This Holiday Season — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 15:24:07 +0000

While many analysts predict that holiday shopping will remain on the conservative side yet this year, a new survey suggests that more people intend to give the gift of giving to none other than themselves.

What Are the Best 529 College-Savings Plans — Dollars and Sense

Mike Adams — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 14:40:21 +0000

Earlier this week, the investment ratings firm Morningstar released their annual list of the year’s best 529 college-savings plans. The 529 investment plan gets its name from section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code, which states that contributions to these particular investments are exempt from taxation on any generated profits. Ideally, these investment accounts are [...]