Holiday shoppers are procrastinating this season more than they have in the past five years, and are looking for discounts as Christmas nears, according to a retail group’s survey released Wednesday. On average, people had checked off 46.7% of their holiday shopping lists by the second week of...
Top 10 tech deals for Black FridayBlack Friday discounts bleed a little red as tough times in retailing call for sharp cuts on prices at a few big tech shops. These ten top deals show just how much pressure is riding on holiday sales. No. 10: Apple Apple is traditionally the stingiest of tech discounters in the gadget market, and this...
Buy, don’t rent a home when you can afford the down paymentAfter looking at all the costs involved in buying house, you may have begun to have second thoughts: Perhaps, it is better to rent a home. Real estate in most areas today is not a top investment compared with investment securities. “You’re not going to get a 30 percent return on your house,”...
Find $1,000 by the holidaysReady or not, the holidays are coming. With American pocketbooks and investment accounts under pressure, the approaching holidays — particularly how to pay for them — are quickly becoming yet another thing to worry about. Don’t push this looming dilemma to the back of your minds. You...
The five rules of money for childrenTeaching young people these essential concepts now can help them make smarter financial choices as they grow up. It’s never too early to start teaching your kids about money. Toddlers can be introduced to the value of money using toy piggy banks and cash registers, while older kids can learn to...
The top five financial mistakes parents makeSaving for college is often a priority for parents — as it should be. But saving for school doesn’t give moms and dads license to neglect the rest of their financial goals, advisers say. According to AllianceBernstein Investment’s “College Savings Crunch,” a recent report...
10 Things gas stations won’t tell you1. “Good luck finding the best deal.” When it comes to gas prices, most stations are branded—meaning the name of a major oil company hangs out front—and must buy gas from their proprietary company. They can’t shop around. With a lock on sales, the oil companies charge each station a different...
13 simple ways to lower your electric billForgoing the family road trip for a homebound vacation may not save you the money you’d hoped if it means running the AC full blast all summer. Even with oil and other commodity prices dropping because of the recession, average residential electricity prices are expected to rise 4.7% this year...