Black Friday Giving You The Blues? Go Mobile.
Posted on November 21st, 2011
Black Friday is approaching fast, and discount-hungry shoppers are gearing up for a feast of day-after-Thanksgiving bargains. While Black Friday has become a national event to kick off the holiday shopping season, many people – even the most ardent Black Friday shoppers are taken aback by the lengths consumers will go to save money on a day whose very name signals infamy. The scenes are now all-too familiar – people camped out in front of department stores, a swelling tide of shoppers bursting through the doors, the mad grab to empty the shelves.
Though Cyber Monday may have taken some of the heat off of consumers to join the Black Friday fray, it’s still a separate event. But now mobile is being added to the mix. According to a recent report in the New York Times, online retailers will offer exclusive mobile deals to lure Black Friday’s battle-weary shoppers when they are expected to be queuing up at checkout counters. The eas
Tags: Black Friday, Giving
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Fears of recession grow as consumer morale sinks
Posted on November 17th, 2011
There were growing fears that the UK is heading back into recession on Thursday as a survey showed consumer confidence fell to a record low last month and British Gas owner Centrica issued a profit warning.
There was more grim news from Retailers with a dismal first-half update from mother and baby products retailer Mothercare (MTC.L) and a profit warning from fashion retailer French Connection (FCCN.L).
Official retail sales for October came in better than expected but were driven by discounts to lure in cash-strapped Britons.
Nationwide’s consumer confidence index dropped to 36 in October from 45 in September, the lowest since the survey began in May 2004.
“A wave of disappointing economic news at home and ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Euro crisis have dealt a heavy blow to sentiment,” said Nationwide’s chief economist Robert Gardner.
Britons have been feeling the pinch as disposable incomes are squeezed by rising prices, muted wage growth and government austerity measures, and as they worry about a stagnant housing market, job security, a fragile economic recovery and the euro zone debt crisis.
On Wednesday, the Bank of England slashed its growth forecast for next year and flagged it may have to pump even more cash into the economy than the additional 75 billion pounds of quantitative easing it launched in early October.
BoE policymakers said weak consumption was one of the main reasons for Britain’s lacklustre recovery, but that spending was likely to pick up towards the end of next year when inflation is expected to be much lower.
Centrica (CNA.L), whose British Gas unit is the UK’s biggest household energy supplier, said customers were shopping elsewhere following price hikes and using less electricity and gas due to economic uncertainty and warmer weather.
It warned 2011 earnings would be marginally lower than current market expectations and its shares fell 2.1 percent.
Mothercare said it had launched a fresh review of its 352-store British business after it plunged to a first half loss and slashed its interim dividend.
It said UK shoppers were shying-away from relatively big ticket purchases, such as pushchairs and car seats, and its shares slumped 11 percent.
Elsewhere on the high street French Connection warned on full year profit after third quarter sales and profit undershot expectations.
Tags: Consumer, Consumer Morale
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Credit Repair in Washington Posted By : Cherry Maee
Posted on November 9th, 2011
Credit scores have become firmly woven into the fabric of U.S. life and are essential to every Washington resident. A mediocre credit history can add hundreds or thousands of dollars to a household’s annual interest bill. For some others, standard features of modern life such as home ownership and the convenience of credit cards can be denied because ofrotten credit scores. Even educational success can be threatened when loan approval depends on the fantabulous credit scores of students and their parents. Scores are sometimes the basis for rejecting job candidates.
Credit scores are commonly used by all lenders and are becoming more prominent with employers, insurers, landlords, as well as cell phone and utility companies.
The reality is that a acceptable credit score is black and white. It is a mathematical formula that allows lenders to make a prompt decision on the consumer’s ability to repay a loan, mortgage or credit card. Read full post…
3 Tips to Help Make Extra Money
Posted on November 9th, 2011
The Great Recession has had a big effect on many people.
Job losses, investment losses, and housing losses (through foreclosures), have forced many folks to look for as many ways to save money as possible.
Its also forced them to look for ways to make extra money too!
Although times are tough, this also has become one of the greatest opportunities to make extra money through a side job or business.
The Internet has made home commerce a completely viable option for many folks looking to make extra money. So, while you might be job hunting, consider other ways you can make a little extra cash.
The necessity to make extra money by creating multiple streams of income in todays tough economic climate has become even more of a reality.
istockphoto.com/chrissadowski
Extra money can come in many different forms, (i.e.
Tags: Money
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3 Reasons People Use Interest Free Credit Cards
Posted on November 9th, 2011
Interest free credit cards are one of the most popular types of credit card around and so, if you are thinking of applying for a card, it is certainly worth knowing at least a little bit about them. This article looks at three reasons people use interest free credit cards and some of their key features.
Interest free payments
As you might expect, it is the ‘interest free’ component of this type of credit cards that helps to make them so popular with so many people. For those who are unfamiliar with them, when you are accepted onto one of these credit cards you get an initial period where you don’t have to pay any interest on your purchases.
This means that if you want to spread out paying off your balance over a few months, you will be able to do so without any interest building up.
Competitive APRs
Once the initial introductory interest free period has ended on your credit card, it will switch to the standard APR associated with the card. Typic Read full post…
Teaching Children About Credit: Step One
Posted on November 6th, 2011
Last week, I told you that I had a “crazy” plan for teaching children about credit. And I explained that teenagers who do not know about managing credit might be in trouble when they leave the nest. On the other hands, if you teach children how to build credit, they will have an advantage.
This week, I’m going in-depth with Step One of my seven-step plan for teaching children about credit.
(Step One, incidentally, is the step that sounds the most crazy!)
Teaching Children About Credit: Step One—Add your children as authorized users to one of your existing credit card accounts.
Let’s get this out of the way: an authorized user is someone who has permission to use your credit card, even though you are responsible for paying the bill. That’s ri
Tags: Credit, Teaching Children
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