Consumers are Sale-Desensitized, and for Good Reason

I have a healthy dose of skepticism when perusing retailer and department store websites and seeing their reported percentage savings on products. I usually do my own research from competitors and ask around to see if I am reaping the advertised savings, or I do a quick gut check to see if it seems like [...]

Disposable Clothing: Are there Circumstances Where it Makes Sense to Buy it?

Has anyone else noticed the disposable clothing lines available at most retailers? These are the toilet paper-thin (and we’re not talking the quilted kind) shirts you can see your fingers through. There’s American Eagle, then there’s the American Eagle disposable clothing line. There’s Gap, and then there’s the Gap disposable clothing line. It seems that [...]

An Argument for Holding Out On Purchasing the Latest and Greatest Gadgets

Have you ever met someone who chases after electronics? They seem to survive in a whirlwind of batteries, plugs, beeps, vibrations, and the occasional sidewalk wrap-around product debut line. This is not a financial sin by any means—so long as that person has the money to do so—but you could certainly save money and some [...]

Are We United in Buying Things, or Are We United in Thanks on Thanksgiving Day?

Paul has wanted to purchase a flat screen television for two years now. I have to admit that I have no real desire for one. There are two things that I like about flat screen televisions: the amazing definition and vibrancy of colors on Planet Earth, Blue Earth, and other neat shows, and being able [...]

Laundromat Economics: Our Broken Washer

It started in late September during the final load of “my-mom’s-coming-to-visit-better-get-things-clean-including-rugs” laundry. I put the last load of wash in and headed into the shower. When I came out I was met with a pile of drenched, semi-cleaned rugs and an inch of water on the laundry room floor. By rerunning the load I immediately [...]

Crazy Fine Print as a Result of “Sales” Every Other Day

Is anyone else out there tired of sales and clearances? I never thought that statement would come out of my mouth, much less from my keyboard, but sales and clearances are being advertised by stores on a daily basis. I am under the impression that merchandise and services cannot be “on sale” or “on clearance” [...]

Most Portion Sizes Are Ridiculous: Restaurants that Downsized Cost and Portion During Recession

Sometimes when I am dining out I feel like I am eating off of a Thanksgiving turkey platter and drinking from a two-liter bottle when all I really wanted was a casual Wednesday night dinner. Obscene portion sizes have also been glorified on television with such shows as Man v. Food: one man’s attempt to [...]

Less is More: But More of What?

If I were to tell you that going through your closet and choosing twenty items to donate, sell, or recycle/trash would make a difference in your life you might be hesitant to do so. You may wonder how it would change your life, why it would change your life, and what was the big deal [...]

Retail and Manufacturer Competition: When Consumers Lose

The general understanding is that the more retailers and manufacturers in the marketplace the lower the prices for consumers will be due to fierce competition that leads to price slashing—lots of companies fighting over too few dollars. This understanding has played itself out recently when the US Department of Justice filed papers in federal court [...]

Would You Sell Your Wedding Rings to Pay for a Big Purchase?

Last week during the television show Downsized, the Bruce family was faced with losing their entire emergency fund again due to an acute health problem and the resulting hospital bill, a car breaking down, and various other unexpected costs with the kids. The husband (Todd) was dealing with the problem by negotiating with the hospital, [...]

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