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Holiday Spending 2013

christmas_spending-258x300Ah, statistics. How much are we spending this holiday season? You can ask 5 different experts and get 5 different interpretations of the numbers. What seems to be universal is that we still aren’t back to where we were in 2007, before everything went wacky, but slowly (painfully slowly) we are clawing our way back. Of course, that’s relative too. Is spending $800 per family at holiday time something we SHOULD be striving toward? I’m not so sure.

Anyway, here’s the latest look at Holiday Spending by the Numbers, 2013 edition, courtesy of Mint.com.

  • 2007: The year holiday spending peaked, before the crash
  • 39%: How much spending went down in 2008
  • 2009: The year holiday spending bottomed out
  • $682: The low point, per family, in 2009
  • $750: what we worked our way up to, per family, in 2012. Expected to rise again in 2013
  • $400: How much we spent on family gifts, 2012
  • $75: Gifts for friends, 2012
  • $25: Gift for co-workers, 2012
  • 60%: The number of us that bought gifts for ourselves, 2012
  • $224: The amount moms spend on each child and spouse
  • #1: The most requested gift on wish lists: Gift cards!

The article is full of stats from different survey firms. Sometimes the numbers differ, but the trends seem stop hold up across the board. It also offers for tips to cut costs (I’m going to guess “buying gifts for yourself” is the first to go!) So check it out!

How about you? Are you spending the same? Less? More? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page, and have a great (shopping) weekend!

Curbing the Impulse

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06shopping5Tales of Impulse Buying Horror!

I once knew a girl who bought so much stuff on QVC that they asked her to go on the air and talk to the hosts. She did but, in the middle of the conversation, she remembered that her husband said he would leave her if she bought one more thing on QVC. So she abruptly hung up on air!

I once knew a dude who filled his house with Hoosier cabinets bought at antique stores. He was convinced he was going to someday open a store of his own. There were so many that you had to shimmy sideways down the hall. Otherwise, the house was crammed with other collectible crap because, for some reason, he never thought to put it IN the cabinets!

So, yeah, impulse buying. On a small scale it can be relatively harmless. But when it’s out of control, well, it’s out of control.  For some folks, it’s a serious problem, causing money troubles and conflict in the home. What can you do about it? NerdWallet/ABC News has some helpful hints. As usual, these are just the bullets, with dumb commentary added…

  • Don’t buy with credit (duh)
  • Install a time delay for shopping websites (like, the site won’t load for five minutes after you click.)
  • Make shopping harder (like, when you store all your personal, payment and shipping info on a site to make shopping a breeze? Don’t do that!)
  • Follow the 30-minute rule (just back away…)
  • Unsubscribe from daily deal newsletters (I have wasted SO much money with these)
  • Take advantage of the cooling-off period (You legally have 3 days to cancel)

I like this one, because hey, we’re only human…

  • Keep a splurge fund

Again, much more detail at the original piece, so check it out! How about you do you know any impulse buyers (because, obviously, it’s not YOU)? Is it harmless or out of control? Do you think these tips would help? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

ALSO: Shopaholics Anonymous …if you think you need it.

The UK Catches Black Friday Fever

scotland-forever-560
British Black Friday is SO much classier!

Ah, the Black Friday blog post: the least-read post of the year! I tell ya, I got nothin’!

Well, almost nothin’. Here’s something kind of interesting… two years ago we posted an infographic about the price differences between the US and the UK. An iPod might be $135 in America, and $175 in the UK. Add Black Friday sales into the mix – which didn’t exist in the UK – and suddenly tons of Brits were hopping on planes and invading Boston on Black Friday.

Now, according to an article at CapitalBay.com, there’s no need to hop the pond anymore, because Black Friday has officially arrived in the UK!

 And now Black Friday – the States wide sale that traditionally follows Thanksgiving – has come to UK shores, with retailers promising enticing deals to match those of their American counterparts. As retailers from Asda and John Lewis to Amazon and PC World offer deals, it is expected to be the year that Britain embraces the concept and cements it as a tradition in the UK consumer’s calendar.  CapitalBay.com

Well, good luck, Brits. Hopefully you can handle the madness better than we do at times. Hey, maybe the next time you see video of a Black Friday riot, it won’t automatically be Americans!

Anyway, hope you are having a good Black Friday and are finding lots of deals. Furthermore, when things get tense, I hope you are part of the SOLUTION, not the PROBLEM. If you have any stories to share, let us know over at the Mindfield Online Facebook page!

UPDATE! These scenes in the UK today should look familiar.

Holiday Shopping Season Begins!

Seriously? For real?
Seriously? For real?

Holiday shopping season is upon us, so let the madness begin! It used to be so simple – around about 5am on Black Friday the doors would fly open and the trampling would commence. Now, the times are all over the place. Kmart is particularly tricky: Open at 6am Thursday, closes at 4pm, opens again at 8pm, closes at 11pm Friday! You get all that? If not, the folks at About.com have compiled a pretty thorough set of lists for Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday store hours, so check ’em out!

Thanksgiving Day Opening Times

(Click the header for a complete listing)

6:00 AM – Kmart (closes at 4pm, reopens at 8pm)
7:00 AM – Big Lots
8:00 AM – Bass Pro Shops
8:00 AM – Family Dollar
9:00 AM – Old Navy
10:00 AM – Gap
8:00 PM – hh gregg
8:00 PM – Kmart
8:00 PM – Sears (stays open until 10pm Friday)
8:00 PM – Toys ‘R Us
8:00 PM – Wal-Mart (stays open until 10pm Friday)

Black Friday Opening Times

(Click the header for a complete listing)

12:00 Midnight – jcpenney (open from 8 PM Thurs thru 9 PM Friday)
12:00 Midnight – Kohl’s (open from 8 PM Thurs thru 9 PM Friday)
12:00 Midnight – Kmart (open from 8 PM Thurs thru 11 PM Friday)
12:00 Midnight – Old Navy (open from 7:00 PM Thurs)
12:00 Midnight – Sears (open from 8 PM Thurs thru 9 PM Friday)
12:00 Midnight – Target (continuous hours from 8:00 PM Thurs)
12:00 Midnight – Walmart (continuous hours from 8:00 PM Thurs)
5:00 AM – Bass Pro Shops
5:00 AM – Lowe’s
8:00 AM – Radio Shack

So, what’s YOUR battle plan? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page! And don’t forget, we did an online Holiday shopping guide a couple of weeks ago. You can check that out HERE.

Know Your Layaway

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We have talked over the last couple of Holiday seasons about the return of layaway, in posts like this one and this one. As many folks continue to struggle economically, layaway has grown even more popular. In fact…

While layaway currently lacks the explosive popularity of gift cards, it’s a trend that bears watching, says Butler. Depending on consumer reaction, stores offering holiday layaway could extend their programs year-round, and retailers without layaway could make it available, he says.  Bankrate.com

You may be new to the layaway game. Or you did it back in the 1970s, like everybody else’s mom. Either way, the game has changed a bit. So Bankrate.com has drawn up a handy list of 8 things you need to know about layaway. Here are the bullet points:

  • Availability may be limited
  • Different programs have different rules
  • Down payments or deposits are possible
  • Ask about payment deadlines
  • What if I miss a payment?
  • What if the price drops?
  • Your merchandise might not be held on-site
  • It’s smart to save those receipts

Like I said, bullet points MUCH more info at the original article. How about you? Will you layaway this year? Has the system changed – better or worse? Let us know at the MindField Online Facebook page, and have a great weekend!

Saving for a Rainy Day?

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family_emergency_fundAdmittedly, for some folks, life is already an emergency. Others are getting by OK, but you never know what’s around the corner. That’s why building an emergency fund makes some sense.  What’s an emergency fund? According to Investopedia.com, and emergency fund is:

An account that is used to set aside funds to be used in an emergency, such as the loss of a job, an illness or a major expense. The purpose of the fund is to improve financial security by creating a safety net of funds that can be used to meet emergency expenses as well as reduce the need to use high interest debt, such as credit cards, as a last resort.

How much do you need to set aside? Dave Ramsey says 3 to six months’ worth of expenses. So, how do you go about it? Here are some links!

What about you? Have you built your emergency fund? If so, did it give you a little sense of security? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Holiday Savings 2013

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Holiday-Savings-2As Readers Digest puts it, “Americans spend an average of $800 per year on holiday shopping. Are you getting the most bang for your buck?”

Are you looking for ways to save this holiday season on gifts, decorations, entertaining or travel? Well, MindField Online has done an exhaustive 20-minute search around the web and pulled up some helpful links. Some from “legit” news sources, some from simple mom-bloggers. Either way, you’re sure to get a few helpful ideas. Enjoy!

How about you? Any savings tips you’d like to share? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page, and have a great weekend!

November is Financial Literacy Month

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Finančna-pismenostWell, in Canada anyway. But good advice knows no borders!!

November is Financial Literacy Month, and that means a deluge of tips from banks, consumer groups and financial industry professional groups and regulators. The Globe and Mail

True enough, but what about regular folks? The Globe and Mail financial editor received some fan mail from an ordinary dude, a retiree who has written a letter of financial advice to his grown kids. You really have to read the whole thing, but here are the bullets…

  • Spread the pain of saving and pleasure of spending over your whole life.
  • Get out of debt and stay out of debt.
  • Come up with a realistic cost of retirement.
  • Leave your home out of your retirement income plan.
  • Hire an investment planner who does not sell any investment products of any kind.
  • Don’t plan for inheritance, lottery winnings or other windfalls to fund your retirement.
  • Diversify.
  • Plan to be in your investments for 50 years or more.
  • Don’t try to time investment ups and downs when buying and selling.
  • Don’t assume everything will work out on its own.
  • Don’t gamble with individual stocks. Buy whole stock markets.
  • Don’t worry if markets crash.

Like I said, MUCH more detail at the original piece, so check it out. So what do you think? Some good advice? Anything you’d like to add? Head over to the MindField Online Facebook page and let us know!

Block-Busted!

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blockbuster102810_w500It’s all over the news: video and game rental giant Blockbuster, already slimmed down to about 300 stores, will soon be closing ALL of its remaining company-owned locations. The explosion of digital options such as Netflix and Hulu, as well as those Redbox kiosks at the gas station, are the culprit.

It’s the end of an era. Now, if you’re a Blockbuster employee, this is bad, bad news. But, in the 10 or so articles I have read about this, nobody is particularly surprised and most of them are downright gleeful.

I don’t share the glee, but it’s understandable. My personal take is that there was once a time of independent video stores with “personality.” One might have more indie films while another had more science fiction. One might have a better rental price. One might let you keep the film for 2 nights while another was 3 nights. One might hold midnight screenings of BAD horror films*. In short, there was VARIETY and COMPETITION. Once Blockbuster became the only game in town, that was over.  So what’s left?

Blockbuster will continue its Blockbuster@Home brand to DISH customers, as well as its Blockbuster On Demand streaming service. And an additional 50 Blockbuster stores not owned by DISH (many in Canada) will remain open for the time being.  CNN.com

So, what do you think? Will you miss Blockbuster when it’s gone? How do YOU get your home entertainment these days? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page, and have a great weekend!

*RIP, Precinct 13 Video, Kettering OH!

Online Holiday Shopping Tips!

Um, yeah…let’s not, OK?

As we noted last time, Black Friday is approaching (way to look at a calendar, genius!) It’s a tradition that has undergone some change in the past few years. The deals have crept backwards in time, encroaching on Thanksgiving itself. Now we have Cyber Monday for the online shoppers. And the entire weekend in between is littered with deals, as well.

So, when do YOU hit the digital battlefield? That depends on what you’re after. Thankfully, the folks at DealNews.com have scoured their archives to note what items are the best deal online on which day. Here is a much-compressed list…

Thanksgiving Day/Evening: Smartphones, HDTVs and Gaming Items

Black Friday: Laptops, Computers,  Storage (like flash drives, etc.), iPhones and Kitchenware

The Weekend between Black Friday and Cyber Monday: Tools and appliances

Cyber Monday: Clothing and shoes

MUCH more detail at the original article, so check it out! So, what’s on your shopping list this holiday season? Do you shop online, hit the mall or both? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!