Tag Archives: consumer research

Even More Money Saving Tips

Let’s check back in (yet again) with that helpful article at The Simple Dollar entitled “How to Save Money: 100 Great Tips to Get You Started.” They’re not all gems, and not all will apply to you, but you’re sure to find a few that hit you right in the pocketbook. We have looked at the top 40, now it’s the next 10…with bonus dumb commentary!

41. Prepare some meals at home. We do it 5 nights a week.

42. Switch to term life insurance. I don’t know. Has anyone done this? Do you save?

43. Stick to reliable, fuel-efficient cars. Sounds like a no-brainer, but you can save thousands over the life of your car.

44. Avoid the mall. Temptation!

45. Master the 10-second rule. Consider your purchases. Is this a Need or a Want?

46. Rent out unused space in your home.

47. Create a visual reminder of your debt. Encourage yourself with a nice chart that shows how your debt keeps getting smaller.

48. Cancel magazine subscriptions. Man, I am bad at this. The magazines pile up unread. How about you?

49. Eat breakfast. Again, I’m the worst at this. Lunch rolls around, I’m starving, and that’s when you spend!

50. Swap babysitting with neighbors.

…and 50 more! Did you see any savings tips that spoke to you? Ones that you are already doing? Do they work? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

 

Tax-free Weekends 2015

shop kidsUpdate!

If there’s one thing that takes the sting out of Back to School shopping, it’s saving money. Fortunately, this is the time of year when many states have tax free weekends for shoppers, typically good for clothes, shoes and school supplies and computers. Offers.com has compiled a list for 2015. The list is smaller than in some years past, because several of the Gulf Coast and Atlantic states cancelled their Back to School weekends in favor of Hurricane Preparedness. Also, a few states have outright repealed it, because they want that sweet, sweet tax money!

Here are the Confirmed dates for Tax Free Back to School shopping:

2015 Tax-free Weekends

  • Alabama: August 7-9
  • Arkansas: August 1-2
  • Connecticut: August 16-22
  • Florida: Two this year, August 7-16 and September 19-21  
  • Georgia: July 31-August 1
  • Iowa: August 7-8
  • Louisiana: August 7-8
  • Maryland: August 9-15
  • Mississippi: July 31-August 1
  • Missouri: August 7-9
  • New Mexico: August 7-9
  • NEW! Ohio: August 7-9
  • Oklahoma: August 7-9
  • South Carolina: August 7-9
  • Tennessee: August 7-9
  • Texas: August 7-9
  • Virginia: Aug. 7-9

Did we miss any? Anyway, there’s MUCH more detail at the original article! There’s also a nice graphic boildown HERE. Also, you can check with your state Department of Revenue for details.

Have you done the tax holiday for back to school? Have any tales of big savings? Leave a comment at the MindField Online Facebook page.

Playing Catch-up with Your Retirement Savings?

retirement savingsThis one is for the over-40’s who are facing (or avoiding) the fact that they don’t have any retirement savings, or very little. I think this is one of the few times in history where you could admit to something like that, and the people around you would totally NOT be shocked. It’s been a rough several years on the economic front. Sometimes saving takes a back seat to, you know, EATING or PAYING RENT.

Still, retirement is coming sooner or later (sooner), and you have to do SOMETHING, right? So how do you catch up? Our old standby Clark Howard has some ideas, in an article entitled, “Over 40 with no retirement savings? Take these 6 steps.”

Here are the bullets:

  1. Crunch the numbers: How much are you going to need? What will your Social Security income be? Etc.
  2. Get aggressive: Start putting aside as much as you can, max out your 401K, etc.
  3. Play the catch-up game: If you’re 50, you can go well beyond the typical max on your 401K.
  4. Rethink your retirement plans: You might have to work longer than you planned to.
  5. Scale back as necessary: Obviously
  6. The best time to start saving is always now!

So, don’t panic, I guess. Just get real with yourself, and look this thing you have been avoiding straight in the eye, and start making some changes.

Lots of good information in this one, so check it out! How about you? Confident? Nervous? A little of both? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Independence Day by the Numbers, 2015

independence dayHere’s a lightweight Friday/holiday piece for ya! It’s my birthday, my wife has the day off, and you, if you’re at work, are probably counting the minutes before the boss says you can punch out at 3:15. Savor the flavor!

And then head to the store and spend $6.7 billion!! That’s the estimated total for all of our Independence Day fun for 2015.

Let’s break it down, courtesy of the National Retail Federation, if you are actually still reading this.

  • 64%: will attend a barbecue
  • $71: spent per household, up from $68 last year
  • 23%: still haven’t bought their red, white & blue accessories
  • 43%: will watch (lame but still fun) fireworks
  • 12%: will attend a parade
  • 33 million: will take a weekend trip

As for me, we’re heading to the beach. And, unfortunately, the married couple that throws the BEST Independence Day barbecues is splitting up. TMI, I know.

How about you? Do these numbers sound about right? What are YOUR Independence Day plans? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page, and HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Are You an Impulse Buyer?

shopcartYou didn’t plan to buy it, but you saw it on the shelf and you had to have it. That’s the impulse buy or, as the retail industry likes to call it, the At-the-Shelf purchase. What triggers these purchases?

It’s not just shiny packaging and placing popular items at eye level that triggers an impulse buy. According to the 2015 American Pantry Survey, over 4000 respondents said there are several reasons, some price-related and some not. Some highlights…

Price Related Impulse Buys:

  • 89%: Discounted price
  • 49%: Free samples
  • 37%: Saw the product and remembered I had a coupon
  • 36%: Smartphone app alerted me in-store

Non Price Related Impulse Buys:

  • 81%: Saw it and remembered I needed it
  • 63%: Just wanted to try it
  • 52%: A new product by a trusted brand
  • 41%: Health and wellness claims

There’s actually a bunch more info and a cool graphic to go along with this piece (yes, I say that every time!) so check it out!

How about you? Do you stick to your shopping list religiously, or do you indulge in the occasional impulse buy? Let us know at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Summer of Savings?

summer savingsAccording to money dude Dave Ramsey, summer is a season of savings – or potential savings, if you play your cards right. How so? Well, for families with kids, simply cutting out school means a lot less running around. That’s less gas, and fewer times when you say, “I’m just too busy to cook – let’s pick up Mickey D’s!”

So Dave has a few tips for taking advantage of potential summer savings. Take a look…

  • Home Cooking: No explanation necessary!
  • Gardening: Interesting statistic – one dollar’s worth of green bean seeds yields $75 worth of beans!
  • Simple Entertainment: For instance, you and hubby chilling in lawn chairs, while the young’uns run through the sprinkler. Note: they have to put down their phones first!
  • Local Events: Back home in Cincinnati, there were roughly 200 church festivals every weekend in the summer!
  • Kids Pitching In: Apparently, the number of kids holding summer jobs has fallen about 50% in the past 20 years. Assuming there are jobs to be had, they provide spending money and valuable life lessons!

As usual, these are just the highlights. More info at the original piece. So, how about you? Do you find that summer is a time of savings, or not? Any other suggestions? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Wedding Season Spending 2015

wedding spenidingWe think of June as the beginning of wedding season, though statistics tell us that the number of weddings is spread out pretty evenly throughout the year. June is number one, for sure, but not by a huge margin.

Anyway, let’s just go with it and say “It’s Wedding Season!!” If you are getting married – or you’re paying for someone else to – where will your money go?

In the US, we spend $48 billion every year. Here are some numbers…

  • $30,000: Average cost of a wedding in 2015*
  • $5855: Average cost of an engagement ring
  • $1,973: Average cost of a wedding planner
  • $1350: Average cost of a wedding dress
  • $14,000: Average cost of venue
  • $1970: Average cost of flowers
  • $2550: Average photographer
  • $68: Catering spent per guest
  • Most expensive wedding location: Manhattan at $76,000!
  • Least expensive wedding location: Utah at $15,000

Did you notice the asterisk (*) by that $30K average? That’s because there are theories (like this one) that say these numbers are inflated by some in the industry to get you to spend more. (“But Daaaad…the average is $30K, and I’m only asking for 25!!!”

How about you? Do these numbers seem right? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Most Trusted Companies, 2015

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number one ribbonThe “most reputable company” each year will likely be a familiar name. In 2013, it was Campbell Soup. In 2014, it was Hershey. And in 2015, the most trusted name is Kellogg’s. How did they earn this distinction?

“Kellogg’s has focused on health and nutrition and creating quality products, but in its conversations with consumers, it also showcases its commitment to sustainable agriculture practices, childhood nutrition and open and transparent labeling.” The Reputation Institute

So, apparently it goes beyond a quality product, and into a lot of important social concerns.

Who made the top 10 for 2015? Check it out…

  1. Kellogg’s
  2. Lego
  3. Fruit of the Loom
  4. Campbell Soup Company
  5. Levi Strauss & Co.
  6. The Hershey Company
  7. Clorox
  8. Kraft Foods Group
  9. Tupperware
  10. Hasbro

There are a bunch more ratings at the Reputation Institute site, so check it out. So, how about you? See any of your favorites? Would you like to nominate somebody else? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page, and have a great weekend!

Advice for Smart Shoppers

smart shopperAny shopping geniuses out there? Ones who know exactly what to buy and when? Ones who know the games some retailers play to make you think you are getting a great deal when you may not be?

Must be nice!

Well, good for you, shopping genius. The rest of us just muddle through, getting good deals only by accident, it seems. But there are ways to improve your shopping game, and resources to turn to. One of many is radio money dude Dave Ramsey. He usually has a tip or two to share, in easy to digest bites.

One of his latest is a blog piece entitled “6 Secrets to Being a Smart Shopper.” Here are the bullets:

  1. Plan your vacations around “off” days. Why are we so locked in to the weekends, anyway?
  2. Purchase end-of-season clothing. You know, bathing suits in September, etc.
  3. Know your environment. The way retail stores are arranged can really affect your buying decisions. Why is milk in the back of the store? So you have to walk past everything else to get to it!
  4. Shop at estate sales on the last day. You know, “everything must go!!!” Same goes for garage sales at noon!
  5.  Take advantage of some free services. Free delivery? Free slicing at the meat counter? Not so much saving here, but rather getting more for the money you spend.
  6.  Don’t buy brand-new technology. Boy, do I know one of these guys! Every new Apple device. Every single time! The bonus is that I buy his perfectly good previous generation old stuff for deep discounts!

There is more info, and more advice at the original piece, so check it out! How about you? Are these good tips? Do you have any others to share? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page, and have a great weekend!

Memorial Day by the Numbers 2015!

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memorial dayMemorial Day has come and gone for another year. Hopefully, we all took time to remember the fallen service men and women before cutting loose with BBQ, beer and shopping! So how did we spend our holiday this year? Let’s take a look at Memorial Day by the Numbers, 2015!

On the travel beat:

  • $12 billion: amount spent by Memorial Day travelers
  • $330 per person
  • 37 million: the number of Americans who hit the road this Memorial Day weekend – the highest in a decade.
  • $2.66: average cost of a gallon of gas. $1 less than last year, and the lowest since 2010.
  • Top 5 tourist destinations for Memorial Day: Las Vegas, San Diego, Orlando, New York City and Chicago

On the Memorial Day sales beat…

  • $100: the average spent per shopper on Memorial Day sales
  • 34% of shopper bought clothes. 22% bought housewares, and 21% bought shoes.

Finally, on the party beat…

  • 47% plan to buy booze. Most popular: Beer 81%, wine 47%, vodka 23%, whiskey 21%
  • $70: average amount spent on food
  • 51% plan to cook primarily for family
  • 44% plan to BBQ or picnic with the gang

So, how about you? What did you and your family get up to this Memorial Day? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page, and enjoy your four-day workweek!

Sources: Washington Examiner, Hoosier Econ, US News