Tag Archives: online consumer panels

2012 Prices: the Flip Side

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That Art-school Education is Really Paying Off!

Last time we looked at the products and services that will be coming down in price this year, according to DealNews.com. Now, the less-good news. They also took a look at a few prices expected to go up in 2012. Here is a (sarcastic) peek:

  • Airfare: Increased demand, fewer seats and new fees and taxes here and in Europe. And don’t count on getting the “whole can” of Sprite anymore, either!
  • New cameras: Specifically, the fully loaded high-end ones. The basic models are being crowded out by smartphones, so the manufacturers are looking elsewhere.
  • Food at home: While eating in is almost always cheaper, the rate of food inflation is higher at home than in the restaurant – because the restaurant can offset inflation with liquor sales without passing the cost on to you. Moral: get a liquor license for your home! J/k
  • Local Fees: Don’t you wish that when you were broke, you could tax everybody around you? Well, the city can!!
  • Gasoline: Here in SC, it was $3.85 in the spring, down to $2.95 before the Holidays. Now, $3.29 and heading higher! Good thing I filled all my milk jugs when it was cheap!
  • Shipping: USPS, FedEx and UPS are all going up, in case you thought you could beat gas prices by mailing yourself to Hawaii.

There are MANY more examples in the article. Check it out! Then, do yourself a favor and re-read about the prices that will go down, just to brighten your mood.

Anyway, how about you? How are these affecting your family? What ways are you cutting back?

 

End of the World Markdowns!

The consumer site Dealnews.com has done some research and found a bunch of items that should actually come down in price in 2012.  End of the World closeouts, I imagine! So, check ‘em out!

  • Apple iPad 2: The 3 is coming, so expect Apple to drop prices on the 2 just to clear the shelves.
  • Wine: Due to the economy, the distributors see all of those $30 bottles gathering dust on the shelf!
  • Desktop Replacement Laptops: Ones that don’t need to take such a beating as the truly on-the-go models, but mostly sit on your desk. Some are as low as $350 right now!
  • Android Tablets: The low price of the Kindle fire is spurring the other guys into action.
  • Car Rentals: Less travel means more cars sitting on the lot and tougher competition.
  • Standalone GPS Units: Smartphones are killing this business, so expect the prices to drop.
  • Media Streamers: Now that Blu-ray players are starting to feature streaming, guys like Roku will have to get more competitive with their pricing.
  • 3D HDTVs: Because they are too dang expensive and nobody wants them!
  • Home Prices: Great for buyers, bad for sellers!

I don’t know about you, but I am going to take advantage of these Apocalyptic savings in 2012. There are more listed in the article, so give it a read. And have a great weekend, MindField-ers!!

Clever Ways to Cut Back in 2012

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Looking to cut back? Time Magazine has compiled a list of items and services “You Should Just Stop Buying.” Take a look!

  1. Homeopathic Flu Remedies: the CDC says they don’t work.
  2. Credit-Card Payment Insurance: expensive and with a bunch of restrictions and exclusions.
  3. Dirt-Cheap Paper Towels: they don’t work and you end up using more of them
  4. Bottled Water: expensive and often misleading, i.e., it’s NOT real spring water.
  5. Premium Gasoline: unless you drive a really high-performance car, it’s a waste of money.
  6. Super-High SPF Sunscreen: unless you are prone to skin cancer. SPF 30 blocks about 97% of UVB rays.
  7. Auto Service Warranties: Again, expensive and contain many restrictions and exclusions.
  8. 100-Calorie Packs of Snack Foods: Portion control is a great idea, but buy the big box and some baggies, and save a bunch of money!
  9. Lottery Tickets: you are 3 times more likely to be hit by a meteor than to win the lottery.
  10. Unlimited Cell Phone Minutes: these plans are one reason why our cell bills have gone up $20 in the past 5 years, even though we aren’t really talking any longer.
  11. Brand New College Textbooks: Grrr! I am still resentful about this one after 20 years!
  12. Extended Warranties: A lot of the time, these are redundant, and you can get similar coverage from your credit card for free.  Exception: your laptop. Every one I ever owned broke down after the warranty expired!

Much more info in the article…check it out!

New Year’s (financial) Resolutions

Making New Year’s resolutions is unavoidable. Even if you vow not to make resolutions this year, THAT is a resolution! You can’t win. So you pledge to get in shape, call your mother more often and get your finances in order.

So here are a few tips, courtesy of CBS MoneyWatch, to help you get your wallet in fighting shape, even in these uncertain times.

Pay down Debt: The thing to know is that all debt is not created equally. Ideally, you want to attck the debt with the highest interest rate first.

Pay bills online: Set up automatic pay so you’re never late, because creditors are tougher than ever on delinquency.

Start investing: The sooner the better. Ideally you have a 401k at work. Wait, ideally you have a JOB (no small thing these days) and that job offers a 401k with matching funds.

Close unused financial accounts: I am guilty of this one myself. You pay down a credit card and, instead of closing it, you think it may come in handy someday. Well, creditors are ramping up dormancy fees now. And those “forgotten” accounts are particularly vulnerable to identity theft.

Personal finance software: Like Quicken, etc. Ever gone on a diet where you start writing down every calorie? What a rude awakening about your eating habits! Same idea here.

There are more ideas and details in the article. So READ IT.

Thanks again for supporting MindField Online Internet Panels throughout the year. You guys are the best! Have a safe, happy and PROSPEROUS New Year!!

After Christmas Retail Madness!

Santa down! Send backup!

For hard-core shoppers, the day after Christmas is the real Black Friday, and a day off from work for many shoppers. Expect large chains to open early and close well past their usual hours as customers exchange unwanted presents for more desirable ones, redeem gift cards they’ve collected, and spend any holiday cash that turned up in their stockings. – Consumer Reports

Sounds like a ground zero of retail insanity: crazy price cuts coupled with people having the day off from work. I will pass. But the rest of the week? I might give the mall a try or, better yet, see what after-Christmas deals I might find on the web.

Among the post-Xmas deals you may find this year:

  • Deals on anything holiday related, from cards and wrapping paper to reindeer-print pajamas
  • Williams Sonoma: up to 88% off on Holiday items
  • Amazon.com: up to 75% off on apparel, electronics, and groceries
  • Gymboree: 50% off
  • Aeropostale: up to 70% off
  • Oshkosh B’Gosh: up to 70% off
  • Cabela’s: up to 70% off
  • Old Navy: up to 70% off
  • Pottery Barn: up to 70% off
  • Barnes & Noble: 50 to 90% off
  • Walmart: 50% off clothing and toys

Read more at Consumer Reports.

So, how about you? Did you head into combat on The Day After? How about the rest of this week? Any big returns? Gift certificates to burn off? What specials did you find? Let us know!

Making it Rain!

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At last!

Here are the results of our big BIG drawing on December 10th, 2011. MindField Online Internet Panels gave away a total of $2500 in prizes, including One $1,000 Grand Prize, Two $500 Second Prizes, and Twenty $25 Third Prizes! Here is the list of winners who responded to their official announcement emails from MindField Support.

So, let’s begin by saying congrats to THIS lucky lady…

$1000 Grand Prize Winner

Kristen

Kristen K. of Wharton, NJ (pictured)

I have been a MindField member since 2004 and have never won anything big.  So   when I found out I was the GRAND PRIZE winner I was shocked and grateful!  I am going to use the money I won to help pay for all my Christmas presents this year, give back some to those in need, and save the rest for a rainy day!

*     *     *

$500 Second Prize Winner

Melissa

Melissa H. of Culpeper, VA (pictured)

$500 Second Prize Winner

Igor M. of Brooklyn, NY

*     *     *

$25.00 Third Prize Winners

Sandi

Sandi H. of New Port Richey, FL (pictured)

Maricela H. of Corpus Christi, TX

Julio G. of Hialeah, FL

Kattia B. of Solon, OH

Martha

Martha S. of Hondo, TX (pictured)

Andrew W. of Gilbertsville, PA

Charlene C. of Phoenix, AZ

Diana M. of La Mesa, CA

Michelle R. of Yakima, WA

Patti M. of Burbank, CA

Ruth

Ruth G. of Bellport, NY (pictured)

Yvonne S. of Aurora, CO

Jessie B. of Cheyenne, WY

Jean H. of Summertown, TN

Mechel M. of Baton Rouge, LA

Linda H. of Tucson, AZ

Bonnie O. of Houston, TX

Michael M.

Tiffeny M.

Samantha T.

Congratulations to all our winners! And if you didn’t get picked, there’s always a next time right around the corner here at MindField Online! Happy Holidays to all our MindField friends and family!!!

Christmas by the Numbers

Hey gang! Here is a lightweight, on-vacation blog post about Christmas spending trends for 2011, based on predictions from the National Retail Federation…

Overall, the dollar amount we plan to spend…

  • For gifts: $515.94 – down 50 bucks in the past 5 years
  • For Decorations – $46.73
  • For Holiday Food – $96.75
  • Total Amount we plan to spend: $704.18

As for Holiday shopping trends…

  • 60% of us see holiday shopping as an opportunity to buy something for ourselves
  • 66% of us buy from a Discount Store
  • 57% of us buy from a Department Store
  • 49% of us buy from a Grocery Store/Supermarket
  • 47% of us buy Online
  • 42% if us say that sales and discounts are the most important factor

And 91% of us plan to celebrate the holidays!!

Do these stats sound right to you? Let us know!

What’s Your Return Policy?

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From Black Friday to the Return Desk: it's the Circle of Life!

We’ve all seen the of Black Friday news footage madness – the stampedes, shoving and hysteria. Whether you find these scenes funny or horrifying, I bet you don’t watch them and say, “These look like reasonable people who will use good judgment to make sound purchases.”

Apparently the logic, i.e. “can we really afford this?” doesn’t kick in until well after you get home from the mall and eat those leftover turkey sandwiches.

So, while our spending is up over 15% from last year, returns are also way up, long before the actually holidays hit!

Buyers remorse? This is the ultimate environment for it. You get lured in by the deals, but ultimately you realize you don’t want to be paying this stuff off for the next six to 12 months. Retail Analyst, NBC Today Show

The segment taking the biggest hit is electronics. They will lose $17 billion to returns this year, up 21% in the past four years.  Why do we return electronics? 5% of us claim some product defect, while 27% claim buyer’s remorse.

Despite getting killed by returns, some retailers are seeing the value of a good return policy. For example, Nordstrom.com used to charge a $6 restock fee. Now, returns are free.

For some, this is all a bunch of humbug. The shopping truly is part of the fun of the holiday season. To you I say go crazy…but keep your receipts!

Mobile Devices Make Traveling Easier

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“Mobile is growing over 100 percent per year. Consumers are really moving toward mobile devices for all aspects of their lives, including travel.”  Chicago Tribune

With that in mind, popular travel site Orbitz.com is preparing to beef up its mobile offerings for your iPad, iPhone and Android devices. All of the normal searching, comparing and booking of flights, motels and rental cars you do at home on your desktop will now be done on the run. The mobile address is m.orbitz.com

They will also have mobile-only discounts, called Mobile Steals, for last-minute bookings. Orbitz claims that 65% of their mobile bookings are for same-day travel needs.

So, have you used your mobile device for travel bookings? Is it convenient? Do you trust it? Better or worse than the old way? Let us know!

Online Shopping, Credit Card Use On the Rise

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Extreme Online Shopping: It's RADICAL!

Black Friday is a time-honored shopping tradition. In recent years, Black Friday had a baby named Cyber Monday. And this year it was a BIG baby! This year…

Cyber Monday (was) the heaviest online spending day on record, with $1.25 billion in sales.  Tuesday and Wednesday followed with billion dollar spending days, helping Cyber Week reach a record weekly total of nearly $6 billion in spending.  Consumer Affairs

So far this season, we have spent almost $19 billion online, an increase of 15% over last year. So, great, we’re spending again – that’s got to be good news for the economy, right? Well, maybe and maybe not. It seems that we’re doing a lot of that spending using our credit cards. Credit card spending is up 7.4 %, while debit card use is up only 3.4%. Will we pay off those credit card purchases, or will we let ‘em ride? That’s the question! Paying them off is usually a sign of consumer confidence – which has been in short supply lately!

So, how about you? Have you increased your online buying this year? What makes you choose one retailer over another? Are you using more credit or debit? Let us know!