Consumer Spending

What's The Party Line?

Liz Neumark | Posted 01.08.2009 | Business

Read More: New Year, Event, Party, Financial Crisis, Food, Green Living, Catering, Consumer Spending, Patriotic, 2009, Recession, Layoffs, Business Parties, Local Food, Buying Locally, Office Parties, Great Depression, Business News
Liz Neumark

It is a strange new world. I have been through several recessions and nothing even comes close to the vibe we are feeling today.

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Hollywood Finances Nothing To Celebrate In 2009

Los Angeles Times | Claudia Eller and Richard Verrier | Posted 01.02.2009 | Business

Read More: Consumer Spending, Hollywood Business, Hollywood, Hollywood Profits, Business News

There is no Hollywood ending in sight in 2009 for the entertainment industry, which along with the rest of the nation is experiencing its worst econom...

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When Piggy Banks Fly: Cash-Strapped Shoppers Buy Frugality

Reuters | Posted 12.31.2008 | Business

Read More: Consumerism, Finance, Economy, Consumer Spending, Piggy Banks, Financial Crisis, Personal Finance, Saving Money, Business News

Recession-wary Americans embraced the virtues of thrift this Christmas, with stores reporting a clear rise in the popularity of piggy banks. "We have...

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Nation's Stores Have Little To Celebrate, Save Being Alive

AP | ANNE D'INNOCENZIO | Posted 12.25.2008 | Business

Read More: Retailers, Holiday Shopping, Finance, Economy, Consumer Spending, Financial Crisis, Personal Finance, Business News

NEW YORK — After limping through a holiday season expected to be the worst in decades, the nation's stores made it to Christmas with little to c...

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Consumer Spending Falls Again

AP | MARTIN CRUTSINGER | Posted 12.24.2008 | Business

Read More: Consumer Spending, Consumers, Money, Economy, Personal Spending, Spending, Business News

WASHINGTON — Consumer spending fell for a fifth straight month in November, the longest weak stretch in a half-century, while incomes declined u...

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Just Don't Tell Us What Your Manicure Costs

Vicky Ward | Posted 12.22.2008 | Style

Read More: Lindsay Lohan, Holiday Season, Divorce, Consumer Spending, Economy, Lazard, Marie Douglas-David, Style News
Vicky Ward

Despite the searing wounds inflicted by Bernie Madoff, despite the fact that several divorces are stalled because suddenly there are no assets to divide, some people still don't see what's going on.

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Closet Cleaning Leads to Economic Enlightenment

Karen Leland | Posted 12.16.2008 | Style

Read More: Time Management in an Instant, Karen Leland, Wall Street, Time Management, Nordstrom's, Consignment Shop, Fall Fashion, Clothes, Fashion, Cleaning, Consumer Spending, Sufficiency, Organization, Bush, Style News
Karen Leland

The Bush years called out to us to spend rather than save. They may have been the enablers, but in my own life, I'm the leader, and I can't honestly say I've been doing a much better job.

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Is Your Debt Naughty or Nice?

Manisha Thakor and Sharon Kedar | Posted 12.15.2008 | Business

Read More: Personal Finances, Consumer Debt, Budgeting, Saving, Debt, Household Debt, Personal Finance, Economy, Financial Crisis, Elizabeth Warren, Consumer Spending, Recession, Consumer Confidence, Saving Money, Personal Debt, Business News
Manisha Thakor and Sharon Kedar

For the first time in over 50 years, it is clear that "debt" has finally come to be seen for what it is, a four letter word that should be used with extreme caution.

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Hipster QVC, the Future of E-Commerce?

Pam Bristow | Posted 12.12.2008 | Style

Read More: Pam Bristow, Geberation Y, Cnn, Consumer Confidence, Retail, Retail Sales, Recession, Fashion, Consumer Spending, Honeyshed, Style News
Pam Bristow

Shopping on Honeyshed is a unique consumption experience. Equal parts infomercial, editorial, and music video, the sales format takes its cues from social networking sites.

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Let Big Oil Bail Out the Auto Industry

Robbie Gennet | Posted 12.09.2008 | Business

Read More: Oil, Gas Prices, Congress, California, Bailout, Ford, Auto Industry, Economy, Economic Downturn, Big Three Automakers, Economic Crisis, Detroit Three, Consumer Spending, Consumer Confidence, Business News, Automaker Bailout, Recession Watch, Financial Crisis, Great Depression, Business News
Robbie Gennet

Seems like such a simple solution, doesn't it? After all, who has influenced the US Auto Industry (USAI) to keep MPG low and fight CAFE standards? Why...

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We're in a "Repression": The Economics of Shame

James Rotondi | Posted 12.08.2008 | Business

Read More: Economic Downturn, Automaker Bailout, Big Three Automakers, Unemployment Rate, Humor, Economy, Economic Crisis, Detroit Three, Mortgage Crisis, Federal Reserve, Consumer Spending, Recession, Consumer Confidence, Subprime Mortgages, Bailout, Subprime Mortgage Crisis, Sex, Henry Paulson, Obama Transition, Fannie Mae Freddie Mac Bailout, Recession Watch, Treasury Secretary, Great Depression, Financial Crisis, Personal Finance, Lifestyle, Entertainment, Sexuality, Satire, Political Satire, Living, Business News
James Rotondi

Perhaps we're better off thinking of our current state of economic ennui not as a recession or a depression, but as a "repression."

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McDonald's Sales Climb As Consumers Seek Deals

AP | LAUREN SHEPHERD | Posted 12.08.2008 | Business

Read More: Consumer Spending, McDonald's, Financial Crisis, Personal Finance, Economy, Business News

NEW YORK — Consumers hungry for cheap meals boosted worldwide sales at McDonald's Corp.'s established locations by 7.7 percent in November, more...

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Holiday Surprise: More Credit Card Fees

Forbes.com | Maurna Desmond | Posted 12.05.2008 | Business

Read More: Consumer Spending, Financial Crisis, Credit Cards, Holiday Shopping, Credit Card Fees, Business News

Reaching for the plastic to pay for holiday presents this season? Expect to find a few surprises in your statement next month. Credit card issuers,...

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"Instead Of Sales Being Miserable They Are Just Terrible"

AP | ANNE D'INNOCENZIO | Posted 12.04.2008 | Business

Read More: Consumer Spending, Financial Crisis, Personal Finance, Retail Sales, Finance, Economy, Business News

NEW YORK — Retailers who suffered through a miserable November _ despite a surge in sales the day after Thanksgiving _ are worried that the usua...

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How I Know We're in for a Rough Economic Ride

Joanne Bamberger | Posted 12.02.2008 | Politics

Read More: Belt-Tightening, U.S. Economy, Economy, Stock Market, It's the Economy Stupid, Economic Crisis, Job Losses, Job Cuts, Consumer Spending, Politics News
Joanne Bamberger

I had lunch at Burger King last week and there was no one in line ahead of me, which struck me as a little odd. The cashier exclaimed when he saw me, "Oh, thank God -- a customer!"

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On Cue, Shoppers Show Up

AP | ANNE D'INNOCENZIO | Posted 11.28.2008 | Business

Read More: Consumerism, Holiday Shopping, Finance, Economy, Consumer Spending, Financial Crisis, Black Friday Deals, Black Friday, Business News

NEW YORK — Shoppers, who had snapped their wallets shut since September, turned out in force Friday to grab early morning deals and hard-to-find...

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Empty Wallets And Empty Malls Leave Retailers Desperate

Nour Akkad | Posted 11.28.2008 | Style

Read More: Retailers, Business News, Retail Employees, Financial Crisis, Retail Sales, Style, Consumer Spending, Customer Service, Black Friday, Style News
Nour Akkad

Along with the rest of us, salespersons are afraid of losing their jobs and making ends meet. Retail workers still have to make a living under these harsh conditions and desperate times are definitely calling for desperate measures.

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New jobless claims drop from 16-year high

AP | CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER | Posted 11.26.2008 | Business

Read More: Jobless Rate, Finance, Economy, Consumer Spending, Financial Crisis, Personal Finance, Jobless Claims, Personal Spending, Business News

WASHINGTON — New jobless claims fell more than expected last week from a 16-year high, the government said Wednesday, though they remain at elev...

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Is the American Shopping Mall Dead?

Newsweek | Posted 11.20.2008 | Business

Read More: Consumer Spending, Financial Crisis, Depression, Consumerism, Malls, Finance, Economy, Business News

There's something growing in the New Jersey Meadowlands, the marsh just nine miles west of Manhattan--and it isn't the gentle ferns that the bucolic n...

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Consumer Spending Crumbles In Lame Economy

AP | MARTIN CRUTSINGER | Posted 11.14.2008 | Business

Read More: Consumer Spending, Financial Crisis, Personal Finance, Economy, Business News

WASHINGTON — The worst monthly drop on record for retail sales set off new alarm bells about the economy Friday, stepping up pressure on policym...

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Wall Street ends turbulent week sharply lower

AP | JOE BEL BRUNO and SARA LEPRO | Posted 11.14.2008 | Business

Read More: Consumer Spending, Financial Crisis, Retail Spending, Personal Finance, Finance, Economy, Business News

NEW YORK — Wall Street ended a turbulent week with another astonishing show of volatility Friday, with stocks plunging, recovering and then plun...

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The Consumer Spending Slowdown Is NOT Because Of Credit

Dave Johnson | Posted 11.12.2008 | Business

Read More: Consumer Spending, Credit Crunch, Recession, Economy, Business News
Dave Johnson

On The NewsHour today Alice Rivlin said that we need to free up the credit markets so people can buy cars. She said there are "credit-worthy" people ...

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Holiday outlook turns grimmer after dismal October

AP | ANNE D'INNOCENZIO | Posted 11.06.2008 | Business

Read More: Economy, Finance, Financial Crisis, Consumer Spending, Retail Sales, Business News

NEW YORK — Retailers suffered through the weakest October in at least 39 years, despite frenzied price cutting as they desperately try to pull i...

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Wall Street shrugs off weak economic news

AP | CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER | Posted 11.04.2008 | Business

Read More: Economy, Finance, Financial Crisis, Labor Department, Consumer Spending, Business News

WASHINGTON — After months rife with uncertainty and unprecedented events that have roiled and reshaped Wall Street, at least one major unknown s...

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Stocks end quiet session mixed ahead of election

AP | TIM PARADIS | Posted 11.03.2008 | Business

Read More: Economy, Finance, Financial Crisis, Economic Data, Recession, Consumer Spending, Business News

NEW YORK — Wall Street ended the calmest session in recent memory with a narrowly mixed performance Monday as investors largely looked past a we...

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