Spending

There is the sense in the mainstream media and popular culture that Baby Boomers have it made: They own their own homes in significant numbers, have paid off mortgages, and will reap a huge financial reward when they decide to sell and downsize. And to some extent, for some of…

Did you know that this past Monday, March 2nd, was “National Old Stuff Day?” Apparently, every year, March 2nd is set aside as a day to remind us all of the “old stuff” (as opposed to the old people) that clutter and fill our lives. It’s a moment to take…

On your mark, get ready, get shopping! For many of us, Thanksgiving was always the prelude to the really important occasion: that of Black Friday. How many of you remember bundling up and into the car in the evening hours of Thanksgiving, or the early hours of the following day,…

How messy is your environment? Do you struggle to find a place for your everyday items? Do you own more possessions than you can fit in your cabinets? Are your storage areas bursting with an overload of items? Is it difficult or dangerous to navigate your environment? Are you embarrassed…

As we confront the economic fallout that seems to be afflicting our country, there are many ways to discern how consumers will respond to rising prices. One concept, coined by cosmetics heir Leonard Lauder in 2001, is known as the “lipstick index.” According to this concept, as prices rise and…

The turmoil at the Social Security Administration, which we’ve previously profiled, continues on, as more staff firings may be in the works, computer systems malfunction, and remaining staff struggle to address problems and consumer fears in a system that was already at a 50-year staffing low even before the current…