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Podcast: How Our Clothes Are Made
Tweet Share on Facebook December 3, 2008 Comment (3)LISTEN NOW: Where Do Clothes Come From?
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For this week's Alpha Consumer Podcast, I interviewed Kelsey Timmerman, author of Where Am I Wearing? A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories, and People That Make Our Clothes. He visited Honduras, Bangladesh, Cambodia, and other countries on his quest to figure out just how and where his clothes were made. On the podcast, you'll learn why he doesn't like the term "sweatshops," whether you should be protesting outside big-box stores, and why Timmerman says he's not always opposed to child labor.
You can also pick up the Alpha Consumer Tip of the Week on how you can find out where your own clothes come from. For more information, check out Timmerman's website.
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The Hidden Costs of Store Credit Cards
Tweet Share on Facebook December 3, 2008 Comment (3)Today's guest post comes from Justin McHenry, president of IndexCreditCards.com. You can also listen to an Alpha Consumer podcast with McHenry here.
Doing our part to kick-start the economy, my wife and I went shopping for a new couch last week. With our kids recently past toddlerhood and (hopefully) beyond gouging or slobbering on every piece of furniture in the house, we were ready to go a bit more high-end. We were still watching the cost, though, so when we found our couch at Macy's and the salesman asked if I'd like to open a charge account to save $100, I was tempted. (Technically, it was supposed to be 10 percent off, but the discount topped out at $100.)
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Interactive Graphic: Holiday Gift Guide
Tweet Share on Facebook December 2, 2008 CommentStill hunting for the perfect gift? If Black Friday and Cyber Monday haven't left you depleted, then here are some ideas to finish off your shopping list. For the eco-minded, canvas totes or recycled blankets might do the trick, or perhaps earrings made from recycled car parts. There are also plenty of gifts for less than $10, including a pretty notepad or useful luggage scale. Happy shopping!
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How to Shop Online Like an Expert
Tweet Share on Facebook December 2, 2008 Comment (2)More shoppers are turning to comparison websites to help them locate the best deals before making any purchases. Ron LaPierre, president of the site PriceGrabber.com, spoke to me just as the first numbers from Black Friday were coming in. He shared the season's hottest trends as well as his tips.
What have you noticed so far in terms of how people are shopping this year?
The first trend is not a surprise. 71 percent of people responding to our survey said they would be spending less this season. But of those people, 55 percent said they would be spending a majority of their budgets online. Last year, it was 45 percent, so that’s a big shift. -
Shoppers Spend, But Is That a Good Thing?
Tweet Share on Facebook December 1, 2008 Comment (2)It turns out we still have the urge to splurge.
After weak consumer spending in September and October, shoppers surprised analysts by pulling out their wallets on Black Friday and jumping on deep discounts and sales. The National Retail Federation reported that shoppers spent an average of $373 over the weekend, up 7.2 percent from last year’s average of $348.
But don’t let those numbers trick you into thinking consumers are going to jumpstart the economy back into a gilded age. Part of the reason for the impressive turnout was pent-up demand. Shoppers had been cutting back and delaying purchases earlier in the season, so when retailers made appealing offers on Friday, consumers jumped on them. Analysts are still expecting an overall sluggish holiday season of around two percent sales growth.
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Your Guide to Cyber Monday Deals
Tweet Share on Facebook December 1, 2008 Comment (3)Retailers are battling the dismal economy with wicked Cyber Monday sales. So if you sat out Black Friday—or even if you didn't—here's your guide to today's best deals:
Focus on the high end. Nordstrom now offers free shipping on orders over $100 instead of $200, and Saks Fifth Avenue has been offering up to 40 percent off on items. So don't necessarily count out stores that are usually beyond your price range.
Look for online exclusives. Select items at BestBuy.com and Walmart.com will be marked down more online than they are in the stores.
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Alpha Consumer
Kimberly Palmer, senior editor for U.S. News & World Report, writes about making smarter financial decisions. She’s the author of Generation Earn: The Young Professional's Guide to Spending, Investing, and Giving Back.
Generation Earn
Senior editor Kimberly Palmer’s book, Generation Earn: The Young Professional's Guide to Spending, Investing, and Giving Back, is now available.
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