Christmas

Many Happy Returns: 5 Tips for Getting What You Really Want This Holiday

Posted 28 weeks 5 hours ago by Linsey Knerl

Personal Finance, Consumer Affairs

Sadly, a recent poll by Inside Indiana Business reports that 13 percent of consumers want to return items, but feel that it is too much of a hassle. If you are confident that your perfect gift is out there, take these steps to ensure that you can have it, with minimal effort and aggravation!

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Revive Old Toys for Extra Christmas Savings (and Sanity)

Posted 32 weeks 3 days ago by Linsey Knerl

Personal Finance, Frugal Living, Life Hacks, Consumer Affairs

It has officially begun. My four-year-old has tuned out the real world in favor of loud Saturday morning commercials advertising the best of must-have toys. Every new ad has him wide-eyed and drooling. Only once each has ended, does he break the gaze of the TV long enough to look at me and shout, “I WANT THAT!” Determined to do something to show my son that he was far from lacking in his possessions, I developed a system that every parent should consider before the holiday season gets too far underway.

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Review of Debt-Proof the Holidays: How to Have an All-Cash Christmas

Posted 34 weeks 3 days ago by Linsey Knerl

Personal Finance, Shopping, Credit Cards, Consumer Affairs

Those of you looking forward to this year’s holiday shopping season with a little apprehension, anxiety, or dread can take heart in a new way of thinking. The always financially-savvy (but personable and warm) Mary Hunt of DebtProofLiving has followed through on her promise to simplify your seasonal spending and put meaning back into Christmas.

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To life, to life, la kayim! The joy of home-enhanced booze.

Posted 1 year ago by Andrea Dickson

Filed Under: Food and Drink

Cherry poppin' cocktails

OK, so this is too late for Christmas, but there's still time before New Year's to try this out. I was pondering the range of joy and sorrow that is the homemade gift.

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Deadweight loss of Christmas: Economist explains why gifts are inefficient

Posted 1 year ago by Will Chen

Filed Under: Shopping

Christmas tree at Rockefeller centerDid you unwrap any crappy presents this morning? Are you thinking that all the shopping and running around was a big waste of time?

You might be right, says economist Joel Waldfogel.

Waldfogel estimates that people generally spend 16% more on presents than they’re worth to those who receive them. He calls this phenomenon “the deadweight loss of Christmas.”

For example, a deadweight loss is created when you spend $20 to give me a DVD that I would spend only $15 to buy for myself. Economist Tim Harford explains:

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Hype is Expensive

Posted 1 year ago by Amy Lin

Filed Under: Shopping

christmas trees made of money I want a Wii. I really really want one. I’m an avid female gamer and I am dying to play Trauma Center: Second Opinion so I can use Nintendo’s innovative remotes to perform surgery. I want to play Cooking Mama where you race against the clock to mash, slice, cut, and stir based on “real-world receipes.” I want to bring the Wii over to my parents’ house and watch my mom play tennis and my dad try to bowl.

I had one. Actually I had five. I stood in line at Walmart at 6am and was 30th in line at EB Games. I picked up the one I preordered at FYE because no one knew FYE was doing preorders. I got the last one at Game Stop by sheer luck and won a lottery at Costco. I sold them all. At a profit margin of $100-$200, hype paid for the Wii I will pick up when hype cashes in for the year and disappears until next holiday season.

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101 Classic Christmas Videos Online

Posted 1 year ago by Will Chen

Filed Under: Art and Leisure

Greedo at Fanpop compiled an amazing list of links to Christmas videos that can be viewed online.

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A Couple of Morning Links to Help You Save (Christmas Presents, Anyone?)

Posted 1 year ago by Sarah Winfrey

Filed Under: Shopping

Amazin’ Amazon Hacks

Probargainhunter.com offers some great links to bargains in the vast universe that is Amazon, as well as an explanation of how to find your own bargains, in the departments, stores, and categories that interest you.

Schweeeet!

Personalshopper.com's Sweet Deals beg the question, "Can anyone say, 'Bargain prices on brand name clothes?'" Not to mention the deals on accessories, handbags, movies, home furnishings, electronics, books, games, flowers, and more? I can! I can!

Continue reading "A Couple of Morning Links to Help You Save (Christmas Presents, Anyone?)"

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