Shopping Trends

The idea that, once the holidays have concluded, that you should continue to spend money is downright ludicrous.

You made your list. Checked it twice (or more, most likely), and ensured that everyone on your wish list had a wonderful holiday.

The ultimate shopping and retail driven grudge match occurs over a four-day period when consumers debate if they’re ready to brave the long lines and early mornings to of Black Friday or if they’ll opt to sit at home come Monday morning and bask in the glow of Cyber Monday from the comfort of their own couch.

Long lines, packed stores and the sound of alarm clocks on smartphones going off far too early for a non-working day.

A dedicated, special time each year to celebrate the love in your life is a fantastic idea, but do we all need to do it on the same day? We are not only pressured into purchasing particular, "appropriate" gifts for Valentine's Day but we're gamed into paying much more for them. Last February, the National Retail Federation reported Valentine'sDay estimated spending averages were up 20% from 2008, setting a new record of nearly $20 billion. The 2016 LPL Financial Valentine's Day Index Report noted, for example, that a romantic night out had experienced a 3:1 average*annual* *increase *over the last 15 years. This data suggests 34.

Tired of spending money after a long holiday season? It’s tough out there, and you’re only human! Even so, try to fight the credit card fatigue because you won’t want to miss out on all the different deals January is sure to bring. Post-holiday spending can be one of the smartest ways to prepare yourself for 2017.

Here's what normally happens when you purchase a new piece of electronic equipment - you buy a cool laptop, then a few months later, a new one comes out that's nicer, faster, and overall better than what you just bought, and the price is most likely the same as what you got! As annoying is it may be, that's just how technology is these days - new systems are always being created, and the turnaround of new software and hardware is ridiculously fast. So the question remains, how do you buy the newest technology without burning a hole in your pocket?

...

Today, we take a break from fiscal advice and talk with Mike Catania (@chompy), our Chief Technology Officer, to look at shopping trends. A few days ago, Sarah Spagnolo, a writer at Foursquare, released a data-driven look at the best times to physically shop so we recruited Mike to see how our the data compared to ours for online shopping.

Winter is in full force, and if the cold weather has you shivering every time you venture outside, you may need to invest in quality gear. A harsh chill is neither fun nor healthy for anyone. You can research online or at the store for a variety of seasonal items that will assist in keeping you dry and warm. Picking out a few potential candidates by their online description and going to a nearby location that carries the items so you can try them on may be the best solution.

After eight years, PromotionCode.org, one of the original coupon sites has decided to shut its doors and re-brand as PromotionCod.org. "Promoting cod has always been something we had discussed internally", said Mike Catania, co-founder, and CTO.

The holiday shopping season is in full swing, and now is the perfect time find a very special gift for that amazing man in your life.