Update: Less than a day after a Verizon Wireless employee leaked a memo with this information, the company has announced that it will not be moving forward with the implementation of this $2 fee. The sad fact is we now live in a world where many companies have left their customers behind in the search ... Continue reading this article…

When I first read the news about alleged Good Samaritans and Secret Santas paying off Kmart customers’ layaway accounts, the cynical side of my mind took over. What a great marketing maneuver for K-Mart. With mystery lay-off angels, they are saying, “Buy your gifts on layaway here, an action that could very well be profitable ... Continue reading this article…

Rather than blaming a representative or a corporate culture when discussions with a company don’t go the customer’s way, perhaps there are specific things the customer can do to encourage representatives to help. Money Magazine polled its readers and talked to experts to determine the best tactics for receiving the best customer service from companies. ... Continue reading this article…

This is a guest article by Ginger, owner and curator of Girls Just Wanna Have Funds. She works as a psychotherapist with clients with whom money is a frequent topic. When people think about financial freedom, most tend to think of it as this abstract state of being since it’s something that has yet to ... Continue reading this article…

From a retail perspective, this holiday weekend was successful. The National Retail Federation — an organization that represents retailers and is always happy to report good news in the industry — says that total spending over the four-day weekend from Thanksgiving to Sunday increased 16 percent over the same time period in 2010 when measured ... Continue reading this article…

I’ve avoided writing about Black Friday this year. In the community I follow, promoting the day after Thanksgiving for shopping has gotten completely out of hand. I wrote an article for PC World a few years ago, The Insider’s Guide to Black Friday Bargains, where the tips are still relevant for today’s shoppers. I’m not ... Continue reading this article…

You’ll never reach the top level in Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, self-actualization, if you concern yourself with your possessions. If you focus on acquiring gadgets, showering your children with toys, or achieving other materialistic pursuits, if you do so while neglecting the pursuit of including satisfying experiences in your life, you can never reach ... Continue reading this article…

In the midst of the economic recession a few years ago, layaway programs made a big comeback. Previously a great method for buying items that may have been on the expensive side in eras when credit was not available to many consumers, the same economic conditions returned when credit card offers became scarce recently. Layaway ... Continue reading this article…

When a sales approach reveals itself to be significantly profitable for a company, you can bet those who run that company will want to expand that approach. Last year’s “Black Friday” day-after-Thanksgiving sale on Amazon.com was popular, and this year the major online retailer is extending the event throughout the week leading up to Thanksgiving, ... Continue reading this article…