shopping

MILAN -- The global economic crisis has generated a new phenomenon: luxury shame, or the shunning of ostentatious purchases of expensive jewelry, watches and fashion, which is largely blamed for the projected 8 percent drop in the luxury market this year. But a Bain & Co. study released Monday indicates the phenomenon isn't durable, predicting a slight 1 percent increase in the luxury Read more...

A young man working in a supermarket's produce section found himself confronted by an adamant customer who wanted only half a head of lettuce. The young man said he'd have to check with the manager and found his boss in the back room where he told him: "There is some jerk out there who wants to buy only a half a head of lettuce." As he finished saying this, he turned around to find Read more...

Pattie Heisser's epiphany came in 2005 at a cosmetics counter when she realized the young women there had no clue how to meet her needs. Back home, she noticed that when women aged 50-plus like herself smiled from a TV commercial, they were usually hawking osteoporosis pills or denture cream. "I realized that advertisers were not targeting baby boomers," said Heisser, a former Read more...

Time may be money, but a little patience can pay off big time when buying a home, looking for a job or investing in the stock market. The lack of patience can cost you -- often for years to come. "If it weren't for impatience, we wouldn't have this whole mortgage crisis," says Carolyn Warren, a veteran mortgage broker and author of "Mortgage Rip-Offs and Money Savers: An Read more...

Whatever Michelle Obama wears, the fashion flock is aflutter. Last weekend, she wore a Michael Kors bonded jersey black tank dress to the commencement ceremonies at the University of California-Merced. A few hours later, the sartorial selection was reported in every detail on Mrs-O.org, the Web site devoted to the first lady's style. But is her influence enough to get women to buy? The Read more...

The expression "a penny saved is a penny earned" doesn't cut it these days. But saving a few dollars here and there can add up, particularly if you park the money in a high-interest-bearing savings account or, better yet, a tax-favored vehicle such as a 529 plan or an IRA containing a mix of investments that offer higher returns over the long run. OK, so 10 percent annual returns Read more...

Furloughed from her job with a technology firm, Stacy Avery said she could live without theater tickets and restaurant dinners. But she's hanging on to her personal stylist. "When I'm at an interview for a job or a consulting assignment, I really have to wow them," said Avery, 37, of Minnetonka, who pays Corset wardrobe styling in Hopkins, Minn., $1,200 a year to construct complete Read more...

A young blonde was on vacation in the depths of Louisiana. She wanted a pair of genuine alligator shoes in the worst way, but was very reluctant to pay the high prices the local vendors were asking. After becoming very frustrated with the "no haggle" attitude of one of the shopkeepers, the blonde shouted, "Maybe I'll just go out and catch my own alligator so I can get a Read more...

I was in the express lane at the store quietly fuming. Completely ignoring the sign, the woman ahead of me had slipped into the checkout line pushing a cart piled high with groceries. Imagine my delight when the cashier beckoned the woman to come forward, looked into the cart and asked sweetly, "So which six items would you like to buy?" Read more...