Certain people seem terribly misinformed when it comes to what makes a savvy consumer. They simply can't say no to a sale or discount, even if the product they're buying isn't something they really need or ever plan to use. Whether they're trying to take advantage of buy-one-get-one-free deals on cold cuts at the grocery store or deep discounts on apparel at the mall, they don't realize that, in the quest to save money, they're still spending lots of it. In other words, people don't mind spending money they otherwise would not fork over if it means they're getting it for less. For many consumers, the thrill of snagging a bargain is irresistible. It's no surprise, then, that many people find themselves chronically debt-ridden. Unfortunately, retailers have gotten smart at baiting shoppers with these ploys. By saying that a sale is only available for a limited time, or that items are running out, people are quick to act because they don...

I made an appointment yesterday to get a haircut at my local barbershop. One of the reasons I switched from my old barbershop to this one was because I grew tired of having to wait 30 or more minutes for my turn despite my making an apppointment. Since making the switch about 8 months ago, I never had to wait more than 5 minutes to be attended. That all changed last night. Whether it was the fact that Valentine's Day is a couple of days away, or it just so happens that many people showed up at the same time on the same night, I had to wait close to an hour to be tended to. (Another woman made an appointment to get her hair dyed at 6:30, the same time I scheduled my appointment for.) I'm willing to look past this annoying incident given that, up until now, the place has never disappointed me. However, if this begins to happen more frequently, I won't be a happy camper. I spend so much time stuck in traffic each day (an hour to work and another hour going hom...

Here's some food for thought: To my dismay, when I go to the grocery store, I often see people grab products nearest them -- the ones placed at the very front of each shelf -- without thinking twice about it. Whether due to laziness or just plain ignorance, they are putting in their carts items that are potentially nearing expiration. Grocery chains follow the "first in, first out rule." They obviously want to get rid of older inventory first, so they make those more prominent so that consumers are more likely to get them. Newer goods, on the other hand, are placed toward the back of the shelf. Many people arrange their items similarly at home so that they lessen the chances of items going bad. You can probably guess where I'm going with this. As consumers, we want the most bang for our buck, and that means buying the freshest items with the longest shelf lives. Whether you're buying milk, bread, or other perishable foods, you'll want to reach for it...

Do you think you'd be more inclined to buy a product priced at $3.99 than one that sells for $4? I can picture many of you shaking your heads. According to various studies in consumer behavior, people are far more likely to buy a product when the price ends in .99. But why? For one, consumers tend to read from left to right, which means our attention becomes fixated on the first number as opposed to the ones that follow. Even though you're hardly getting a greater bargain by opting for something priced a cent cheaper (especially since taxes come into play), your indifference to reading the whole way across actually fools you into thinking you are snagging a deal. It's as though we're comparing something priced at $3 to something that costs $4. It doesn't make much logical sense, but most consumers will do anything to expend the least amount of brainpower possible, especially when pressed for time. In addition, shoppers tend to deem prices ending in cents...