Though some people may be struggling to pay pills amid a recession sparked by a global pandemic, it doesn't mean those in a stronger financial position (or not) won't be running up their credit cards and breaking their piggy banks -- whether online or at the mall. And, ironically, it's all in the name of scoring holiday deals.  Here's what many shoppers fail to realize: Sales are just ploys to get us to buy stuff we may not necessarily want or need.  We go into a store intending to buy or two things and end up coming out with well over five.  We set a maximum holiday budget, but end up blowing right through it as we aim to take advantage of as many "bargains" as we possibly can. Now, that's not to say we shouldn't seize a good deal for stuff that we use regularly. But if you know it's an item you'll stuff in a drawer or closet -- one you might not even remember you have in six months' time -- you should pass on it. Here are four valuable ho...

Because of the sweeping layoffs and closures caused by the coronavirus pandemic -- the effects of which were felt as early as March -- the economy is bruised and battered. The question on everyone's mind is, of course, how these turbulent economic conditions may affect them. Here are three things that are likely to remain higher than usual for the foreseeable future: 1. Unemployment. Looking to get a better job? With over 40 million Americans filing for unemployment during the pandemic and the real jobless rate purported to be at a staggering 24%, you might be better waiting out the economic storm. While the number of weekly jobless claims has dropped eight straight weeks since topping out at 6.9 million in April, it still marks 10 consecutive weeks with claims exceeding 2 million. To put this in perspective, before the coronovirus prompted the shutdown of  businesses across the U.S., weekly U.S. unemployment claims had averaged 218,000. Needless to say, those applying ...

These unprecedented economic times are turning normal shopping and saving patterns on their heads. Whether you work in hospitality or healthcare, finance or education, you've surely felt the effects either in your industry or in your personal life. Overall, U.S. retail sales dropped by a record 16.4% from March to April as business shutdowns caused by the coronavirus shellacked stores big and small. Unfortunately, many were already in a precarious state pre-pandemic thanks to stiff competition from Amazon. Nearly $1 of every $5 spent at retailers last month went to non-store retailers, signaling a definite shift toward online shopping. With exception to online, not a single retail category was spared in April. Furniture stores and appliance/electronics stores absorbed whopping losses of 60% or more. Car dealers saw a plunge of 13%. Even clothing retailers have been walloped. Clothing-store sales sagged 79% and department stores 29%. In recent weeks, J.Crew, Neiman Ma...

Grocery stores, considered essential businesses under stay-at-home orders, continue to operate during the coronavirus pandemic. Many people are making weekly trips to stores like Publix to stock up on meat, milk, bread, and other essentials -- provided they can find them. Unfortunately, some of the grocery stores have experienced jarring incidents of contamination. I'm not talking about people contracting the coronavirus, but contaminating produce and other items by licking or coughing on them! I kid you not.  Really, what the heck has gotten into people? Take Jennifer Walker, who was arrested at a California grocery store close to the Nevada border after licking $1,800 worth of merchandise. She placed several pieces of jewelry from the store on her hands and licked them, before loading her shopping cart containing other store items. The store deemed all of the items in her cart unsellable because of cross-contamination. Last month, an unnamed woman was arrested and...

Shallow individuals are those who place a great importance on things of a superficial nature rather than on meaningful ones that should carry the most weight. We all know at least one person (I know a few, as a matter of fact) who makes looks a top priority when assessing potential suitors. While looks certainly matter, a "face like Brad Pitt's" or a "body like Jennifer Lopez's" should not top anyone's list of must-haves. At the end of the day, physical chemistry may get the ball rolling, but it's the mental and emotional connection you establish with someone (and, hopefully, a spiritual one) that sustain a loving relationship. Sooner or later, we go gray, get old, and gain weight. We can't expect to look like we did in our 20s and 30s forever, nor expect as much of our partner. Beauty is only skin deep. Qualities like intelligence, kindness, loyalty, integrity, and a great sense of humor are reliable gauges of one's true characte...

Wouldn't you agree that it's better to be hurt with the truth than comforted with a lie ? It's no surprise people say that our closest friends give it to us straight -- they're the ones who don't sugarcoat anything, even if we may take it the wrong way at first. However, some people mistakenly assume that they're doing us a favor by not being completely open. They reason that it's worth it if it'll spare you those hurt feelings. What they don't consider, however, is how painful it can be to discover later on that the person wasn't being entirely honest. While it may seem like the person is acting in the other's best interest, they're really only thinking of themselves. Perhaps they fear that if the truth comes out, the relationship might change, or even be in jeopardy. But doesn't the person deserve the truth? Imagine how many marriages or relationships have come to an end as a result of one partner asserting with convictio...

I think it's safe to say we've all shopped or browsed on Amazon.com at some point. It is, after all, the largest Internet-based retailer in the world in terms of total sales and market capitalization, not to mention the fourth most valuable public company as of 2016. Amazon has separate websites for the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom/Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Australia, China, Brazil, Japan, India, and Mexico. To say that it has a global footprint is an understatement. With product lines ranging from apparel and books to jewelry and groceries, there's almost nothing a consumer can't find on the site, which was founded in 1994. According to a recent report, 55% of Americans begin their online shopping experience at Amazon.com. That's a 25% increase over 2015. If you're Amazon, you have to be pleased with those gaudy stats. It means that the retailer has achieved top of mind awareness in more than half of the population. And th...

As someone who studied and works in marketing and consumer psychology, I know full well how tempting it can be for consumers to spend money they don't have. You walk into a store and see shoes to die for that would look great with the spaghetti strap dress you bought moments ago. Or, you see a shirt you know your brother would dig, a pair of earrings that your mom will go gaga over, and a tool set that has your uncle's name all over it. Whether you're buying gifts for yourself or for friends/family, it makes sense to scour the internet and newspaper for the best deals you can find. Still, if you see that if your shopping list could easily translate into hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars in credit card debt, you'd be wise to pare it down a bit. You can start by only buying one gift per adult. Better yet, why not get one gift per couple? Things like towel sets and silverware sets are items for the home that anyone can use. You may be tempted to buy the li...

Your neighbor buys a brand new BMW -- the same one you eyed in a catalog last week -- and you burn with envy. Your coworker purchases a new house and invites you to a housewarming party. You debate whether to turn down the invitation only because you're angry that you haven't found a home for yourself after a frustrating two-year search.  There will always be things others possess that we wish we could own, too.  But comparing yourself to others and always trying to keep up with the Joneses is the wrong approach. If you want something badly, work hard to acquire it -- whether that means saving money for years, cutting vacations for a while, or angling for a promotion.  Once you have it in your possession, take pride in the fact that you accomplished a huge goal by virtue of your hard work -- that you rewarded yourself with something you truly deserved.  In other words, what you achieve should revolve solely around you -- not what others do o...

Yesterday, I stopped by Barnes & Noble on the way home, and I couldn't help but notice it looked unusually crowded. I felt like I was at a jam-packed Toys ''R" Us or Wal-Mart rather than a bookstore. Then I remembered: It's the holidays, dummy! And I went on a good day: Magazines were 30% off, so I snagged a special edition of TIME , which focused on the psychology of relationships, and the latest edition of Lapham's Quarterly , which centers on none other than my favorite historical figure of late -- Alexander Hamilton. I later ventured over to the kids aisle and saw a Star Wars toy that I know my nephew will go gaga over. And I grabbed it just in time, as a kid came up to me and asked where exactly had I seen the toy. To his dismay, it was the very last item of its kind in stock. It was only one day after Black Friday and I had already gotten a taste of the holiday shopping frenzy that's sure to sweep the nation over the next couple of week...

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...

Guess what's in style again? That's right -- shopping. CNN Money reports that retail sales rose 1.3% in April compared to the prior month -- the largest monthly gain in over a year and a promising sign that the U.S. economy is improving after a disappointing first quarter. But people aren't opening their wallets and swiping their credit cards for everything. Right now, beauty products, sporting goods, cars, and eating out at restaurants is the rage. Clothes and electronics, on the other hand, aren't as popular this spring. Investors fear that buyers just aren't excited about new clothing and accessories. Consumers also have a clear preference for shopping online, as evidenced by Amazon, whose stock hit a record high this week above $700 a share. Traditional big box stores like Macy's, whose stock tumbled 18% this week, are in dire straits. Some economists say that people shouldn't read into the bump in sales too much. They say the gains in April sa...

I don't know about you, but there's nothing more unpleasant than walking into a mall so overcrowded that you: Constantly bump into people Can't find anywhere to sit Are forced to stand in long lines And if the mall is that crowded, it usually means finding parking will be a huge headache, so the frustration begins even before one sets foot in the mall.  Granted, I live in South Florida, an area notorious for being heavily congested. Even if a crowded mall is the exception rather than the rule where you live, you've probably found yourself in a badly crowded venue at some point, whether a concert, nightclub, or theme park.  Making matters worse is having the urge to use the restroom and not being able to because it's out of service or there's a gaggle of people waiting to use it. Or, how about being so hungry you could eat a horse, but finding that the lines at the food court virtually snake around the building? Nothing spoils a good shopping...

It's Tuesday morning and I feel tired. Tired and lazy, to be more precise. But why is it that I feel this way if it's only Tuesday? I should feel more energetic given that the week has only just begun. Oh, now I remember... This past weekend, I did so many things that I couldn't possibly remember all of them -- from visiting my mom to going shopping to hanging out with friends to attending my sister's birthday dinner. (I know I missed a couple...) We have a tendency to cram so many things into our weekend itineraries -- after all, it's usually the only time people who work full-time have to run their errands -- that we fail to leave some time for much-needed rest and relaxation. That leaves us feeling awfully tired as we enter the new work week. When I'm tired, I get lethargic, and that translates into an unproductive worker. Usually, I make it a priority of mine to spend at least a few hours on Saturday and Sunday taking a breather. And you should t...

Gift cards are yet again expected to be among the hottest gifts of the year.  This should come as no surprise considering the myriad conveniences of gift cards as opposed to other items, both for the buyer and seller. When it comes to the buyer, he or she doesn't have to worry about the item not fitting the recipient or possibly breaking on the drive home. It's also nice not to have to stuff cash or a check in an envelope, which, studies show, people are more likely to misplace. The person who receives the gift has the freedom to use the gift card to buy whatever item(s) he or she desires, provided that the total doesn't exceed the amount on the card. The only time a gift card becomes an inconvenience is when the retailer(s) listed on the card are those you wouldn't be caught dead shopping at. For example, how would you feel if you, a vegetarian, received a $50 Burger King gift card? Before giving anyone a card, consumers should make sure the recipient regularly...

What would you do if someone gave you a cheap gift ?  With Christmas just a few weeks away, people are hitting the malls in full force, snagging everything from clothing to electronics. For some people, their holiday shopping list includes a few less expensive items they may plan to give to acquaintances or people they don't know all too well, like their kids' teachers, the cleaning lady at work, and so on. But sometimes we receive what we'd consider cheap gifts even from friends or relatives. This especially throws us for a loop when we've always given the other person higher-quality stuff. Would you feel the gift is a reflection of how much (or little) that individual values you? The first thing one has to determine is whether the person is strapped for cash. If he or she bought you something cheap because they really can't do any better at this time, then it's understandable. Most of us would probably do the same if we were in their shoes. The mere ...

It's a sobering reality that many people have come to associate Thanksgiving with shopping and Black Friday rather than regarding it as a day to halt the acquisition of more material possessions and give thanks for what they already have. The media, retailers, and consumers themselves are all to blame. I've lost count of the many news reports I've seen in which people begin to form lines outside of stores at the beginning of the week in anticipation of Black Friday. It's unfortunate that Black Friday has to be the day that immediately follows Thanksgiving. Why couldn't it have been, say, the Saturday after the holiday, or even the following weekend? It's utterly shameful that consumerism often overshadows the true meaning of Thanksgiving. Many people are more caught up with getting the best deals on computers and TVs than looking forward to spending time with friends and family. Let's not forget this: Unlike those whom we love, material goods can be ...

Recently, I published a post in which I shared an interesting finding -- that people can feel just as embarrassed buying sensitive products like condoms online as they would in person. To read the entry, click here:  Buying condoms online can be just as embarrassing . Something I feel would be worth digging up research on is the following: How often do men feel so embarrassed that they make their partners purchase the condoms for them? I spoke to someone on this blog who said she's been the one to do the condom shopping in her past two relationships. I feel men who leave it to their wives to procure protection because they're too embarrassed to do it themselves are being, shall I say, wusses? After all, women who opt to go on the pill have to make sure they take it every day at the same time and that they don't exhaust their supply. If the man is going to protect himself, he should be the one to buy the condoms. Even if he feels embarrassed, there's absolutely...

How many times have you gone into a store and seen signs that say something along these lines: "Supplies running fast!" "Buy them before they're gone!" "Only 5 left!" "Sale ends soon!" Now, be honest: How many times did you go through with the purchase because you believed what the signage said to be true? Yep, even I've fallen for it myself, and I actually majored in marketing and minored in psychology! In marketing and consumer psychology, it's what we call the scarcity principle : Consumers attach more value to things that are few in quantity and thus feel more compelled to purchase such items. But this isn't limited to brick-and-mortar stores -- companies also use this marketing tactic online. Take Amazon.com. At some point, you're bound to come across an item whose description includes "Only 3 left in stock. Order soon." Companies seldom run out of inventory, unless we're talking about much...

Generally speaking, women tend to be more (1) talkative, (2) sociable , and (2) excitable than men. At work, I notice this all the time. It's usually women who: Coordinate all the social events (cut birthday cakes, arrange anniversary parties, etc.) Are already yapping as soon as they arrive in the morning Get more easily roused by even trivial things (Oh my God! It's raining outside!) Chit chat about shopping, dining, and virtually anything else you can think of (except sports, maybe) Become more hyper when around others of the same sex Men, on the other hand, generally stay focused on their work and do less talking.  Now, I'm not implying that one way is necessarily better than the other. Whereas men are known to be logical creatures, women are usually driven by their emotions, which may partly explain the differences in temperament between the sexes. The world needs both! I've observed, however, that women at work also tend to pry into my busine...