Holiday Spending Frenzy Sparks ‘Giving Tuesday’ Following a slew of shopping days that drew consumers out by the millions, there’s a new cleverly named spending holiday on the scene — Giving Tuesday. Unlike its more consumption-oriented (and wildly successful) cousins Black Friday andCyber Monday, Giving Tuesday aims to persuade consumers to open up either their wallets or schedules for a good cause. The inaugural event was created by New York City’s 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation. It has attracted more than 2,000 partners, both registered charities that have committed to a Giving Tuesday initiative and for-profit businesses or groups that have pledged projects to benefit a charity. “#GivingTuesday offers America a new narrative, challenging us to think beyond Black Friday and Cyber Monday and reminding us that the spirit of the holiday giving season should be about community and not just consumerism,” said Kathy Calvin, the U.N. Foundation’s chief executive officer. As part of the initiative, companies such as JPMorgan Chase and Microsoft have launched various matching programs related to the holiday, while nonprofits are hosting social media and cybergiving drives along with volunteer events. Full story
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Holiday Spending Frenzy Sparks ‘Giving Tuesday’

Following a slew of shopping days that drew consumers out by the millions, there’s a new cleverly named spending holiday on the scene — Giving Tuesday.

Unlike its more consumption-oriented (and wildly successful) cousins Black Friday andCyber Monday, Giving Tuesday aims to persuade consumers to open up either their wallets or schedules for a good cause.

The inaugural event was created by New York City’s 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation. It has attracted more than 2,000 partners, both registered charities that have committed to a Giving Tuesday initiative and for-profit businesses or groups that have pledged projects to benefit a charity.

“#GivingTuesday offers America a new narrative, challenging us to think beyond Black Friday and Cyber Monday and reminding us that the spirit of the holiday giving season should be about community and not just consumerism,” said Kathy Calvin, the U.N. Foundation’s chief executive officer.

As part of the initiative, companies such as JPMorgan Chase and Microsoft have launched various matching programs related to the holiday, while nonprofits are hosting social media and cybergiving drives along with volunteer events.

Full story

Source: cnbc.com

Black Friday Sale? What’s a Sale, Millionaires Ask

We all know that millionaires won’t be joining the deal-hungry hordes fighting over $179 flat screens Friday morning.

But it turns out, they won’t be popping into Nordstrom’s either.

A survey from Spectrem Group showed that 83 percent of millionaires do not plan to go shopping at all on Black Friday. (They define millionaires as those with $1 million or more in investible assets.)

Millionaires are far more likely to avoid Black Friday that the middle- to upper-middle class. By contrast, nearly a third of those with $100,000 or more in investible assets plan to go shopping on Friday. 

Full story

Source: cnbc.com

A Stress-Free Holiday Is Only An App Away Plenty of smartphone and tablet apps can save you money, but many more can also save you time — and during the holiday season, time is money. Financial planners say that shoppers who devise a strategy are less likely to waste money and make budget-blowing, last-minute purchases.  Streamlining your price comparisons, keeping tabs on your budget and staying up-to-date on sales are a few of the tasks that apps can take off your hands. It only takes a little time to get familiar with the apps, and the time savings will pay off in the long run. We’ve pulled together a few apps that can help you get through your shopping and get to the part that really matters: enjoying your friends and family during the holidays.See the list   Photo: Yunics Arakon | E+ | Getty Images
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A Stress-Free Holiday Is Only An App Away

Plenty of smartphone and tablet apps can save you money, but many more can also save you time — and during the holiday season, time is money. Financial planners say that shoppers who devise a strategy are less likely to waste money and make budget-blowing, last-minute purchases. 

Streamlining your price comparisons, keeping tabs on your budget and staying up-to-date on sales are a few of the tasks that apps can take off your hands. It only takes a little time to get familiar with the apps, and the time savings will pay off in the long run.

We’ve pulled together a few apps that can help you get through your shopping and get to the part that really matters: enjoying your friends and family during the holidays.

See the list  


Photo: Yunics Arakon | E+ | Getty Images

Source: cnbc.com

Sign of the Apocalypse: Mass Panic Over Twinkies It’s over. Well, maybe. America woke up to the news that Hostess Brands would shut down. We wasted no time stocking up. At a Kroger owned Ralphs in Thousand Oaks, Calif., Steve Fusco was in the snack aisle shortly after doors opened. He was buying Hostess cupcakes. “My girlfriend loves them.” He walked away with the last two boxes. “I’m going to Vons next.” At a Vons in Burbank, a cashier said, “There’s been a run on Twinkies since 5 a.m.” Divya Khanna was being shown where the few remaining boxes could be found. “I don’t know what’s going on, but my husband called in a panic and told me to buy Twinkies.”  America’s capitalist spirit is testing what price the market will bear for Twinkies and other Hostess goodies on sites like eBay. Craigslist—$10,000 for Twinkies? That’s what one seller is asking. “One of the last boxes for the Zombie Apocalypse!”Full story  Photo:Ryan Ruggiero | CNBC.com
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Sign of the Apocalypse: Mass Panic Over Twinkies

It’s over. Well, maybe.

America woke up to the news that Hostess Brands would shut down.

We wasted no time stocking up.

At a Kroger owned Ralphs in Thousand Oaks, Calif., Steve Fusco was in the snack aisle shortly after doors opened. He was buying Hostess cupcakes. “My girlfriend loves them.” He walked away with the last two boxes. “I’m going to Vons next.”

At a Vons in Burbank, a cashier said, “There’s been a run on Twinkies since 5 a.m.”

Divya Khanna was being shown where the few remaining boxes could be found. “I don’t know what’s going on, but my husband called in a panic and told me to buy Twinkies.” 

America’s capitalist spirit is testing what price the market will bear for Twinkies and other Hostess goodies on sites like eBay. Craigslist—$10,000 for Twinkies? That’s what one seller is asking. “One of the last boxes for the Zombie Apocalypse!”

Full story 


Photo:Ryan Ruggiero | CNBC.com

Source: cnbc.com

Obama Leading Romney in Craft Beer ‘Alection’ As the 2012 U.S. Presidential race nears the finish line, the most current polls show the contest to be a statistical dead heat nationwide, but there is one place where President Barack Obama is winning by wide margin: Half Moon Bay Brewing Company. The small California-based brew pub is holding what it calls the “Presidential Alection.” Half Moon Bay has been asking consumers to “cast their vote” with their beer purchases and is keeping a tally. It sells 22-ounce bottles of its Pillar Point Ale with either a blue label and a smiling Barack Obama or a red label and a grinning Mitt Romney. Both cost $4.50 each. As we near Election Day, 150 cases of the Obama beer have been sold versus 40 cases for Romney, though the GOP nominee has been trending up slightly in recent months. Full story
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Obama Leading Romney in Craft Beer ‘Alection’

As the 2012 U.S. Presidential race nears the finish line, the most current polls show the contest to be a statistical dead heat nationwide, but there is one place where President Barack Obama is winning by wide margin: Half Moon Bay Brewing Company.

The small California-based brew pub is holding what it calls the “Presidential Alection.” Half Moon Bay has been asking consumers to “cast their vote” with their beer purchases and is keeping a tally. It sells 22-ounce bottles of its Pillar Point Ale with either a blue label and a smiling Barack Obama or a red label and a grinning Mitt Romney. Both cost $4.50 each.

As we near Election Day, 150 cases of the Obama beer have been sold versus 40 cases for Romney, though the GOP nominee has been trending up slightly in recent months.

Full story

Source: cnbc.com

World’s Most Expensive Places to Live 2012 According to a new report from human resources firm Mercer Consulting, the cost of living in North American, Asian and African cities has been rising this past year, despite the global slowdown.The study looked at 214 cities worldwide and used New York City as the benchmark. Mercer’s annual cost of living survey is used by multinational companies to determine compensation for their expatriate employees around the world. The rankings are based on the cost of more than 200 items in each location including housing, transportation, food, clothing and entertainment.So, which cities are the most expensive to live in? Full Story Photo: José Fuste Raga | Getty Images
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World’s Most Expensive Places to Live 2012

According to a new report from human resources firm Mercer Consulting, the cost of living in North American, Asian and African cities has been rising this past year, despite the global slowdown.The study looked at 214 cities worldwide and used New York City as the benchmark. Mercer’s annual cost of living survey is used by multinational companies to determine compensation for their expatriate employees around the world. The rankings are based on the cost of more than 200 items in each location including housing, transportation, food, clothing and entertainment.So, which cities are the most expensive to live in?

Full Story


Photo: José Fuste Raga | Getty Images

Source: cnbc.com

Don’t forget to catch J.Crew & the Man Who Dressed America tonight at 10 pm ET with re-air at 1 am ET on CNBC.  For more info, visit insidejcrew.cnbc.com  Get a sneak peek of tonight’s show! Jenna Lyons & J.Crew Inside the Popular J.Crew Catalog Mickey Drexler on Design
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Don’t forget to catch J.Crew & the Man Who Dressed America tonight at 10 pm ET with re-air at 1 am ET on CNBC.  For more info, visit insidejcrew.cnbc.com 

Get a sneak peek of tonight’s show!

Jenna Lyons & J.Crew

Inside the Popular J.Crew Catalog

Mickey Drexler on Design

Source: cnbc.com

“J.Crew and the Man Who Dressed America” premieres Thursday, May 24th at 10 pm ET on CNBC.

Mickey Drexler is the “King of Retail” turning fashion labels into iconic brands.  Discover how he took J.Crew from tired to trendy and changed the way a nation dressed for success.

For more show info, visit J.Crew and the Man Who Dressed America

Source: cnbc.com

Savings at the Pump Still Supreme For Car Buyers The price at the pump may be falling, but interest in buying a fuel-efficient model remains high. In fact, the latest survey on consumer attitudes shows saving money on gas is the top factor impacting what model car buyers are looking for.  Consumer Reports surveyed 2,009 Americans and found 35 percent have cut back on driving. Among those thinking of buying a new car, 37 percent said fuel economy was the top factor, followed by quality (17 percent), safety (16 percent), value (14 percent) and performance (6 percent). Full Story Photo: Bloomberg | Getty Images
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Savings at the Pump Still Supreme For Car Buyers

The price at the pump may be falling, but interest in buying a fuel-efficient model remains high. In fact, the latest survey on consumer attitudes shows saving money on gas is the top factor impacting what model car buyers are looking for.  Consumer Reports surveyed 2,009 Americans and found 35 percent have cut back on driving. Among those thinking of buying a new car, 37 percent said fuel economy was the top factor, followed by quality (17 percent), safety (16 percent), value (14 percent) and performance (6 percent).

Full Story


Photo: Bloomberg | Getty Images

Source: cnbc.com

Spirit Airlines Raising Carry-On Bag Fee to $100 Spirit Airlines, the low-cost carrier, is raising its carry-on baggage fee to $100 if the fee is charged at the departure gate. The higher fee is more than double the current $45 charge.  The new fee takes effect Nov. 6, when the airline standardizes all fees across domestic and international flights. Full Story
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Spirit Airlines Raising Carry-On Bag Fee to $100

Spirit Airlines, the low-cost carrier, is raising its carry-on baggage fee to $100 if the fee is charged at the departure gate. The higher fee is more than double the current $45 charge.  The new fee takes effect Nov. 6, when the airline standardizes all fees across domestic and international flights.

Full Story

Source: cnbc.com

Wal-Mart in Mexico: Bribe or Operating Procedure? The $24 million Wal-Mart Stores’ Mexican affiliate allegedly paid in 2005 to win market dominance may look like a bribe to U.S. regulators but it’s standard operating procedure in Mexico, according to a former government official in Mexico.  ”I have no idea how Wal-Mart operates but I do know how Mexico operates,” former foreign minister Jorge Castaneda told CNBC’s Squawk on the Street Monday. Full Story
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Wal-Mart in Mexico: Bribe or Operating Procedure?

The $24 million Wal-Mart Stores’ Mexican affiliate allegedly paid in 2005 to win market dominance may look like a bribe to U.S. regulators but it’s standard operating procedure in Mexico, according to a former government official in Mexico.  ”I have no idea how Wal-Mart operates but I do know how Mexico operates,” former foreign minister Jorge Castaneda told CNBC’s Squawk on the Street Monday.

Full Story

Source: cnbc.com

Apples Are Growing in American Homes Half of all U.S. households own at least one Apple product, according to CNBC’s All-America Economic survey.  Americans don’t stop with just one device. Homes that own least one Apple, own an average of three. Overall, the average household has 1.6 Apple devices. How many Apple products do you own?
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Apples Are Growing in American Homes

Half of all U.S. households own at least one Apple product, according to CNBC’s All-America Economic survey.  Americans don’t stop with just one device. Homes that own least one Apple, own an average of three. Overall, the average household has 1.6 Apple devices.

How many Apple products do you own?

Source: cnbc.com

TONIGHT ON CNBC at 9 pm ET — Luxury Boom: The New Big Spenders

More on Luxury Boom:

Why Do These Goods Cost So Much?

Source: cnbc.com

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