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☆ I've stayed at the cheapest hotels Disney World and Universal Orlando have to offer. Only one blew me away.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Amanda Krause | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I stayed at the cheapest hotels onsite at Disney World and Universal Orlando earlier this year. That's what I thought until one trip to a Universal Orlando value hotel. While Disney World is home to princesses, Star Wars characters, Marvel superheroes, and Pixar cartoons, Universal Orlando boasts Harry Potter, Minions, and Transformers. Abigail Nilsson/Getty ImagesWhere Universal may have Disney beat: value hotel roomsI've stayed at Disney World's value resorts on multiple occasions throughout my life. I love staying at Disney World's value resorts overall, but based on this experience, I think Universal Orlando offers better rooms.

Persons: —, I've, you'll, Marvel, Harry Potter, Abigail Nilsson, Amanda Krause, I'm Organizations: Disney World, Universal Orlando, Universal, Service, Disney, Sports, Hollywood Studios, Magic, Universal Studios, Wars, Pixar, Star Resorts Locations: Orlando , Florida, Universal Orlando, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, EPCOT

☆ US Cyber Monday online sales set to cross $12 billion as big discounts lure shoppers - report
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Boxes ready to be delivered are seen during Cyber Monday at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Robbinsville Township in New Jersey, U.S., November 28, 2022. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 27 (Reuters) - U.S. shoppers looking for steep discounts are set to boost Cyber Monday online sales to a record $12 billion to $12.4 billion, splurging on products like Barbie dolls and headphones, data from Adobe Analytics showed. The midpoint of the range represents a jump of nearly 8%, better than Adobe's initial forecast of a 6.1% rise to $12 billion, easing concerns of a lackluster 2023 holiday shopping season. Salesforce also predicted Cyber Monday online sales would grow in the high-single-digit percentage range, both globally and in the United States. Reporting by Juby Babu and Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja DesaiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Eduardo Munoz, Barbie, Salesforce, Juby Babu, Deborah Sophia, Pooja Desai Organizations: REUTERS, Adobe Analytics, Thomson Locations: Robbinsville Township, New Jersey, U.S, United States, Bengaluru

☆ Black Friday Deals Start Early, but Shoppers Are Choosy This Year
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Sarah Nassauer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Many households have already begun gift buying in a year in which inflation has sapped demand for some items. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg NewsMillions of Americans are headed to stores on Black Friday, but retailers are navigating through a holiday season in which shoppers aren’t splurging as much as they have in recent years. Many households have already begun their gift buying in a year when high prices for food and other inflation have sapped demand for apparel, home décor and other items people may want but not need.

Persons: Elijah Nouvelage Organizations: Bloomberg

☆ I'm a Swiftie Dad who traded a family summer vacation to take my kids across the country to an Eras Tour concert. It was worth every penny.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Cork Gaines | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

We had already been to one Taylor Swift concert, but we wanted to try for a better experience. Additionally, I decided the family needed to forgo our usual summer family vacation and travel from Texas to Los Angeles for our second Taylor Swift "The Eras Tour" concert. A view from the author's seats at the Taylor Swift concert in Houston. The author's better half and their oldest daughter before a Taylor Swift concert in Los Angeles. Photos taken by the author's daughters at the LA Taylor Swift concert.

Persons: Taylor Swift, —, Swifties, Swift, Hannah Gaines, Cork, splurging, Clare, Taylor, Cork Gaines, Hannah, LA Taylor, Clare Gaines, Hannah Gaines Clare Organizations: Service, Ticketmaster, Cork Gaines, Business, Disney World, LA Locations: LA, Texas, Los Angeles, Houston, New York City, Ireland, Puerto Rico

☆ Lowe’s, Best Buy and Kohl’s predict weak holiday
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Best Buy, Lowe’s and Kohl’s all reported sales declines during their most recent quarter Tuesday and are forecasting holiday sales to drop from a year ago. In 2021, Holiday shopping sales spiked by 14% and grew by a healthy 5% last year. But Moody’s Investors Service said in a report today that consumers are “losing spending steam” and holiday sales will grow by just 1% to 3% this year. “Retailers offering a combination of value and non-discretionary essentials will see their sales outperform the broader retail industry this holiday season,” according to Moody’s. “One trend that’s sticking is a longer holiday season.

Persons: Corie Barry, TJ Maxx, Moody’s, ”, Berna Barshay Organizations: New, New York CNN, Shoppers, Consumer, Moody’s, Service, Walmart, Costco, “ Retailers, Retailers, Sporting Goods Locations: New York

☆ SPL director Emenalo hoping for quiet January window
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 17 (Reuters) - Saudi Pro League (SPL) clubs should only sign players of the "highest level" in the January transfer window after aggressively splashing out in the summer, the league's director of football, Michael Emenalo, said. The outlay of $957 million in the Saudi summer window, which closed on Sept. 7, saw several high-profile players including Neymar, Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante move to the league. The league's spending exceeded that of four of Europe's "big five" leagues with only Britain's Premier League clubs splurging more on transfers than those in the Middle Eastern country. "I think we accomplished what we wanted to accomplish, which was to get our foot into the market and compete aggressively," Emenalo said in an interview on the SPL website. "But, also, we wanted to do that while giving every single club in the league an opportunity to improve.

Persons: Michael Emenalo, Karim Benzema, Emenalo, it's, Aadi Nair, Robert Birsel Organizations: Saudi Pro League, Neymar, Britain's Premier League, SPL, Thomson Locations: Saudi, Bengaluru

☆ These luxury stocks won't lose their luster even as sales growth slows to pre-pandemic levels
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

After three years of record growth, luxury companies are feeling the pain as sales slow to a more normal pace. Nowhere have the struggles of the luxury sector been more prominent than in the French conglomerate LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton , the group's bellwether. This dynamic tends to hurt the less-prestigious luxury brands more, according to Rogerio Fujimori, an analyst at Stifel. "Chinese [consumers] are back to Southeast Asia and Japan, but there's still a long way to go in terms of Europe. LVMH and other European luxury brands have been market leaders among European equities since 2021 until the first half of 2023.

Persons: Richemont, Burkhart Grund, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Ashley Wallace, Bernstein, Luca Sola, Rogerio Fujimori, Fujimori, Wallace, Stifel's Fujimori, there's, Richemont's Grund, —, Fujimori foresees, we've, Hermes, Brunello, Thomas Chauvet, Louis Vuitton, Brunello Cucinelli, LVMH, Dior, Markus Hansen, Hansen, America's Wallace, It's, Vontobel's Hansen, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Cartier, Bank of America, U.S, U.S ., EU, Europe, Citi, Bank, Gucci, Bottega Locations: U.S, Europe, Japan, China, Southeast Asia, China's, Thursday's, Kering

☆ How some HENRYs are aggressively saving their around 6-figure incomes while still splurging on what matters most to them
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"When some people look at our lives, they say we are really thrifty, that we must feel limited or that we are missing out, but I don't feel held back," White said. AdvertisementAdvertisementWhite is one of the so-called HENRYs — or high earners, not rich yet — who are often younger people with significant discretionary income but who still don't feel financially stable. For many HENRYs, living below their means is the key to relying less on their working income in the future. Coupled with saving for retirement and paying off student loans — averaging $80,000 among Malani's clients — many don't have much money to spend. "In a lot of ways, saving money gives us freedom."

Persons: Gen Zers, —, hasn't, she's, White, Priya Malani, HENRYs, Malani, Sarah Baus, Baus, it's, splurging Organizations: Service, Hyundai Locations: Charleston, SC, Thailand, New York, California

After my dad stressed the importance of saving, I decided to focus on different financial goals. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . If you want to know how you find yourself living paycheck to paycheck, ignoring this advice is it. A bit of truth here: The thought of living paycheck to paycheck really scares me.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Financial

NEW YORK (AP) — The National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, expects holiday sales growth will slow to a range of 3% to 4%, compared with 5.4% growth of a year ago. For the holiday 2021 season, sales for the two-month period surged 12.7%. Analysts say that shoppers could become rattled if the Israel-Hamas war is not contained, particularly heading into the critical holiday season. Political Cartoons View All 1230 ImagesThe forecast from the retail trade group considers a variety of indicators including employment, wages, consumer confidence, disposable income, consumer credit, previous retail sales and weather. The consulting firm Deloitte expects holiday sales to jump between 3.5% and 4.6%.

Persons: It's, Craig Johnson, They’re, Kohl’s, It’s, ”, Christie Raymond, “ We’re, they’ve, they’re Organizations: National Retail Federation, Analysts, Federal, Federal Reserve, Fed, Mastercard SpendingPulse, Deloitte, Growth Partners, clogs Locations: Israel

☆ Retailers predict a slower holiday shopping season
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Retailers are projecting slower growth this holiday shopping season as inflation, higher borrowing costs, and the resumption of student loan repayments cause many consumers to pull back. The government reported that strong consumer spending drove the economy to a robust 4.9% annual growth rate in the July-September quarter. Consumer confidence dropped for the third consecutive month despite the booming economy. The resumption of student loan repayments last month after a three-year pause could also impact consumer spending. “Student loan repayments will diminish the already dwindling savings among younger households,” Moody’s said in a report this week.

Persons: Matthew Shay, ” Dana Peterson, “ Consumers, ”, ” Moody’s, ” Shay Organizations: New, New York CNN — Retailers, National Retail Federation, “, Consumer, Conference Board, Consumers Locations: New York, splurging

The odds of winning a Powerball grand prize are 1 in 292 million. AdvertisementAdvertisementIt's common knowledge that the odds of winning big in the lottery are incredibly low. The chances of winning a Powerball grand prize are about 1 in 292 million, and about 1 in 302 million for a Mega Millions grand prize. The biggest Powerball jackpot to date was a $2.04 billion prize, won in California in November 2022. From multi-million dollar homes to medical bills, here's how lottery winners are spending their cash prizes.

Persons: they'd, they've Organizations: North American Association of State, Provincial Locations: California

☆ With Gen Z, millennials now the biggest ‘dupe’ shoppers, online culture has ‘flipped the script,’ analyst says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

So-called girl math is not the only trend spurred by users on the short-form video app TikTok. "Dupes," short for "duplicate," are cheaper alternatives to premium or luxury consumer products, and they are increasingly popular among Gen Z and millennial shoppers and app users. While nearly one-third of adults, 31%, have intentionally purchased a dupe of a premium product at some point, Gen Z and millennials have higher participation rates: roughly 49% and 44%, respectively, according to Morning Consult. "The online culture of dupe shopping, accelerated by TikTok especially in the last few years, has flipped the script," said Ellyn Briggs, brands analyst at Morning Consult. While shoppers may miss out on the experience luxury products provide, dupes are less expensive versions that help consumers save money and test an item before splurging on the real thing.

Persons: Z, Gen, Ellyn Briggs, that's, Marisa Meltzer, Meltzer, Emily Weiss's Glossier Organizations: TikTok, Morning, Finance Locations: New York

She says most medical professionals aren't taught three important financial concepts. Now Burton coaches her colleagues on personal finance through her business, Strive With Kristin, where over 1,000 medical professionals have enrolled in her courses and purchased her ebooks. Burton says that most medical professionals aren't taught three basic personal finance concepts that could drastically change their financial outlook after graduating from college. It can work against you in the context of debt, but it can work in your favor if you're investing money. Burton says that medical professionals new to the workforce try to "keep up with the Joneses" and splurge on luxury items they can't afford.

Persons: Kristin Burton, aren't, —, Burton, Kristin, we're, doesn't Organizations: Service

If accurate, that would amount to the fastest quarterly pace in nearly two years and up sharply from a 2.1% growth rate in the April-June quarter. Some economists have estimated that last quarter's annual growth could turn out to be as high as 4.5%. Americans likely drove the economy by stepping up their spending, splurging on everything from cars to concert tickets to restaurant meals. Fed officials have acknowledged the pickup in growth, which could potentially undercut their efforts to fight inflation. With inflation generally easing, the Fed is expected to keep its short-term rate unchanged when it meets next week.

Persons: Biden, Jerome Powell, Powell, “ Organizations: WASHINGTON, Fed, JPMorgan Locations: U.S, United Kingdom, Europe

☆ Hermes sales beat expectations, defying luxury sector gloom
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Mimosa Spencer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A Hermes store sign is seen at a shopping mall in San Diego, California, U.S., November 23, 2022. "Despite an uncertain context, our outlook remains unchanged," Eric du Halgouet, Hermes executive vice president finance, told journalists, noting strong growth in the U.S. and Asia, including China. Sales in the Americas rose 20%, despite smaller price hikes than in other parts of the world, with even growth rates on both U.S. coasts, Hermes said. In Europe, sales grew 18.1%, with Du Halgouet noting no sign of a slowdown in tourist traffic in the region, and no slowdown in France, including in the first weeks of October. "We are attentive," said Du Halgouet, noting an uncertain geopolitical context could affect tourism.

Persons: Mike Blake, Birkin, bellwether, Hermes, Eric du Halgouet, Du Halgouet, Bernstein, Luca Solca, Mimosa Spencer, Ingrid Melander, Jan Harvey Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Analysts, Thomson Locations: San Diego , California, U.S, Asia, China, Americas, Madison, New York, Europe, France, Japan

She started investing early, and increased her rate of investment after learning about FIRE. And these accounts are separate from Pham's husband — together their estimated net worth is just under $2 million. And when it feels easier to just spend freely, tracking her net worth has helped keep her focused. "That gives us another safety net," Pham says, noting the pension as an added benefit to working in public service. "By then, we should have at least $2 million in net worth.

Persons: Mia Pham, —, Pham, haven't, they've, Roth, maxing, doesn't, it's, they're Organizations: Service, Roth IRA, Toyota Locations: San Diego —, San Diego

☆ Kohl’s holiday look previews the retailer’s plans to snap out of sales slump
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Melissa Repko | CNBCAs shoppers head to Kohl's stores this holiday season, they will see gift ideas, Christmas ornaments and a potential glimpse of the retailer's future. Kohl's has leaned in by opening more Sephora shops inside of its stores. It'll be a bigger part of this holiday season. A year ago, roughly half of Kohl's stores had a Sephora shop. Pet merchandise is getting more square footage at Kohl's stores.

Persons: Merchant Nick Jones, Melissa Repko, Tom Kingsbury, Michelle Gass, Levi Strauss, Kohl's, Kingsbury, Christie Raymond, Covid, Raymond said, splurge, It'll, Raymond, Sephora, it's, Nick Jones, It's, Jones, Fido Organizations: CNBC, Burlington Stores, Franchise Group, Kohl's, Marks, ASDA, Walmart, Bed Locations: Ramsey , New Jersey, Kohl's

☆ CNBC Daily Open: Consumers in U.S. and China are powering their economies
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Yeo Boon Ping | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. The bureau also said retail sales spiked 5.5% and industrial production grew 4.5% in September, compared with a year earlier. U.S. markets wavered Tuesday as investors digested September's U.S. retail sales report and third-quarter earnings from banks. Retail sales in China also jumped more than expected in September, buoying the country's third-quarter GDP growth. Indeed, the specter of high inflation and, correspondingly, higher-for-longer interest rates, haunted the retail report, at least for the U.S.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, David Russell of TradeStation, That'd, It's, Russell, Chris Zaccarelli Organizations: CNBC, Bank of America, Bank of, National Bureau of Statistics, Consumers, U.S, Treasury, Nasdaq, Dow Jones, Independent, Alliance Locations: China, Asia, Pacific, Shanghai

☆ How Long Can the American Consumer Keep Splurging?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Sarah Chaney Cambon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/economy/consumers/us-economy-retail-sales-september-2023-5982a6f

Persons: Dow Jones

☆ The American Consumer Keeps Splurging
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Sarah Chaney Cambon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Dow Jones

☆ As the holidays approach, shoppers are in a mood to spend – on their homes and themselves
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Spending on the holiday season is expected to rebound to – and even surpass – pre-pandemic levels this year for the first time. The year-end months of November and December typically are dominated by shoppers scouring stores for deals and discounts on seasonal merchandise, including gifts. “As many as 82% of shoppers said they plan to spend on non-gift purchases such as decorations. While gift spending is still expected to grow 9% over last year, the report said people plan to buy one fewer gift versus last year. “In terms of the allocation of holiday dollars, the biggest increase that we saw is in the non-gift group,” said Skelly.

Persons: –, it’s, Skelly, It’s, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, Deloitte, Retail Survey, CNN Locations: New York

☆ Americans Are Splurging on Pint-Sized Pet Pampering
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Joseph Pisani | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Berkus and Brent said they designed for little creatures as they do for people—using clean lines and neutral colors. There’s no neon seaweed or sunken pirate ships. Instead, they went with green plastic olive trees and black pottery that fish can swim into. Berkus, left, and Brent attend Nate + Jeremiah For Living Spaces at HNYPT. Photo: Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Living Spaces

Persons: Brent, Nate, Amy Sussman, Getty

☆ Splurging on Taylor Swift tickets and a 'funflation' economy is hitting Best Buy's sales, says its CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Kai Xiang Teo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

"Funflation" refers to higher consumer demand for fun experiences, which inflates the prices of these experiences. Big ticket items in electronics are drawing less consumer interest than Taylor Swift tickets and other fun experiences, Barry said at a Fortune event. AdvertisementAdvertisementCorie Barry, the CEO of electronics retailer Best Buy, thinks that splurging on Taylor Swift tickets and "funflation" is hurting her company's bottom line. Bloomberg analysts estimated in August that Taylor Swift and Beyoncé's concert tours would add around $5.4 billion to the US economy's GDP. Best Buy and Barry did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider, sent outside regular business hours.

Persons: Corie Barry, Taylor Swift, Barry, —, splurging, Brett, Insider's Sirena Bergman Organizations: Service, Bloomberg, Columbia Business School, Bank of America

☆ I use a rainy day cash fund to splurge on items like SZA tickets. My method is a little 'girl math' and a little 'cash stuffing,' but it works for me.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

I bought SZA concert tickets with a rainy day cash fund. On the back in gold gel-pen letters, I'd written "Rainy Day Cash." Inside was a small amount of cash I'd received for my birthday a couple of months ago. Girl math became the topic of viral videos on TikTok in which women justify spending money on coffee, clothes, or concert tickets because the cost is relative to the value they place on it. Timothy Norris/GettyMy cash envelope was similar to another personal finance strategy called " cash stuffing ," by which people budget their monthly expenses in cash envelopes and only spend what they have set aside for each category.

Persons: —, Taylor, I'd, Imani Barbarin, SZA, Timothy Norris, Getty Organizations: Service, Ticketmaster, Barclays Center

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