shopping

You know about shopping holidays like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but how about Back-to-School Saturday?

Because Walmart doesn’t yet blanket enough of the US (and beyond), the retailer is now rolling out smaller versions of itself called Walmart Express stores. And they already seem quite profitable.

With the popularity of eBay and craigslist, it has become very easy to get great deals on “gently used” items without leaving the comfort of your home, but as the weather warms up, we can’t deny that there is just something much more exciting about finding those great deals while on the hunt at garage sales all over town.

What do Amazon, Apple, and L.L. Bean have in common? They all ranked at the top of their categories in a recent study tracking customer satisfaction with online retailers.

Now that Americans have had some time to pay off those Christmas bills, it looks like they’re ready to open their wallets for another holiday — Easter. But how much will each of us drop on things like candy, gifts and Easter dresses?

The US economy may be improving, but on a personal level, things aren’t always quite so rosy. In fact, a new report says more than half of Americans are still struggling just to buy necessities.

Stores like Walmart and Kroger are sick of the practice of “staking,” in which frugal shoppers combine store and manufacturer coupons in a way that makes their items cost next to nothing — or even, in some cases, actually earns them store credit or cash back.

Coupons are making a comeback, thanks to Americans trying to find ways to deal with the economic downturn. According to NCH Marketing Services’ 2012 coupon facts survey, we redeemed $4.6 billion worth last year, a 59 percent increase from five years ago. But what do we use them for most?