By Dena Cassella, Digital Trends
Posted February 11th 2010

Heart-cut diamonds nestled in a ribbon-tied box, a decadent assortment of chocolate treats or a string of pearls with a name-engraved clasp-all are classic gifts to bestow upon that special someone this Valentine’s Day. Don’t tell Cupid, though: Times and tastes are changing, with today’s woman really hoping [...]

Smartmoney.com
Posted February 8th 2010

Getting a good deal on flowers this Valentine’s Day requires that you not linger too long when you stop to smell the roses.
Valentine’s Day is the biggest holiday for fresh flower sales, accounting for 40 percent of annual revenue, according to the Society of American Florists, a trade group. Prices can easily top [...]

Walletpop.com
Ken and Daria Dolan
Posted January 27th 2010
Unfortunately, we all have to go through the painstaking process of doing our taxes. For those who want to get it over with now, Ken and Daria Dolan have some simple steps you can take that will take some of the stress out of tax season.
In a Dolans.com survey, [...]

CNN.com
By John Sutter, CNN

SAN FRANCISCO (CNN) — Apple CEO Steve Jobs on Wednesday settled weeks of rampant speculation, unveiling the iPad tablet computer.

“What this device does is extraordinary,” Jobs said at an invitation-only event.
The tablet will act as a sort of missing link between a smartphone and laptop.

Walletpop.com
Ron Dicker
Posted January 20th 2010
Thieves don’t need sticky fingers anymore to take your hard-earned cash. They’re getting your ATM to spit it out for them. And they’re doing it a rate that might make hiding your loot under the mattress is the smartest move you can make.
ATM skimming, in which crooks gain access to the [...]

Dailyfinance.com
JOSEPH LAZZARO Posted 6:00 AM 01/13/10
American consumers can’t catch a break. Jobs are hard to find and wages are stagnant for those who are still working. And now higher gasoline prices threaten to take the few pennies that are still rolling around at the bottom of the piggy bank.
Currently, U.S. gasoline consumption is relatively low, [...]

Walletpop.com
Martha C. White
Posted January 10th 2010
Some of us do it every day: We swipe our debit card then either sign our name or enter a PIN number — and (voila!) the purchase is done. But little do consumers know that when they sign for a purchase they are costing retailers significantly more than if they [...]

autos.yahoo.com
Updated and adapted from the book, “1,001 Things They Won’t Tell You An Insider’s Guide to Spending, Savings, and Living Wisely,” by Jonathan Dahl and the editors of Smart Money
Posted January 3rd 2010
1. “When I say this is a good policy, I mean it’s good for me.”
While agents can help you navigate auto policies, some may [...]

aol.com

Jonathan Berr, Aol Small Business

Posted January 3rd. 2010

Infomercial king A.J. Khubani does not like to play the role of dream destroyer (ahem, Simon Cowell), but he has little choice at the company’s bi-monthly “inventors days” where would-be entrepreneurs pitch what they hope will be the next Snuggie or Pocket Fisherman in an American Idol-style competition.

Khubani, [...]

Smartmoney.com
Consumer Action by AnnaMaria Andriotis

Ten years ago, most homes relied on dial-up connections to access the Internet and iPods, flat-screen TVs and the Nintendo Wii didn’t exist.
As we prepare to ring in 2010, consumer should expect to see more revolutionary products supplanting old mainstays. In media, DVDs, books, newspapers and magazines will [...]