The Consumer is Looking Better

Posted by Richard on October 10, 2017

Kiplinger’s latest forecast on retail sales and consumer spending: GDP *2.1% pace in ’17, 2.4% in ’18 JOBS *Hiring pace should slow to 175K/month by end ’17 INTEREST RATES *10-year T-notes at 2.4% by end ’17 INFLATION *2.0% in ’18, up from 1.4% in ’17 BUSINESS SPENDING *Rising 3%-4% in ’17, after flat ’16 ENERGY […]

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11 Tricks to Shopping at Amazon’s Whole Foods Without Going Broke

Posted by Richard on

With online megaretailer Amazon.com now firmly in control of Whole Foods, ways to save money at that grocer are growing exponentially. Amazon purchased Whole Foods for $13.7 billion and, as of August 28 its first day of ownership, slashed prices on an array of items (and promised more were to come). They include organic rotisserie […]

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Give Your 401(k) a Midyear Checkup

Posted by Richard on

Now is a good time to review your 401(k) contributions to make sure you’re getting your employer’s full match. Q. I’ve been contributing to my 401(k), and my employer matches a portion of my contributions. Does the $18,000 maximum for contributions include the employer match, or does it apply only to my individual contributions? Is […]

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3 Greatest Retailer Stocks of All Time

Posted by Richard on

The emergence of big-box chain stores and the explosion of e-commerce have combined to wreak havoc on the landscape of modern retailing. Storied names such as Sears and Kmart are struggling to survive; others, such as RadioShack and Circuit City, couldn’t. But three retailers, in particular, have not only survived but thrived for decades in […]

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