A few shopping reminders for this holiday season:

The economy is in the shitter.  Cash is king.

Sweatshops are getting more pickier on what they make.

Quality is getting worse.

The price of plastic is hugely dependent on the price of oil.

Ignore manufacturer suggested list prices (MSRP)- it is an exercise in abstract theory.

Ignore %’s OFF.  They jinx you.  Do the real math at the end.

Video games and movies are just information placed on a 25¢ plastic disc.

Flat screen TV’s will continue to drop in prices.

The “best” appliances are never the most expensive ones.

No matter how hard they try, e-readers will never replace books.

Don’t get caught up in the hype on a product launch.

You can get a great bottle of wine under $10.  Trust me.

Don’t wait over 20 minutes on line for anything!

And… always try to haggle.  It is not a shameful thing!

oh… and “the best” cupcakes and bagels are ridiculously overrated.

Good Luck!