High prices ranked as the number one concern among homebuyers in the second quarter of 2015, according to a survey of over 3,300 homebuyers conducted by Redfin, the next-generation real estate brokerage. The high cost of real estate in the second quarter edged out last year’s number one concern of limited inventory. The survey found that 27% of homebuyers in the second quarter responded that high prices were their top concern and 17% listed competition from other buyers. First-time buyers were especially sensitive to price growth, with 31% listing it as their top concern. Repeat homebuyers were nearly twice as…
Archive for August, 2015
Frugal Fairy? Tooth Fairy Paying Out Less This Year
Posted on August 21, 2015 by Saldutti
The Federal Reserve may have one more reason to worry about not hitting its inflation target. In its 6th annual Tooth Fairy survey, Visa found that American children are paid $3.19 per lost tooth on average, that’s down a whooping 24 cents from last year and marks the second consecutive year of declining tooth prices. Based on the latest data the average kid can expect to earn $64 of tooth income over the course of his or her career. “The Tooth Fairy is finally fluttering back to earth,” observed Nat Sillin, Visa’s director of global financial education. Visa did not estimate the size of the total under-the-pillow market or…
Wearables Combine Fitness and Finance
Posted on August 19, 2015 by Saldutti
Health and wellness apps may not much in common with small-business payments and merchant services, but it was the fitness-tracking craze that lit a fire under Intuit to build an Apple Watch app for its clients. Intuit released its GoPayment Sales Goal Tracker, which allows small-business owners to view transaction performance through an Apple Watch. The idea is the client can track payments data similar to how one might use an Apple Watch or Fitbit to track progress toward an exercise goal. Inspired by the health tracker apps, this device allows you to “set a sales goal and you track…
Back-to-School Shopping: Online Tools to Help You Save
Posted on August 18, 2015 by Saldutti
For many parents, it’s that magical time of the year – Back to School! But before we get back to routines, teachers, books, and (maybe some) dirty looks, we have to tackle that extensive back-to-school supply list. Yesterday, we discussed shopping online vs. in-store. Today, we’re focusing on online tools to help us save. It’s no secret that comparing prices can save you money, as much as 20% or more, according to experts. Here are some of the most helpful tools out there to for shoppers hoping to find the best deals while shopping for school supplies. Price Blink –…