gifts

5 Stocks for Mother's Day

You could spring for flowers, a sappy card and some decorative soaps for Mother's Day. Or you take a less traditional route and give mom a gift that keeps on giving: stocks.

In Defense of Online Shopping (Delia Ephron, Listen Up)

Screenwriter Delia Ephron did not have a merry online Christmas shopping experience at J. Crew. But rather than complain about the company's customer service, she turned an op-ed column in the New York Times into a wide-ranging indictment of online shopping itself. Here's why she's wrong.

Last-Minute Christmas Shopping Guide

The kick-off to the holiday season gets earlier every year, but that doesn't mean that consumers are getting better at finishing their shopping early. As the National Retail Federation notes, American consumers typically have about half their holiday shopping left to go in mid-December.

Taxes on Big Gifts Slated to Soar

Wealthy Americans are scrambling to transfer some of their riches before the end of the year when gift and estate taxes are set to jump. But be careful, warn the experts: Not everyone who can shift their money to the next generations right now should do it.

The 8 Hot Toys Your Kids Really Want This Holiday Season

While it's been a while since we've had a toy craze on the level of Furby or Tickle-Me-Elmo, there are certainly some in-demand toys this holiday season. Here are eight of the hottest -- the ones you should probably buy before it's too late, if it isn't already.

How to Pick the Perfect Gift Cards This Christmas

U.S. shoppers will buy $110 billion worth of gift cards this year, and nobody's complaining about it: Gift cards are the most-desired present of the season. But you still have to pick the right gift card for each recipient, so we asked plastic experts for their best advice.

The 4 Rules of Regifting: Etiquette Guru Explains When It's OK

Regifting: Lots of us do it, and many of us feel a bit guilty about it, even though polls show people are generally OK with receiving regifts. But does regifting really pass the holiday season etiquette test? We asked Jodi R.R. Smith of etiquette consultancy Mannersmith.

How to Get Warren Buffett- Style Shareholder Perks

For investors who open a brokerage account and buy stocks, there's more to be had than just the promise of better investment returns. Some of America's best-known firms also offer perks to their shareholders -- and not just big-money shareholders, either.

Is Apple Trying to Break Hearts with Obsolete iPads?

Earlier this month, Apple's marketing department pitched iPad 2 as a great gift for Valentine's Day. But with the iPad 3 a mere three weeks from release, we have to call foul. A dozen roses may not last that long, but no one's buying a $499 flower arrangement.

Savings Experiment: Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is a time when you can show your loved one how much you care, but you don't have to dig deep into your wallet to do it. Here are some great tips on how to switch things up this year, and save in the process.

Savings Experiment: Post-Holiday Sales

Soon enough, the holidays will have come and gone. You'll have given, you'll have received; it will then be time to cash in. The best deals fall between Christmas and the new year, so when you go to return those itchy yellow polka-dotted wool socks, get yourself something you'll really enjoy instead. Here are the top five post-holiday purchases.

Budget-Friendly Last-Minute Holiday Gifts for Kids

It's stressful enough when your kids' holiday wish is filled with high-tech gadgets that aren't in your budget. What's worse is breaking down and buying them at the last minute because you couldn't think of better alternatives in your price range.

Savings Experiment: Gift Cards

There are approximately $30 billion in unused gift cards sitting in kitchens, wallets, car doors, and sock drawers. Don't be a statistic: Here's how to get cash for, or otherwise make productive use of, your unwanted gift cards.

Super-Rich to Boost Holiday Spending

With the economy still on life support, many Americans are planning on tightening their Christmas budgets this year. Not the super rich, however. Families with discretionary incomes of $250,000 and up are planing on boosting their holiday spending by 7% to an average of $2,708, according to a new survey.