The Latest Breaking News from National Retail Federation

“Her Halloween Game Is Hardcore”: Woman Takes Halloween Commitment To Another Level, Ends Up In Handcuffs

Criminology professor James Alan Fox and forensic psychologist Barbara Kirwin explained how Halloween can coincide with increased crime.

Bored Panda · Oct 16

Halloween is gonna scare the heck out of your wallet with average cost per person now more than $100

Candy prices are delivering a particularly frightening shock compared with last year

The Independent UK · Oct 13

Kids Outgrow Clothes Fast — But These 7 Things Shouldn’t Be Bought Used

Anyone raising children knows how quickly perfectly good clothes can become too small. Buying secondhand can be a smart way to stretch a family budget, particularly when many shirts and jeans are barely worn before they are outgrown. In 2026, the National Retail Federation reports that K-12 families expect to…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Sep 28

September Is Four Months From Christmas — Here’s What I’d Do With $100 Starting Now

September may feel too early to think about Christmas, but your December budget might disagree. Holiday expenses have a way of arriving all at once, from gifts and groceries to travel, decorations, and last-minute purchases. In 2025, Americans planned to spend an average of about $890 per person on winter…

Budget and the Bees · Aug 29

The Amazon Return Pile Is Trying to Tell You Something About Your Spending

That stack of Amazon boxes by the door may look like a weekend errand, but it could also be a financial warning sign. One return is ordinary; a steady Amazon return pile can reveal that buying has become faster than deciding whether you actually need something. Online shopping removes much…

Budget and the Bees · Aug 27

US law to investigate foodborne illness outbreaks has been delayed for 15 years

Law was set to go into effect in January, months before cyclosporiasis outbreak, but now is set for 2028

The Guardian - US · Aug 16

Back-to-School Costs Are Climbing Again: Which Expenses Do Parents Forget Until August?

As summer winds down, many families think the biggest back-to-school purchases are already behind them. Then August arrives, and a wave of overlooked expenses begins piling onto the budget. While backpacks, notebooks, and lunchboxes usually make the shopping list, several hidden costs often catch parents off guard. According to the…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Jul 26

9 Back-to-School Expenses Parents May Be Able to Get Covered

Back-to-school shopping can put a serious dent in a family’s budget, especially when supply lists seem to grow every year. According to the National Retail Federation, families collectively spend billions of dollars annually on back-to-school purchases, making it one of the biggest seasonal expenses outside the holidays. The good news…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Jul 22

Why Cyber Monday could break spending records despite economic uncertainty

Deals promoted as some of the best of the holiday season are expected to keep people across the United States glued to their computers and smartphones on Cyber Monday

The Independent UK · Dec 1, 2025

Returns in this economy?! How retailers are cracking down on their free return policies ahead of Black Friday

Consumers have gotten used to ‘ordering first and asking questions later’ shopping with so many retailers offering free returns but that trend may be coming to an end as merchants clamp down

The Independent UK · Nov 26, 2025