sales posts

Do you know how many shopping days it is until Christmas? Do you care?

There are many of us who just love to shop - birthdays, anniversaries and holidays are just part of the fun of going into a store and finding that perfect item to wrap up and give as a gift.

But time is money, right? Sometimes it's hard to find the time to wander the stores and find the right item that will bring a smile to someone's face. So like the majority of Canadians, we're turning to the web for help.

Where are we spending our loonies and toonies in the e-commerce offerings? Where will you be rubbing virtual elbows for deals?

The power of words can enthrall, inspire and for those lucky few, make them richer than their wildest dreams.

Forbes, well-known for its list of millionaires and billionaires of business and entertainment, keeps an eye on all those who make the big bucks - including authors.

It's no small feat to make this list - the writers have figured out the way to get readers to buy their tomes - whether it's in the old-fashioned book form or to download onto their e-reader.

So who's on this list? Which authors are in high demand the minute the book is available?

For this year's top 10, Forbes focused on the women - who are slowly encroaching on the men. Novelist J.K. Rowling hit the number 11 spot with US$17 million thanks to her advance for her first adult book and next year's list will be interesting with the inclusion of E.L James Fifty Shades of Grey series. But for now, the 10 top earning writers from May 2011-2012 were:

SLIDESHOW: TOP EARNING AUTHORS

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Summertime means hanging out the in backyard, firing up the barbecue every day, going to see a blockbuster movie and for many of us, taking time to clean out the house.

Cleaning out the garage, storage room or closet usually takes a weekend or a holiday to get more organized and to get rid of the clutter.

But how about making some extra cash?

For those cleaning out the wardrobes, here are 10 tips from eBay Canada on how to find the clothing items that will put money into the wallet.

With 114 million orders placed annually, there's someone who wants those hand-dyed bridesmaid's pumps.

Shopping is big business in Canada, especially online, with $15.3 billion spent by Canadians in 2011 on their favourite online shopping sites.

Nine out of 10 of us use credit cards when shopping online and tend to like the big brand names.

The top five retailers that we like to click are Amazon, Apple, Kijiji, Best Buy/Future Shop and Walmart according to comScore.com and we prefer the Canadian websites (no surprise) to find our deals.

So if we're busy shopping online, is our online profile different from our bricks and mortar shopping style?

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It doesn't look like it but spring might be coming. And with its arrival, people are going to intensify their house selling and buying activities. Why it always picks up in the spring, nobody can say with any certainty: better weather, more conducive to moving, can't be the only answer.

Still, with the increase in this field of human activity, there pop up numerous proposals on how to pay for a new home, especially when it comes to mortgages.

While the basic rules stay the same throughout eternity (throughout the time period mortgages have existed, that is), some specifics change with time and, in particular, with the current macro-economic situation.

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There are some things in life that take priority such as grocery shopping. Whether you like it or not for most people it's a basic weekly responsibility.

I for one don't mind grocery shopping by myself but when I've got my two sons under four with me it's usually a bit of a circus show. I end up losing my scribbled To-Buy list within about ten minutes of pushing the cart around, meaning multiple trips to the grocery store, time wasted and frustrations high. Enter the world of apps, where there are now tools available to help you organize your life and save money without the fuss and... paper. These free apps are quite basic, but really who needs something with a lot of bells and whistles when it comes to a to-do list or a financial summary?

Here are five free apps that will save you time and money when it comes to organizing your finances and your life.

It used to be something we watched from afar, but thanks to the online retail world, Canucks north of the border can benefit from the United States' number one retail day, Black Friday without getting in the car.

Google.ca knows its true, seeing a 400% increase in online searches for the phrase Black Friday in the past 30 days and so does VISA, who predict Canadians spending an average of $262.00.

The day after US Thanksgiving has traditionally been the official start of the holiday shopping season, and according to a recent survey from American Express Canada, more than half of Canadians plan to shop for gifts online.

So what's on the list? According to Amazon.ca, Canadians are looking for the deals on electronics, but there are a few exceptions.

I always remember my neighbour who was the Avon lady - she always looked so pretty and smelled very sweet. I was the lucky recipient of animal brooches with solid perfume every time she visited my Mum.

I also remember another neighbour who had the infamous Tupperware parties - where all the Mums would gather to look at containers, discuss their lives, get some retail therapy and learn the latest gossip.

Having overcome one recession, but still seeing the economy in flux, many Canadian women remember the good ol' days of Avon and Mary Kay, providing business opportunities for women that worked with their endless schedule of family, home and job responsibilities.

In 2011, its all about jewellery and its proponents are Generation Y.

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Wine sales in Canada are rising six times faster than in the rest of the world, putting Canada on track to become the world's third largest wine importer behind China and the U.S. in the coming years, a global market research report has found.

But increasing imports are not the country's only source of vino, with local production and sales surging. Sales of spirits are also growing steadily.

The report, conducted by research firm IWSR for the wine and spirits industry group VINEXPO, does not track beer sales, although it appears an interesting dynamic is occurring: While the value of beer sales has continued to inch up in Canada, figures show that per capita consumption has been on the decline since the mid 1970s. In effect, Canadians are developing a more "cultured" palate.

Advertisements are one of those things that most of the time are ignored or considered annoying.

But when ads are good, they tend to be very good. Consider the Old Spice commercials - we all know about that guy.

With the countdown to the Superbowl happening this week tv ads are getting the spotlight, as viewers not only watch the game but look for the unique ads displayed in between the plays.

So when it comes to the A listers, the question becomes is their well-known brand name enough to convince us to open our wallet and slap down the cash for their latest hot product?

Ace Metrix is a marketing company using the online world to analyze the world of television and they've uncovered the truth about celeb pitching power.