Personal Finance

In its latest effort to target budget-conscious shoppers, Wal-Mart on Friday launched a new Web site featuring ideas to help consumers stretch their dollars during tough times.

Big Y customers n Massachusetts and Connecticut can  receive $25 worth of free groceries when cashing  2008 economic stimulus checks..

The big retailer is offering customers up to $120 in goods if they use their tax refunds or economic stimulus bucks to buy Kroger gift cards.

Packaged with my new Chase Continental Airlines OnePass debit card was a host of literature telling me of all the wonderful benefits I’ll receive if I don’t use it for pin debit transactions. It even went so far to suggest that I opt out whenever the payment terminal automatically asks for my PIN number. Such stepped-up marketing is likely part of the credit card industry’s response to the Credit Card Fair Fee Act (HR 5546) introduced last month by House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Congressman Chris Cannon (R-Utah) in an effort to rein in interchange fees assessed by credit card companies.

New functionality helps shoppers find products participating in the program.

H.R.5546 could save grocers, consumer billions, proponents say.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and the National Retail Federation were among the trade groups that praised the White House and Congress yesterday for passing the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008. Even Wal-Mart issued a supportive statement about the plan, which observers hope will help boost the economy during the second half of the year.

NEW YORK -- Thanks to soaring oil prices, accelerated mortgage payments, and other concerns, consumer confidence in the U.S. has dwindled to levels not seen since the post-Katrina hurricane days two years ago, according to the latest "How America Shops... Everyday Pulse" report from WSL Strategic Retail.