The Chronic Consumer

While most “… of the Year” awards are handed out in December, the auto industry does things differently. They announce their award in January — probably because the new models have already been out for a couple of months. Either way, the Hyundai Elantra has been named the 2012 Car of the Year, which is a huge win for Hyundai.

I don’t know much about Elantras, but I do think at least one Hyundai model looks pretty damn cool. I’m not sure of the name of the car, but it’s the one Fiona drives on Burn Notice. I am always impressed by how sleek and sporty it looks, so if I were in the market for a new car, I’d definitely consider Hyundai!

I haven’t eaten Hostess products since I was a kid, but this news still makes me a bit sad. I just read that Hostess will be filing for bankruptcy protection due to the high cost of labor and competition, as well as significant debts in the form of pensions and so forth.

For now, the company says its products, including Twinkies, Ho-Hos, Ding Dongs, SnoBalls, and Wonder Bread, will remain on the shelves. But the future is increasingly uncertain because of the issues listed above, as well as the fact that many people are now trying to eat healthier — which often includes eliminating white bread and snack cakes.

I loved Twinkies and Ho-Hos when I was younger. I used to eat them for breakfast rather than as a snack. I had a great metabolism back then though, and didn’t gain weight because of it. I honestly can’t imagine eating that stuff on a regular basis now — which I guess is exactly why the company is filing for bankruptcy protection.

Liz Claiborne…. Ah, that name takes me back to when I was in junior high and high school in the late ’80s/early ’90s. That was one of the “in” brands for girls back then, and I had my share of cute Claiborne skirts, shoes, belts, and wallets.

I haven’t worn the brand at all since then, but I was still a bit sad to hear that Claiborne will be changing its name to Fifth & Pacific Cos., whatever the heck that means. Apparently, the Liz Claiborne brand itself will be shutting down, while other brands that it runs, such as Kate Spade and Juicy Couture will become its main focus.

Sigh. Nothing lasts forever, I guess — especially not in this kind of business climate.

Okay, we’ve all been taught that it’s “the thought that counts” when it comes to gift-giving, but that doesn’t stop us from returning unwanted holiday presents for cash, store credit, or other merchandise. Here are the most-returned holiday gifts, as compiled by MarketTools.

1. Clothing, 62 percent
2. Toys and games, 16 percent
3. Electronics, 14 percent
4. Kitchen and bath products, 13 percent
5. Cosmetics and beauty products, 10 percent
6. Jewelry and watches, 10 percent

I guess the moral of the story here is that it’s just better to give cash or gift cards instead and let the recipient choose their own stuff! I don’t know why that sort of gift-giving is frowned upon….

I just received my heating bill for the month of November (the first month I used the heat nearly every day), and it’s not pretty. I’m not even extravagant about my thermostat settings or anything like that. I have a friend whose husband keeps the house at 72 degrees in the winter because he “wants to be able to wear shorts and a t-shirt” in there, but ours is set at a far more reasonable 62. And it’s still barely affordable.

I wish that utilities were deregulated here like they are in Pennsylvania. I’ve heard that you can comparison shop among several different pa electricity providers to find a deal that’s right for you and your family. That’s precisely what I want to be able to do, but I probably shouldn’t hold my breath.

Until then, I guess I’ll have to buy more sweaters and Under Armour gear to wear inside the house!

Well, continuing with the end-of-the-year top 10 lists, I came across this one while surfing the net today. Have you ever wondered what the 10 busiest malls in America are? Wonder no more, because here is the data! (My nearest mall happens to be No. 3 on the list. I can’t figure out if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.)

1. Mall of America, Bloomington, MN (40 million annual visitors)
2. Del Amo Fashion Center, Torrance, CA (27.6 million)
3. Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg, IL (27 million)
4. Sawgrass Mills, Sunrise, FL (26 million)
5. King of Prussia Mall, King of Prussia, PA (25 million)
6. Houston Galleria, Houston, TX (24 million)
7. Aventura Mall, Aventura, FL (24 million)
8. Palisades Center, West Nyack, NY (24 million)
9. Gurnee Mills, Gurnee, IL (23 million)
10. Tysons Corner Center, McLean, VA (22.1 million)

Have you ever wondered what the most shoplifted items are? Shine magazine recently published an article detailing the top 10 for the holiday season. There are some definite surprises on it, so take a look:

1. Filet mignon
2. Jameson
3. Electric tools
4. iPhone 4
5. Gillette Mach 4
6. Axe
7. Polo Ralph Lauren
8. Let’s Rock Elmo
9. Chanel No. 5
10. Nikes

This list is disturbing because every single thing on it is nonessential. We’re not exactly talking about Jean Valjean stealing a loaf of bread, ya know? Why would people risk jail time for a bottle of liquor or perfume? It makes no sense to me.

Also, you can tell that most of these items were stolen by employees. At every single store I’ve ever been at, I’ve had to ask to see things like perfume or iPhones. They don’t just leave those things out on the counter. They’re under lock and key, so it doesn’t take a genius to figure out whose doing the stealing.

When people take stupid shit like this, it just makes prices higher for the rest of us.

Consumers are a finicky bunch, aren’t they? Coca-Cola announced that they will be pulling their white “winter” cans off of store shelves because of various complaints by customers. The white design, which features polar bears and other winter scenes, apparently are too confusing to some people. According to the article I read, there were complaints about the can looking too similar to Diet Coke cans, and complaints about the beverage “tasting different” in white cans.

Pretty damn ridiculous, if you ask me!