Earlier this week, we asked you to send along poorly-thought-out ideas that marketers have presented as great ideas for Mother’s Day gifts. Americans plan to spend a little more on their moms this year, and marketers want a part of it. [More]
mother’s day
9 Things We’re So Grateful Mom Taught Us About Money
By 5.10.15
Today is the day we pause to reflect on everything our mothers have given us, from kisses on scraped knees and comfortable laps to sit on, to financial wisdom that has the power to stick with us through adulthood. We asked you to share the personal finance tips your mother imparted to you, because hey, sharing is caring and she’d probably approve. [More]
What Did Your Mom Teach You About Money?
By 5.5.15
When I was in first grade, the lunch lady at my school informed me that my parents had overpaid for my meals for the month, and sent the extra money home with me, as I remember it. I took it to my mom, who said that everyone should have a bank account, and that we could use that $18 or so to start one for me. And to add to that — she said that moolah could grow to a larger amount all by itself through a magical thing called “interest.” [More]
What Inappropriate Or Perfect Mother’s Day Merchandising Have You Seen This Year?
By 5.5.15
Stores usually mean well. They just want us to expand the definition of what we think of as an appropriate gift for Mother’s Day. Instead of the traditional flowers, jewelry, and gift cards, they want us to consider buying our mothers a tablet computer. Or clothing. Or laundry detergent. Wait, laundry detergent? Isn’t giving your mother cleaning supplies completely against the point of the holiday? [More]
Americans Plan To Spend Slightly More On Moms This Year
By 4.28.15
Mother’s Day is our nation’s greatest guilt holiday: mothers brought us into the world, raised us, or even both, and we can at least buy them brunch and a handful of tulips, right? Of course! Stuff isn’t a proxy for love, but the National Retail Federation tells us that Americans plan to spend an average of $172.63 each on Mother’ Day festivities this year. [More]
Starbucks Wants You To Buy Mom A $200 Gift Card Worth $50 Because It’s Your Mom
By 4.21.15
If you missed your chance to buy Starbucks’ $200 silver keychain that acted as a $50 gift card during the 2014 holiday season, you have another shot at stainless steel glory. [More]
Mom Gets Lots Of Carnations And Ferns, Not The Arrangement I Ordered
By 5.14.14
Don’t let the huge photo below fool you: the flowers that Jason sent to his mom for Mothers’ Day were much smaller than they were supposed to be. He paid extra for a huge arrangement, and what showed up wasn’t what he saw on the website. Is everything really smaller in real life than on catalog pages, or did the florist short Jason’s mom some blooms? [More]
Florists Suffer Apparent Shortage Of Purple Blooms This Mother’s Day
By 5.13.14
Michelle placed her Mother’s Day order from a site that appears to be a fake local florist, aggregating orders and sending them to local shops affiliated with wire services after taking their cut. She didn’t know that, though, and chose an arrangement based on her mom’s love of purple roses. Got that? Purple. [More]
Teleflora On Mother’s Day: Eh, This Is Close Enough
By 5.13.14
Ordering flowers to be delivered for the major flower-sending holidays, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, is always taking a risk. When florists are doing such high volume, you run the risk of getting flowers that aren’t exactly what is pictured on the website, or that aren’t perfectly fresh. As long as they aren’t dead, that’s okay, right? What if they substitute in another color when the arrangement’s color is the entire point? [More]
Restaurant Knocks $5 Off Brunch Bill For “Well Behaved Kids”
By 5.12.14
While parents who let their kids run wild in public are often the object of (much-deserved) scorn and derision, moms and dads whose youngsters behave themselves rarely get the high-five they deserve for reducing the world’s general level of brattiness. But yesterday, a restaurant in Canada decided that a family with a non-rowdy kid deserved a break on their bill. [More]
In National Florist Tournament, FTD’s Tiny Bouquets Win Slightly
By 5.8.14
We post pictures of floral horrors and call them the Garden of Discontent, but our petal-pushing colleagues down the hall at Consumer Reports took a more scientific approach to the question of which flowers are best in advance of Mother’s Day. They ordered their own flowers, then evaluated what showed up. Which bouquet was good enough for even the finest mothers? [More]
16 Ways To Not Suck At Making Mother’s Day Special
By 5.5.14
Mother’s Day is almost here. The day to celebrate the woman who brought you into the world… Or to celebrate the woman who gave you children. Or both. Flowers are a lovely gift (in those instances where the recipient gets what you actually ordered) but they’re not exactly an original or personal gift and can be costly.
Here’s how to not suck at saying thanks to Mom with some frugal and creative ideas. [More]
We Don’t Want To Hear About Your Disappointing Flowers This Valentine’s Day
By 1.14.14
Well, Consumerist readers, the time is near. There’s a month to go until Valentine’s Day, and we have a goal. We do not want to publish any disappointing wire service flower photos on Tuesday, February 18. None. Zero. Because everyone reading this right now who plans to order flowers will proceed to the friendliest, best-reviewed local florist they can find and order directly. [More]
This Year’s Mother’s Day Garden of Discontent Is Wonderfully Small
By 5.13.13
A few weeks ago, we asked our readers not to send us any Mother’s Day floral disasters. That’s because you weren’t going to have any floral disasters. Reader R. really did her best: she located a florist near her mom’s home, placed her order directly with them, and even discussed it with the shop. She was still disappointed with the end result––though her mom probably loved it, because that’s how moms are. [More]
Mother’s Day Cards For Dads: A Sweet Gesture Or Holiday Double-Dipping?
By 5.13.13
“Leave it to Hallmark to double-dip on holidays,” reader Mark noted when he snapped a picture of this card using our Tipster App. “Father’s Day is next month, people.” Well, yes, but there are also legitimate reasons why someone would buy a card like this. [More]
16 Free Ways To Celebrate Your Mom This Mother’s Day — And Yes, Hooters Is Involved
By 5.10.13
So you weren’t able to convince Harrison Ford to show up at your mom’s door in his Han Solo costume. She’d be the first one to tell you that hey, it’s the thought that counts. If you’re low on cash or just enjoy scoping out good deals with the woman who brought you forth into this world, there are a bunch of options out there to celebrate Mom this year, including another attempt by Hooters to lure women through its doors. [More]
No, A Dietary Supplement Probably Doesn’t Prevent Gray Hair
By 5.9.13
One of the fun things about working in the media is definitely reading the odd press releases and story pitches that cross my inbox every day. Our colleagues over at Consumer Reports received a pitch in their mailbox about a dietary supplement that’s supposed to “prevent and reverse” gray hair. Wait, that’s a thing? Not only is it a thing, but someone was pushing it as a great Mother’s Day gift. [More]
We Don’t Want To Hear About Your Disappointing Flowers This Mother’s Day
By 5.1.13
There’s only a week and a half until Mother’s Day, and we have a goal. We do not want to publish any disappointing wire service flower photos on Monday, May 13. None. Because everyone reading this right now who plans to order flowers will proceed to the friendliest, best-reviewed local florist they can find and order directly. [More]
