Consumer Gal: Don’t carry these things in your wallet

Some things are better left in a safety deposit box.

Retail sales up 1 percent in February

Jump in sales doubles original estimate

WASHINGTON - Shoppers snapped up new cars, clothing and electronics in February, pushing retail sales up for the eighth straight month.

Anti-'Obamacare' legislation building in House

BOISE (AP) — Last year, House Republicans attempted to drop a bomb on "Obamacare" by nullifying the federal health care overhaul.

US inflation slows but remains elevated in sign that price pressures are easing only grad

At his most recent news conference, Fed Chair Jerome Powell singled out persistently high services prices as a concern

U.S. stockpiles flat in January

Total business sales fall by largest amount since 2009

The pollen problem

COEUR d’ALENE — You just can’t miss the yellow stuff.

MY TURN: Combating the opioid crisis in Idaho

Opioids have been part of the medical culture for thousands of years, with ancient cultures using them for various medical and religious purposes. Morphine, for example, was discovered in the early 19th century to ease pain, shorten coughs and treat battlefield wounds.

Hold your fire

ALBANY, N.Y. - Gun enthusiasts fearful of new weapon controls and alarmed by rumors of government hoarding are buying bullets practically by the bushel, making it hard for stores nationwide to keep shelves stocked and even putting a pinch on some local law enforcement departments.

A small victory: Used-car prices slip from dizzy heights

The whole crazy price cycle began with the eruption of the pandemic, when many states issued stay-at-home orders

Consumer inflation vanishes, a boon for borrowers

WASHINGTON - Inflation has essentially disappeared, and that gives the Federal Reserve more room to keep interest rates at record lows.

U.S. trade deficit drops to $43.4 billion in October

Fall brings potential ‘sweet spot’ for homebuyers

Neighborhood of the Week: Oct. 3

Price matters for 2011 holiday season

Why you should buy wine like a collector

We frequently hear two things from even our best customers about buying wine from a wine shop; first, it takes an extra stop, and second that wine from a wine shop is more expensive than from a grocery store. The first one is absolutely true, we are an extra stop. The second though is absolutely false. We regularly keep wine on the shelf from $8 and up, most times it is better quality and more unique than what you find at your typical supermarket.

Lifting for a good cause

Locals pump iron in breast cancer fundraiser

Chest heaving, eyes wide and unblinking like the centers of targets, Josh Schneider stared down at the barbell like he was silently brokering a deal with it.

Consumer sentiment dips in July

When buying a home anticipate expenses

Each month we, at the Coeur d'Alene Association of Realtors, offer a course for first time home buyers. This course, in conjunction with Idaho Housing, offers tips and advice to make sure that folks approach home ownership with their eyes wide open.

Creeping forward

Only slight economic gains seen in 2011

WASHINGTON - The new Congress that begins in January will confront an economy and a job market that will improve only slightly next year, according to an Associated Press survey of leading economists that found them gloomier than they were three months ago.

The pop that wasn't: Life after Facebook's IPO

Wedding trends

The troubled economy we have experienced over the last few years has created a trend in wedding planning and more specifically in wine consumption at the "big event." The general trend that has emerged is couples planning their rehearsal dinners, ceremonies and receptions at private venues like backyards, lakefront homes and the like, which results in couples looking for wine as opposed to that which would normally be provided by the venue. When couples do hold them at a rented location most times they are hiring their own caterers and buying their own wine for the events. In both situations the reasons are the same - trying to make the day special as it should be but with an eye to budgetary concerns.