Source:Savings4mom.com

It has to be tough for any teenager to find the right time to tell a parent she’s pregnant, but one Minnesota girl didn’t have to worry about that—Target told her dad for her.

A New York Times report picked up by MSN NOW tells the story of an angry father who stormed into a Target store demanding to speak with a manager about why his child was being sent deals on baby items. According to an employee, the man said:

“My daughter got this in the mail! She’s still in high school, and you’re sending her coupons for baby clothes and cribs? Are you trying to encourage her to get pregnant?”

The manager looked at the mailer and apologized to the man for the advertisement for maternity clothes and nursery furniture which was addressed to his daughter. But when the manager called the man a few days later to apologize again, the father was the one saying sorry. He told the manager:

“I had a talk with my daughter. It turns out there’s been some activities in my house I haven’t been completely aware of. She’s due in August. I owe you an apology.”

So how does Target know a girl is pregnant before her own father? Coupon targeting which tracks purchases and demographic information to send customer’s deals related to their anticipated needs. The thought either sounds cool or creepy. On one hand, who wouldn’t want to save money on something they plan to buy, on the other, it’s a little unsettling to think about how much big brother knows about you—and Target’s aware of that.

“If we send someone a catalog and say, ‘Congratulations on your first child!’ and they’ve never told us they’re pregnant, that’s going to make some people uncomfortable,” Andrew Pole, a statistician for the chain said. “We are very conservative about compliance with all privacy laws. But even if you’re following the law, you can do things where people get queasy.”

The New York Times report is actually pretty fascinating and eye-opening to just how much companies know about their consumers—which in the case of this father and daughter, can get people caught up. Sometimes a generic mailer is enough.

Have you noticed coupon deals that are targeted to your purchasing history? Do you think it’s neat or does it creep you out a bit?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

More on Madame Noire!

• The Severity Behind Every Street Holla
• Why Are You Hiding Your Boos? Celeb Women Who Are Always Acting Single
• Is Sex Addiction the Land Where All Cheating Lovers Go?
• I Know You Mean Well, But…7 Reasons Why BET Kills Me Softly
• Dry Season: Seven Reasons to Consider Being Celibate
• What You Do And Don’t Need To Agree On In A Relationship
• Ask a Very Smart Brotha Live: Biters and Body Odor
• Open Letter to Single Black Women

As women we have it somewhat easier than the guys when it comes to the delicate subtleties of the dating world. While we undoubtedly go through our fair share of drama, I can’t help but feel like men are put at a disadvantage from the start. I mean it has to take a lot of guts to approach a woman, a complete stranger, trying to convince her she should get to know you better. As someone who doesn’t take kindly to rejection, that’s not a job I’d want…at all. While we women must show discernment when deciding who we’ll dedicate our time to, we shouldn’t eliminate potential suitors for no good reason. Many of us, not all but enough of us, have such shallow, downright frivolous criterion for even engaging in conversation with a man, that it needs to be addressed. Are you one of these women? Well, do you subscribe to one of these schools of thought?

Do you love the thrill of a sale or get a rush when you realize your favorite brand of jeans has finally hit the sale rack?  Well you might be missing out on some important bargain hunting tips that could save you hundreds, even thousands of dollars each year.

With the holidays among us, it’s important to shop smart and save when and where you can.  Take a look at these 9 helpful tips to bring out the savvy fashionista in you.

Read the rest of this entry »

Do you love the thrill of a sale and the rush when you realize your favorite brand of jeans has finally hit the sale rack? Well, you might be missing out on some important bargain hunting tips that could save you hundreds, even thousands of dollars each year. With the holidays among us, it’s important to shop smart and save when and where you can, but these tips are also good for all-year-round. Take a look at these nine helpful tips to bring out the savvy fashionista in you without bringing out all the money in your wallet.

(Bankrate) — You didn’t imagine it: Food prices have steadily risen through the first half of 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. So have prices for just about everything else.  What’s a consumer to do? Find coupons and use them everywhere, say the experts.  Stephanie Nelson, creator of CouponMom.com, says you can find coupons everywhere you turn now, but you have to be open to using them.  ”Brands and retailers are spending more money than ever to show you how to save money at their stores, so take advantage,” she says.  ”If you don’t use the savings and coupons that are literally all around you, you’re simply paying more than those who do,” says Andrea Woroch, consumer savings expert for Kinoli Inc. and creator of CouponSherpa.com. Woroch says coupons save consumers an average of 12 percent per transaction at the grocery store.  Just 10 percent of all coupons are redeemed, according to the NCH 2011 Coupon Trends Report. Yet it’s been estimated that every hour spent couponing is worth $100, according to the 2010 Free Standing Insert Distribution Trends booklet by Kantar Media. Who wouldn’t like a return on investment like that?

Read More…

So I wrote a piece on Friday about things people in customer service do that customers can’t stand. Whoa, what a response that got! First things first, it was never my intention to try and make it look like all customer service workers are crappy, because they definitely aren’t. Like I mentioned in the introduction for that article, I’ve worked in positions such as these in my lifetime, more than once, some positions for years, so I was definitely not saying that. But I wanted to keep it real because I’ve noticed a steep decline in the way things are done in customer service. But hey, maybe that’s just New York. While there are some gems in customer service that deserve fat tips and recommendations to their managers, there are some that deserve a swift kick in the butt and an attitude adjustment.

But don’t get it twisted, just as there are bad sales associates, waiters and attendants, there are some equally terrible customers that walk into their establishments and warrant an attitude. Those who think a tantrum is needed when they can’t get what they want or get it quickly, who leave their tables looking like a bomb hit it, and talk crazy to people just trying to do their job because they’ve been in the mall waaaaay too long. Not only have workers encountered them, but so have other customers who’ve had to throw them a frown. Here’s a list of things that those looking to get served need to know before they march into a store, restaurant, gym, or whatever. If you do these things, know that you’ll need to do better–fast. Or you can just expect some spit in your food…kidding!

(Bankrate) — Would you cook more at home to spend more time with your children? Or would you switch to resale stores to buy clothing and put the extra cash toward a college savings account for your kids? For all moms (and dads!) out there, there are countless reasons to go frugal. And parents encounter countless expenses, including groceries, clothing, school costs and child-friendly housing.  Two leaders in the frugal-moms movement, the founders of CouponMom.com and MiserlyMoms.com, shared their insight on how parents can pinch pennies in some of the areas where they likely spend the most — on groceries, clothing and convenience purchases. They, and Bankrate readers, also shed light on a few smart money habits that can really kick your family’s saving into overdrive.

Read More…

(New York Times) — CLIPPING coupons is a hassle. Intentionally. If shoppers were to redeem any more than just a sliver of them, manufacturers would have a self-created financial catastrophe on their hands.  Digital technology could eventually make coupon-clipping with scissors a quaint oddity. And manufacturers are willing to make clipping easier, but not too easy: they don’t want to reduce prices for customers who’d buy a product anyway. Ideally, coupons will continue to be redeemed only by those who hold out for a deal — those whom marketing experts call “deal prone.”

Read More…

(Crain’s) — Every weekend, Jenna Corman Mandel tries at least two different restaurants. Her appetite for new discoveries is insatiable, as is her taste for discounts.  In fact, the 27-year-old communications executive for a nonprofit has become an avid user of promotional services, which offer as much as 90% off restaurant tabs. “I’m definitely addicted to these deals,” Ms. Mandel says. Meet the new breed of diners. They are hungry for bargains and are unlikely to go where they can’t get them. They are helping feed a cottage industry of companies that offer access to cheap eats. No fewer than 15 websites providing deep discounts have been launched over the past couple of years, including Groupon, VillageVines and BlackboardEats. OpenTable, the 12-year-old online reservation company, began offering deals in August.

Read More…

(US News and World Report) — 1. Groupon.com: If you’re a deal-of-the-day shopper and don’t mind joining the herd for a massive coupon, then check out Groupon.com. This site offers shoppers one big coupon each day for local restaurants, attractions, and retailers in many big cities across America. You can join in the group fun by signing up for email alerts, or liking them on Facebook.
2. Freeshipping.org: Hate paying big money to ship that new gadget or holiday gift across the country? A quick trip to Freeshipping.org may solve your shipping woes and save you money too. This site offers would-be shoppers special coupons and promotional codes at a variety of online stores across the internet. Find free shipping coupons at retailers like Macy’s, Pottery Barn, Target, J.Crew, and even Victoria’s Secret.
Read More…