Consumer spending on Halloween-related items is expected to reach an all-time high of $10.14 billion, up from $8.05 billion in 2021, according to the annual National Retail Federation’s Halloween survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics.

Plans to celebrate Halloween are up this year compared with last year — and are close to pre-pandemic levels.

“Americans plan to spend more than ever to make this Halloween a memorable one,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said in a release. “Retailers have implemented a number of measures, such as bringing in Halloween products earlier than normal, to ensure their shelves are stocked with seasonal candy, décor, and other items ahead of this important holiday.”

2021 | Halloween-related projections

65% | Percentage of Americans who intend to celebrate Halloween or participate in Halloween activities this year (up from 58 percent in 2020 and comparable with 68 percent in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.

82% | Percentage of households with children who will celebrate Halloween. (Compared to 55% of households without children).

Annual traditions

66% | Hand out candy
52% | Decorate their home or yard
46% | Dress in costumes’
25% | Hosting or attending a party


$102.74 | On average consumers plan to spend $102.74 on costumes, candy, decorations, and greeting cards $10 more than they planned to spend last year Households with children are estimated to spend more than twice the amount than households without children ($149.69 compared with $73.57) on Halloween items.

The number of Americans planning to decorate for Halloween is on par with last year’s spike in interest, with spending on decorations continuing to climb to $3.17 billion, up from last year’s $2.59 billion.

Total spending on costumes is the highest it has been since 2017 — at $3.32 billion.

Halloween Trends | 2021

This year consumers are shopping for Halloween items earlier than ever, with 45 percent planning to shop in September or earlier and another 39 percent during the first two weeks of October.

“This year, in particular, we see an emphasis on Halloween spending from families,” Prosper Insights Executive Vice President of Strategy Phil Rist said. “Not only are those with children intending to spend more on Halloween-related items like costumes, they are also getting a kick start on their shopping, with more than half planning to start their shopping in September or earlier.”

Interest in pet costumes remains high with one in five intending to dress their pet up for Halloween this year. Younger adults are more likely to dress their pets in costume, as 28 percent of those aged 18–24 and 30 percent of those aged 25–34 plan to do so.

Costumes: Children

More than 1.8 million children plan to dress as Spiderman, more than 1.6 million as their favorite princess, more than 1.2 million as Batman and more than 1.2 million will dress as one of their other favorite superheroes.

Costumes: Adults

Of those planning to dress up for Halloween, nearly 69 percent of adults already know what their costume will be this year. More than 4.6 million adults plan to dress like a witch, more than 1.6 million as a vampire, more than 1.4 million as a ghost, more than 1.1 million as a cat and another 1.1 million as a pirate.

Costumes: Pets

The most popular costumes for pet lovers include a pumpkin (10 percent), hot dog (5 percent), superhero or cat (each tied at 4 percent), and bumblebee (3 percent).

The survey asked 8,061 consumers about Halloween shopping plans. It was conducted September 1-8 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.1 percentage points.

Getty Images

Shoppers will spend a collective $21.6 billion, down slightly from last year’s pre-pandemic forecast of $21.7 billion.

“With new stimulus funds from the President’s American Rescue Plan and positive trends in vaccinations and growing consumer confidence, there is a lot of momentum heading into the Spring and holiday events like Easter.” “Many have figured out how to celebrate holidays safely with family and that is reflected in consumer spending this Easter.”

Matthew Shay
NRF President and CEO

What will shoppers buy?

As more and more individuals become vaccinated and consumers plan to celebrate in ways they might have missed last year due to COVID-19, shoppers are buying more.

$31.06 Gifts (up from $27.91 in 2020)
$52.50 Food (up from $51.76)
$25.22 Candy (up from $23.30).

How will people spend their time?

59% | Cook a holiday meal
43% | Visit with family and friends
43% | Watch TV
31% | Easter egg hunt
28% | Attend church
22% | Attend church virtually
24% | Connect with loved ones by phone or video

“This year’s numbers reflect resilience in the last 12 months and the enduring popularity of Easter. “Keep in mind that last year’s survey was conducted in early March before the pandemic forced most of the country to shut down and reflects consumers’ pre-pandemic plans.”

Phil Rist
Prosper Insights Executive Vice President of Strategy

Where will Easter shoppers buy?

48% | At discount stores
35% | At department stores
35% | Online
23% | Specialty shops
23% | Small businesses or local store

Similar to other holiday events during the pandemic, this year’s online shopping figure (35%) is the highest in survey history, up from 35% last year.

NRF did not release its 2020 Easter survey, which was conducted in early March 2020, just before government-mandated closures took place. Due to the timing, the survey reflects consumers’ pre-pandemic plans.

Google Images

Yesterday, Google published a blog post containing five easy ways that retail businesses can spruce up their Google presence to connect with holiday shoppers — wherever they may be. Thanks to Google for letting us share a version of this post by Rajas Moonka, director, product management, local shopping.

The holidays can be the most hectic — and the most important — time of the year for business owners. And this year shoppers have found ways locally for online shopping and curbside pickups.

To make the most of this season and connect with shoppers wherever they are, use Google Maps and Google Business Profile.

1. Claim your free Business Profile to put your best face forward on Google Maps and Search. Make sure your Business Profile is updated with helpful information about your store—like updated hours, a description and photos, shopping options, and all the safety measures you’re taking during the pandemic. Pro tip: Double check if your phone number is correct and turn on messaging so you can quickly connect with customers who have questions.

2. Share the gift of updated in-store inventory (online!):  Unsurprisingly, 77 percent of holiday shoppers in the U.S. said they will browse for gift ideas online this year instead of in-store. Thanks to Pointy from Google, you can easily show your products online so shoppers can see what you carry before they head to the store to make a purchase. Pointy connects to your point-of-sale system and automatically adds your in-store products to your Business Profile on Google. This helps you to appear in search results when shoppers are looking for items you carry.

3. Help them order ahead, still tucked in their beds: Searches for “curbside pickup” have grown more than 3,000 percent globally since last year. Let customers know how they can shop with you—whether you’re offering curbside pickup, in-store pickup or delivery options.

4. Oh, what fun it is to buy online for pickup and delivery: Add ordering link(s) for pickup or delivery to your profile. If you’re a verified retail merchant in the U.S., you can now add a link to your online store directly to your Business Profile on Google. This helps shoppers easily place a pickup or delivery order from you with a few simple taps!

5. ‘Tis the season to share more about your business: Shoppers are looking to purchase from  local businesses that they feel good about supporting. Spruce up your Business Profile and connect with your community by showing whether you’re LGBTQ-friendly or women-led, or in the U.S. and identify as Black-owned or veteran-led.

For more ways to deck out your Google presence, watch Grow with Google’s Quick Help YouTube videos. The short videos will help answer a variety of small business questions, from how to make the most of digital tools to how to start a live stream. We know the holiday season can be overwhelming, but with this checklist in hand there will be no need to get your tinsel in a tangle. 

(From the SmallBusiness.com Archive. First published, November 20, 2018)

In the U.S., Thursday is Thanksgiving. It is a national holiday set aside to express our thankfulness and gratitude for the blessings we’ve received. At SmallBusiness.com, one of the things we are most thankful for is you. We thank you for using the information on the site and greatly appreciate the wisdom you share with us, as well. To celebrate the holiday, we pulled together this list of inspirational, motivational, and insightful quotations about gratitude and thankfulness. 

1. “O Lord that lends me life, lend me a heart replete with thankfulness!”
   William Shakespeare
   Henry VI
2. Thankfulness is the tune of angels.
   Edmund Spenser (1895)
3. “Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”
   Maya Angelou
4. “Thanks are justly due for things got without purchase.”
   Ovid
5. “That possession which we gain by the sword is not lasting; gratitude for benefits is eternal.”
   Quintus Curtius Rufus
6. “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”
   William Arthur Ward
7. “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”
   G.K. Chesterton
8. “If you count all your assets, you always show a profit.”
   Robert Quillen
9. “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”
   Robert Brault
10. “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”
    John F. Kennedy
11. “Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”
    Charles Dickens
12. “Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”
    Eckhart Tolle
13. “If a fellow isn’t thankful for what he’s got, he isn’t likely to be thankful for what he’s going to get.”
    Frank A. Clark
14. “If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness. It will change your life mightily.”
    Gerald Good
15. “Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves and spend without fear of bankruptcy.”
    Fred De Witt
16. “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.”
17. Epictetus
18. “At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”
    Albert Schweitzer
19. “The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated.”
    William James
20. “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
    Oprah Winfrey
21. “You cannot do a kindness too soon because you never know how soon it will be too late.”
    Ralph Waldo Emerson
22. “It is impossible to feel grateful and depressed in the same moment.”
    Naomi Williams
23. “Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out.”
    John Wooden
24. “No one who achieves success does so without the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude.”
    Alfred North Whitehead
25. “Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.”
    A.A. Milne
26. “Forget yesterday — it has already forgotten you. Don’t sweat tomorrow — you haven’t even met. Instead, open your eyes and your heart to a truly precious gift — today.”
    Steve Maraboli
27. “We should certainly count our blessings, but we should also make our blessings count.”
    Neal A. Maxwell
28. “In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.”
    Dietrich Bonhoeffer
29. “The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have helped you.”
    John E. Southard
30. “Gratitude also opens your eyes to the limitless potential of the universe, while dissatisfaction closes your eyes to it.”
    Stephen Richards
31. “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”
    Epicurus
32. “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”
    Cicero
33. “When you are aware of all that has been given to you, it is hard not to be humbled and pleased to give back.”
    Anne Lamott

    ---

    ThinkStock

While there is nothing new about large companies helping small businesses and consumers create digital online cheer (remember Elf-Yourself), expect to see even more flare this year as the creativity bar keeps growing higher and higher.

For example, earlier this week, Instagram Business launched “The Season for Shops” resource featuring holiday-themed items small businesses can use to prepare for the holiday shopping season. The site also includes downloadable guides and tips for shopping tags, collections — and advertising. 

“As small businesses prepare for a holiday season with more people buying online than ever before, we want to help them thrive on Instagram during the shopping season,” according to Instagram COO Justin Osofsky. “This new digital resource features easy-to-follow guides and tips for setting up your Instagram shop, reaching customers with tags and ads, and creating inspiring holiday product collections.”

We will be on the outlook for the best free, clever examples in the coming three months.

Note: This article was first released in January 2018, from data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The current data was released in January 2020. Scroll to the bottom of this page for the 2020 data.

In the U.S., the first Monday of September is Labor Day (this year, September 7, 2018). It is recognized as a federal holiday and most government offices and private businesses are closed. Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew in the U.S., trade unions proposed that a day be set aside to recognize and celebrate labor. By the time it became an official federal holiday in 1894, thirty states had already set aside a Labor Day. Below are some statistics about membership in U.S. labor unions that were released in January 2018, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Union membership (1983 vs. 2017)

Since 1983, the year the BLS began maintaining union membership statistics, the number of workers in unions has dropped from 20.1 percent of all workers to 10.7 percent and from 17.6 million employees to 14.8 million. Mirroring the overall growth in U.S. employment in 2017, membership in unions edged up by 262,000 in 2017.

Glossary | “Public sector” employees are those who work for federal, state and local governments and their agencies and entities. “Private sector” employees are those who work for private businesses and non-profit organizations that are not run by a government entity.

1983 | 17.6 million (20.1%) | Number (percentage) of all workers (private and public, combined), who belonged to a union in 1983, the first-year data was available.

2017 | 14.8 million (10.7%) | Number (percentage) of all workers (private and public, combined), who belong to a union (as of December 2017).

Union membership today

7.2 million (34.4%) | Number (percentage) of public sector workers who belong to a union
7.6 million (6.5%) | Number (percentage) of private sector workers who belong to a union

Median weekly earnings

$829 | Non-union members
$1,041 | Union members

States with the highest and lowest rates of union membership

23.8% | New York State
2.6% | South Carolina

Public and private sector workforces with the highest percentages of the unionized workforce 

34.7% | Protective service occupations
33.5% | Education, training, and library occupations

Public and private sector workforces with the lowest percentages of the unionized workforce 

1.1% | Food services and drinking places
1.4% | Professional and technical services

Selected characteristics of union members

11.4% | Percent of male workers who are union members
10% | Percent of women workers who are union members

12.6% | Percent of African American workers who are union members
10.6% | Percent of white male workers who are union members
9.3% | Percent of Hispanic workers who are union members
8.9% | Percent of Asian American workers who are union members

13.5% | Percent of workers 55 to 64 years old who are union members
13.2% | Percent of workers 45 to 54 years old who are union members

States with the most union members

2.5 million | California
2.0 million | New York
800,000 | Illinois
700,000 | Michigan
700,000 | Pennsylvania
600,000 | New Jersey
600,000 | Ohio

Sources |  Bureau of Labor Statistics   Pew Research Center

Charts | PewResearch Center
Photo | GettyImages

Union Membership News Release | 2020

January 22, 2020 

In 2019, the percent of wage and salary workers who were members of unions--the union membership rate--was 10.3 percent, down by 0.2 percentage point from 2018, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The number of wage and salary workers belonging to unions, at 14.6 million in 2019, was little changed from 2018. In 1983, the first year for which comparable union data are available, the union membership rate was 20.1 percent and there were 17.7 million union workers. 

The data on union membership are collected as part of the Current Population Survey (CPS), a monthly sample survey of about 60,000 eligible households that obtains information on employment
and unemployment among the nation's civilian noninstitutional population age 16 and over.
Highlights from the 2019 data: 

   --The union membership rate of public-sector workers (33.6 percent) continued to be more than five times higher than the rate of private-sector workers (6.2 percent). (See table 3.) 

   --The highest unionization rates were among workers in protective service occupations (33.8 percent) and in education, training, and library occupations (33.1 percent). (See table 3.) 

   --Men continued to have a higher union membership rate (10.8 percent) than women (9.7 percent). (See table 1.) 

   --Black workers remained more likely to be union members than White, Asian, or Hispanic  workers. (See table 1.) 

   --Nonunion workers had median weekly earnings that were 81 percent of earnings for workers who were union members ($892 versus $1,095). (The comparisons of earnings in this release are on a broad level and do not control for many factors that can be important in explaining  earnings differences.) (See table 2.) 

   --Among states, Hawaii and New York had the highest union membership rates (23.5 percent and 21.0 percent, respectively), while South Carolina and North Carolina had the lowest (2.2  percent and 2.3 percent, respectively). (See table 5.)

Industry and Occupation of Union Members 

In 2019, 7.1 million employees in the public sector belonged to a union, compared with 7.5 million workers in the private sector. The union membership rate declined over the year in the  private sector by 0.2 percentage point to 6.2 percent. 

The unionization rate for public-sector workers was little changed over the year at 33.6 percent, and remained substantially above that 
of the private sector. Within the public sector, the union membership rate was highest in local  government (39.4 percent), which employs many workers in heavily unionized occupations, such as 
police officers, firefighters, and teachers. Private-sector industries with high unionization rates included utilities (23.4 percent), transportation and warehousing (16.1 percent), and 
telecommunications (14.1 percent). Low unionization rates occurred in finance (1.1 percent),insurance (1.4 percent), professional and technical services (1.4 percent), and food services and
drinking places (1.4 percent). (See table 3.) 

Among occupational groups, the highest unionization rates in 2019 were in protective service occupations (33.8 percent) and in education, training, and library occupations (33.1 percent).
Unionization rates were lowest in farming, fishing, and forestry occupations (2.1 percent); salesand related occupations (2.8 percent); and food preparation and serving related occupations (3.5 
percent). 

Selected Characteristics of Union Members 

In 2019, the union membership rate for men declined by 0.3 percentage point to 10.8 percent, andthe rate for women was down by 0.2 point to 9.7 percent. (See table 1.) The gap between their 
rates has narrowed considerably since 1983 (the earliest year for which comparable data are available), when rates for men and women were 24.7 percent and 14.6 percent, respectively. 

Among major race and ethnicity groups, Black workers continued to have a higher union membershiprate in 2019 (11.2 percent) than workers who were White (10.3 percent), Asian (8.8 percent), or 
Hispanic (8.9 percent). However, the union membership rate for Black workers declined by 1.3 percentage points over the year, while the rates for other race and ethnicity groups changed 
little.

By age, union membership rates continued to be highest among workers ages 45 to 64. In 2019, 12.6 percent of workers ages 45 to 54 and 12.7 percent of those ages 55 to 64 were union members.

Over the year, the union membership rate for workers ages 45 to 54 was little changed, while the
rate for those ages 55 to 64 declined by 0.6 percentage point.

In 2019, the union membership rate for full-time workers (11.2 percent) was about twice the ratefor part-time workers (5.5 percent). 

Union Representation 

In 2019, 16.4 million wage and salary workers were represented by a union, little changed from 2018. The percentage of workers represented by a union was 11.6 percent, a slight decrease from
11.7 percent in 2018. Workers represented by a union include both union members (14.6 million) and workers who report no union affiliation but whose jobs are covered by a union contract (1.8
million). (See table 1.) 

Earnings 

Among full-time wage and salary workers, union members had median usual weekly earnings of $1,095 in 2019, while those who were not union members had median weekly earnings of $892. In addition to coverage by a collective bargaining agreement, these earnings differences reflect a variety of influences, including variations in the distributions of union members and nonunion employees by occupation, industry, age, firm size, or geographic region. (See tables 2 and 4.)

Union Membership by State 

In 2019, 28 states and the District of Columbia had union membership rates below that of the U.S. average, 10.3 percent, while 21 states had rates above it and 1 state had the same rate. All 
states in both the East South Central and West South Central divisions had union membership rates below the national average, while all states in both the Middle Atlantic and Pacific divisions 
had rates above it. (See table 5.)

Eight states had union membership rates below 5.0 percent in 2019. South Carolina and North  Carolina had the lowest rates (2.2 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively). The next lowest rates  were in Texas and Virginia (4.0 percent each). Two states had union membership rates over 20.0  percent in 2019: Hawaii (23.5 percent) and New York (21.0 percent). 

Over half of the 14.6 million union members in the U.S. lived in just seven states (California,  2.5 million; New York, 1.7 million; Illinois, 0.8 million; Pennsylvania, 0.7 million; and New 
Jersey, Ohio, and Washington, 0.6 million each), though these states accounted for only about  one-third of wage and salary employment nationally.

Located on 5th Avenue and 44th Street, the interactive shopping experience not only tells shoppers more about these small businesses and the work they do for the causes and communities they care for, they display holiday shoppers thoughtfully made gifts from thoughtfully owned businesses for every loved one on their list. 

The windows offer a fully shoppable holiday window experience. Through QR codes on the glass, visitors of the windows can seamlessly scan and shop the businesses’ products right from the windows using their mobile phone.

The small businesses on display in the shoppable windows include:

• Hazel Village: Hazel Village is an independently owned children’s toy shop nestled in Brooklyn that makes organic, handmade woodland animals and dolls. Hazel Village partners with organizations that empower artisans with job skills, dignified work and fair wages to create beautifully-crafted, high-quality toys.
  
• Askinosie Chocolate: Askinosie Chocolate is a direct-trade chocolate maker that sources its cocoa beans directly from local farmers in the Philippines, Ecuador, Tanzania and the Amazon, and pays their farmers an average of 55% above the world market price. Askinosie Chocolate treats their cocoa farmers like business partners – with fairness, dignity, and respect –making sure they receive their fair share of the income while delighting customers with award-winning chocolate that not only tastes good but does good. 
  
• Block Shop: Block Shop is a female-owned textile business that supports the ancient technique of Indian hand block printing and believes in small-scale production and fair wages for their workers.  They embrace a decentralized supply chain to further the small family business ecosystem in their partner communities in India and invest 5% of their profits into community health and empowerment programs in Jaipur each year. 
  
• Misha and Puff: Misha and Puff is a female-founded children’s clothing company that supports female artisans in Peru while creating beautiful and functional pieces to last forever. Each piece is hand-knit in Lima by female artisans, who work and provide for their families from the comfort of their homes. Each knitter takes great pride in the pieces she knits, and their names can be found on the hang tag of her work.
  
• Bee Raw: Bee Raw is a single-origin honey producer that spends as much time saving the world’s bee population as it does making delicious honey. Conscious of the origin and environmental impact of each ingredient, they produce a collection of goods free from additives and packaged in post-consumer paper and glass to ensure their products are made with pride and care – responsibly, sustainably and fairly.

Can’t make it to New York City?

Holiday shoppers can visit www.PayPal.com/GiveBetter online to learn more about these small businesses. Even better, you can stroll down your local Main Street and support your hometown’s own small businesses.

Predictions from the National Retail Federation (NRF) annual forecast of holiday retail sales, in November and December, consumer sales will be between $727 billion and $730 billion.

165.3 million | Number of people who say they are likely to shop between Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday

“The tradition of Thanksgiving weekend holiday shopping has become a five-day event with consumers spending money in stores, supporting local small businesses, and online with their mobile devices and computers,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Even as people are starting to purchase gifts earlier in the season, consumers still enjoy finding good Thanksgiving deals and passing time shopping with family and friends over the long holiday weekend.”

The number of consumers considering shopping between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday

39.6 million | Number of consumers considering shopping on … Thanksgiving Day
114.6 million | … Black Friday
66.6 million |… Small Business Saturday
33.3 million | … Sunday
68.7 million | … Cyber Monday (online shopping)

Younger consumers are more likely to shop over the Thanksgiving weekend

Among those ages 18-24, 88 percent say they are likely to shop and particularly enjoy the social aspect.

84 percent of those ages 25-34 plan to shop. That compares with 69 percent of holiday shoppers overall.

“While the long weekend always draws shoppers of all ages to take advantage of the irresistible deals and promotions that retailers are offering, we’re seeing a change in how the younger consumers see the weekend.” Prosper Insights Executive Vice President of Strategy Phil Rist said. “Compared to older generations, younger consumers under the age of 35 are more likely to be attracted by the social aspects of shopping over the weekend or by the fact that it is a family tradition.”

Of those planning to shop, there is an almost even split of people who plan to start their shopping in-store (47 percent) compared with those who plan to start online (41 percent). Those under 25 are even more likely to say they expect to start shopping in-store (52 percent).

The top reasons consumers are planning to shop during Thanksgiving Weekend

65% | The deals are too good to pass up
28% | Traditional time when survey participants start holiday shopping
22% | Something to do over the holiday
21% | It’s a group activity with friends/family

Top reasons that can cause non-shoppers to shop during the Thanksgiving Day weekend

26% | A sale or discount
12% | A family member or friend invites them to shop
11% | If they were sure the items they want are available
11% | Free shipping offer

For some students, the day after Memorial Day is the unofficial first day of summer. This means it’s officially time for teenagers who haven’t been hired for a summer job to create their own jobs. Around here, we call that, “starting a small business.” But parents call it, “stop texting on that thing and go find a job.” Here are some small business ideas that can get teens thinking about jobs they can create for themselves. Some can turn into year-round gigs. Some can last a lifetime.

(Updated: May 28, 2019.)

1 | Lawn Care/Landscaping

While it’s may be too late to start mowing lawns this summer (mowing relationships started in the spring), homeowners and renters always need weeding and light landscape maintenance.

Talent or experience necessary: If you’ve never worked in your own yard, skip this suggestion.
Equipment needed: A few tools with names like clippers and loppers.
Marketing: Word of mouth, door-to-door, social media, and handing out fliers

2 | House/Pet Sitting/Walking

Pet owners will pay for just about anything that makes them feel that Fido is in good hands. If your parents will let you (and you don’t break any laws), the real money is in providing overnight care of pets when a family is on vacation.

Talent or training necessary: Love of pets and knowledge of handling them
Equipment needed: A few leashes and a mobile phone.
Marketing: Word of mouth, door-to-door, social media, and handing out fliers. Send lots of photos to the vacationing family showing Fido having fun.

3 | Tech Helper

If you are a computer programmer or can fix an iPhone some has dropped and broken, you probably already have a job (subscription required). However, there are lots of people in your neighborhood who would love to have their digital devices organized, updated, explained. And they’d love some simple instructions from a helpful teen.

Talent or training necessary: You must be confident of your ability to provide maintenance, instruction, and help.
Equipment needed: If you need to ask, skip to the next job
Marketing: Social media, fliers, community bulletin boards

4 | Rubbish Pickup and General Hauling Services

Whether it is old furniture, debris from construction projects, or electronic junk that needs to be recycled, there is always a demand for rubbish removal.

Talent or training necessary: Awareness of regulations and fees related to the disposal of specific types of debris.
Equipment needed: A truck
Marketing: Cold calling construction sites. Social media. Fliers.

5 | Parent Helper

A good option for younger teens, this is a great way to get started and train as a sitter. Watch or play with children while a parent is in the home getting other work done.

Talent or training necessary: Experience as a babysitter (or being an older sibling) is a help. Good relationships with adults.
Equipment needed: Bring along some fun things to play with.
Marketing: Call or visit the parents in your neighborhood Do a great job and the word will spread.

6 | Transcriptionist

If you are skilled at quickly transcribing (typing something recorded or somebody’s handwriting), you can provide a transcription service. There is plenty of online competition when it comes to transferring dictation to typed content, your potential customers might prefer to use you instead of a technology they may not be familiar with.

Talent or training necessary: Ability to type fast and accurately. People often have old papers, a family history for example, that they would like to be transcribed, but just haven’t got around to it
Equipment needed: A computer
Marketing: Neighborhood door-to-door, social media, fliers.

7 | Print Photo Digitizing

People have hundreds of photos in shoeboxes and photo albums. They don’t want to ship them away for fear of losing them. Provide same day delivery for small batches of photos and you’ll have a competitive advantage.

Talent or experience necessary: Not much.
Equipment needed: At first, use a drugstore photo center for your scanning. They will save photos to an account or disc. You can then download those file to a service like Dropbox.  As your business grows, you can purchase a flatbed scanner. You must have transportation for pick up and delivery. 
Marketing: Neighborhood door-to-door promotion, social media, fliers.

8 | Car Washer

Wash cars for your friends’ parents or anyone you know.

Talent or experience necessary: Know the precise way to wash a car. (Watch how-tos on YouTube.) Be able to explain in great detail the way you will wash the car.
Equipment needed: Be professional in the types of materials you use. A car is extremely expensive and your entire summer could be ruined if you harm a car’s paint.
Marketing: Neighborhood door-to-door promotion, social media, fliers. Create an album of photos of cars you’ve washed and explain how you did the job.

9 | Arbitrage Reseller

Okay, so “arbitrage reseller” sounds like you need a business degree and certification to be one. But all it means is this: Find something that you can acquire or purchase that you can then turn around and sell for more than you paid for it. (Also called, “profit”)

Book Reseller

If you’ve already started college and have textbooks to sell, you can make good money reselling them to sites like BookScouter or Amazon Textbook Buyback. If you don’t have textbooks to sell, start scouring used bookstores or yard sales for volumes in good condition, and then sell them online at a profit.

Toy Reseller

Just like book reselling, toy reselling involves selling toys online at a profit. If you already have a bunch of old toys to sell, great! If not, it’s time to hit the yard sales.

Clothing Reseller

Yes, you can resell clothes just like books and toys

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From Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday, more than 165 million Americans shopped in stores and online, surpassing the 164 million shoppers predicted by the National Retail Federation (NRF). This “after-weekend” NRF survey even revealed some new shopping patterns. (Note: This is our last post related to Thanksgiving weekend holiday spending. We will post another round-up after New Year’s Day.

“For several years, we’ve been talking about the dynamic nature of the retail industry and the speed of change necessary to meet the consumer demand,” NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay said. This year’s research clearly shows that the investments made by retailers are paying off in a big way.”This is a very strong emotional start to the holiday season and a positive indicator of where we are headed over the next month.”

$313.29 | Average amount spent on gifts and other holiday items over the five-day period
$217.37 (69%) | Spent on gifts
$413.o5 | Average amount spent by Millennials and Gen Xers (35-44 years old)
89 million | Number of people who shopped both online and in-store.
40% | Year-over-year percentage growth in the number of people shopped both online and in-store.
$93 | The average amount by which a multichannel shopper outspent an average single-channel shopper.

Angie Rigato browses at the stores in the Wynwood Shops as the holiday shopping season begins in earnest on November 27, 2018 in Miami, Florida (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Purchases made over the long weekend showed
new trends coming from younger consumers

“Gen Zers and younger millennials aged 18-24 spent
an average on holiday purchases for themselves, more than any other generation.”

Matthew Shay, NRF CEO

Pedro Roa (R) helps Pierre-Gabriel Daviot as he shops in the Nomad Tribe Store in Miami, Fla.. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Top five-day weekend purchases
From Thursday (Thanksgiving) through Monday (Cyber Monday)

57% | Apparel
34% | Toys
29% | Books and video games
26% | Electronics
20% | Gift cards

Most popular shopping days

67.4 million | Cyber Monday shoppers
67 million | Black Friday shoppers (most in-store shoppers)
47.4 million | Small Business Saturday shoppers

Smartphone purchases

66% | Percentage of smartphone owners who used their mobile devices to make holiday decisions, up from 63 percent last year

Top destinations during the shopping weekend 

42% | Department stores
38% | Online retailers
30% | Apparel stores
30% | Grocery stores
29% | Discount stores
27% | Electronics stores

Still, a long way to go

56% | The average percentage of holiday shoppers have left to do
92% | Percentage of shoppers who believe that the strong deals seen over Thanksgiving weekend will continue or improve throughout the rest of the season

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