Consumer Confidential: Jobs, DVDs and gold

Here's your full-frontal-Friday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

--The unemployment rate hit 10.2% last month. OK, we've seen it coming for weeks, and President Obama and Fedatollah Ben Bernanke have been doing their best to prep us for the eventuality. But now that it's here, well, it stings a bit. The pencil pushers say things will probably grow even worse on the jobs front before they get better, with the jobless rate perhaps hitting 10.5% by the summer. Time for all those employers who are seeing their profits creep back up to do their thing ... please.

--But for those with jobs, there's always some shopping to do. And our friends at Target are offering some of their most popular DVDs at a bargain-basement price of just $10, with free shipping. The move is intended to match a similar price point from Walmart, and signals that heavyweight retailers are prepared to duke it out for what little consumer spending we can expect this holiday season.

--Gold futures have jumped to a new record -- more than $1,100 an ounce. Note to wife: Forget about any jewelry this Christmas.

-- David Lazarus

Consumer Confidential: Shopping, jobs and cable

Here's your throbbing-Thursday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

--The retail industry posted its second straight month of gains in October as shoppers decided maybe, just maybe, the economic picture isn't as grim as all that. That doesn't mean we've been on a spending spree -- far from it. But some of the big boys, including Costco and Gap Inc., say their cash registers have been getting a little extra activity in recent weeks. This, as the lady says, is a good thing.

--One reason we seem to be feeling a little better about the economy is because more of us are working. Not much more, to be sure. But any job in a storm, right? The Labor Department says first-time unemployment claims fell by 20,000 to a seasonally adjusted 512,000 -- the lowest level in 10 months. That doesn't mean all's hunky-dory. But it does mean things are moving in the right direction.

--Time Warner Cable, the dominant cable provider in Southern California, says its profit fell by 11% in the most recent quarter. The company's chief exec, Glenn Britt, blamed the lousy economy for Time Warner's less-than-stellar performance. Another way of looking at it is the relatively high prices the company charges for services that some may feel aren't worth the cost. But who am I to say?

-- David Lazarus

Consumer Confidential: Low fares, video games, home prices

Here's your toot-toot-Tuesday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

--How's this for a deal? Southwest Airlines is charging the same for a one-way ticket that some other carriers charge just to check a bag. The airline says it will charge just $25 for a one-way ticket to travel up to 375 miles. The price rises to $50 if you're going up to 549 miles, and to $75 for up to 999 miles. If you're flying more than 1,000 miles, that'll be a nice, round $100. One catch: The fares apply only for travel between Dec. 2 and Dec. 16, and Jan. 5 and Feb. 10. And, as they say, other restrictions apply.

--Heads up, sofa spuds: Time to put all that video gaming to use. GameStop says it's hiring about 15,000 seasonal workers to help with the holiday rush for games. The company wants experienced gamers who know a thing or two about "Grand Theft Auto" or "Lego Star Wars." And, the economy being what it is, GameStop says it fully expects to receive more applications than it can accommodate with open positions. One other thing: Those positions pay just minimum wage.

--Home prices are up for a third straight month. If you're in the market for new digs and you haven't bought yet at fire-sale prices, that train's about to leave the station.

-- David Lazarus

Consumer Confidential: Credit, jobs and beer

Here's your finally-it's-Friday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

-- Banks weren't doing us any favors in August. Consumer credit dropped by nearly $12 billion, according to the Federal Reserve. In other words, there were a lot fewer loans being made, particularly in light of many credit card accounts being shut down by banks ahead of stricter rules coming from Washington. Of course, it's not necessarily a bad thing that many would-be borrowers are being shown the door. One reason we got into our current mess is because banks were handing out cash willy-nilly. But after billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded bailouts, some might see this big drop in credit as a fine how-do-you-do.

-- This has been an equal-opportunity recession. Experts say it's not just working stiffs who have been struggling to find jobs. Nearly half of long-term job seekers come from the ranks of white-collar workers, according to a report from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. And since these folk tend to make more dough, and thus spend more, this could slow any economic recovery until the ranks of the white-collar crew are replenished. I'm sure we can all agree that what the workplace needs is more managers.

-- Don't mess with Coors drinkers. An Illinois man is suing MillerCoors for allegedly denying him the chance to win football-themed goodies in a promotional sweepstakes. Mario Aliano says in the lawsuit that consumers were told by the company to submit a code on Coors Light cartons to see if they'd won a prize. But when he tried to do this online and by text message, he says all he got was an error message. Aliano alleges that the code was in fact invalid and that he never had a chance to win anything. Would he settle for some free brew?

-- David Lazarus

Toys R Us and Best Buy hiring seasonal workers

Santa Claus isn't the only one working overtime at Christmas.

Toys R Us is currently looking for 35,000 temporary workers for the holiday season, the retailer said today. The jobs include management roles and positions as sales associates and back-of-house stock employees and will be in the company's traditional stores and in about 350 Holiday Express toy shops nationwide.

Not surprisingly, store traffic at Toys R Us locations is highest over the holidays, so the retailer also will give  existing employees the chance to work extra hours during the season.

Recent surveys have shown that retailers would cut back on seasonal workers this year, but Toys R Us said the number of holiday employees it planned to hire was in line with its 2008 and 2007 holiday numbers.

Click here for a complete list of available Toys R Us positions and job descriptions.

If you'd rather sell electronics than toys, Bloomberg is reporting that Best Buy plans to hire more seasonal workers this year to help meet demand for flat-panel televisions and mobile phones. The chain didn't specify the number of holiday employees it planned to hire.

-- Andrea Chang

Holiday jobs may be hard to find

Job seekers hoping for temporary work during the holidays may be out of luck as anxious retailers trim hiring budgets, according to a survey released Wednesday.

Forty percent of retailers are planning to hire 5% to 25% fewer workers during the Christmas season compared with last year, and 48% said they would hire the same amount, according to the survey by consulting firm Hay Group.

But that’s bad news for those looking for jobs, especially because 62% of retailers said they’d received more applications this year than in 2008.

"Retailers are not expecting a very rosy shopping season, and they’re battening down the hatches," said economist Sung Won Sohn, a professor at Cal State Channel Islands. "They’re not ordering as much inventory as they did last year, and they’re not hiring as much. They’re acting in advance on everything they can."

Every year, department stores, specialty shops and other retailers hire extra employees for the holidays. Besides helping shoppers look for gifts, seasonal workers ring up purchases, hang store decorations and restock merchandise.

Hay Group polled 25 large U.S. retailers including American Eagle Outfitters, Best Buy, Saks Fifth Avenue and Target this month.

The firm’s survey also found that nearly three-fourths of retailers believe holiday sales will be the same or lower than last year.

To drive sales, 43% of respondents said they would run more promotions or deeper discounts during the holidays.

-- Andrea Chang and Nathan Olivarez-Giles

Pink Slip Mixers hosts Labor Day events for job seekers

For the unemployed working around the clock to land a job, Labor Day has a bittersweet flavor.

But this holiday, job seekers can band together to share tips and resources -- and potentially meet with headhunters, direct-hire companies and recruiting firms -- at several events in California and around the country.

Organizer Pink Slip Mixers regularly hosts events for mid- to upper-level executives slammed by the recession. Angeleno Edwin Duterte, 40, founded the organization after losing his job as a commercial real estate lender in January 2008. He had to put his belongings in storage and move in with his parents in San Jose, but spends much of his time in Southern California, crashing on friends’ couches.

The Labor Day “Jobs Rally” will take place in seven locations, four in California. To RSVP, sign into the website for free at pinkslipmixers.com.

•    Bar Celona, 46 E. Colorado St., Pasadena
•    Atrium Hotel, 18700 MacArthur Blvd., Irvine
•    Jsix @ Hotel Solamar, 435 6th Ave., San Diego
•    South First Billiards, 420 S. 1st St., San Jose
•    Samba Room, 350 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
•    Samba Room, 7468 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, Fla.
•    Las Vegas location to be determined.

-- Tiffany Hsu

CVS, Walgreens offer free flu shots to the jobless and uninsured

Jobless people don’t get paid sick days, so avoiding illness is all the more important for them.

Luckily for the unemployed, some local drugstores have them covered. CVS Caremark and Walgreens are offering free seasonal flu shots to the jobless and uninsured.

CVS Corp. said it will provide 100,000 free seasonal flu shots to the unemployed, starting today. The program will include on-site flu clinics at some One Stop Career Centers, sponsored by the Labor Department. CVS will also distribute vouchers for free flu shots at CVS/pharmacy or MinuteClinic locations.

For a list of vaccination locations visit the website or call 1-888-FLU-SHOT .

Walgreens Co., the nation’s largest drugstore chain, said it is providing $1 million worth of seasonal flu shots to uninsured adults. The shots will be given out through vouchers as well, which will go to eligible consumers who visit one of nine Wellness Tour locations across the U.S.

Find dates and the nearest Wellness Tour location on the company's website or call 1-866-484-TOUR. Vouchers are available on a first come, first serve basis.

-- W.J. Hennigan

Photo: A Walgreens customer in Columbia, S.C., is injected with the seasonal flu vaccine. Credit: Associated Press

Californians working harder and longer, says survey

More than half of the employees in California are working harder and longer with less job security than they did before the recession, according to survey results released today.

The survey of 600 adults, conducted by Canadian research firm Harris/Decima for Everest College, showed that 51% of Californians with jobs have heavier workloads. Meanwhile, 53% reported being less secure in their jobs than they did two years ago. To keep up with the state's booming cost of living, 45% of Californians are working longer hours.

In Southern California, 57% of workers said they were putting in more effort, compared to 46% of Northern Californians. More than 40% of Californians work more than 10 hours a day, including commute time, and 35% said they now have less time for family and friends due to their work schedules.

The suffering economy has led 43% of employed Californians and 50% of the state's job-seekers to think about returning to school. Among workers, 29% said they wanted to head back to the classroom to pick up skills for a new career; 27% said they wanted to enhance their careers.

Most workers -- 64% -- said they were generally satisfied with their jobs, but 53% said their workday stress has climbed. Around 40% said they would abandon California to look for new jobs if they lost their current one -- a likelihood in the next year, according to 27% of respondents. Four out of ten are anticipating pay or benefit cuts.

Everest College, which is owned by Corinthian Colleges Inc., has 14 campuses in the state, including several in Southern California.

-- Tiffany Hsu

Free dry cleaning from Flair Cleaners

One less thing for job-seekers to worry about – staying presentable for interviews.

Flair Cleaners is extending its freebie offer to clean and press up to four pieces of business attire through Dec. 30.

Customers can present a photo ID and an unemployment stub from the Employment Development Department at any of the five locations -- in Valencia, Burbank, Studio City, Santa Monica and Redondo Beach -- to take advantage of the service.

Launched on June 3, the Back to Work Wednesdays program was initially scheduled to end Sept. 2. But when some customers approached owner Gary Futterman about an extension, he decided to continue the offer.

The cleaners will accept one jacket, one skirt or pair of pants, and up to two shirts or blouses.

-- Tiffany Hsu
                       

Photo credit: Flair Cleaners