Can you separate a bargain from a trap? Take the quiz to find out!

 The holiday shopping season is approaching, so it’s time to prepare yourself financially and mentally for the stress of parting with your hard earned money. Millions of shoppers will flock to stores on Black Friday this year, and millions more will search for hot deals online come Cyber Monday. However, they may be unaware of the traps being laid for them by retailers with their flashy signs and ads for “special deals.” 

Don't get suckered into a trap while you're out shopping
this holiday season!

This raises the question: how savvy a shopper are you?

The following questions will test all aspects of consumer intelligence. Let’s get started:

Would you like to open an ABC Store credit card to save 15% on today’s purchase?: bargain or trap?
Joining an auto club, like AAA: bargain or trap?
Using tax software to prepare your tax return: bargain or trap?
Paying for a copy of your credit report: bargain or trap?
Using a no-contract cell phone service: bargain or trap?
Getting vitamins or medications at the dollar store: bargain or trap?
Going shopping at outlet stores for brand name clothing: bargain or trap?
Providing your email address to receive email discounts: bargain or trap?
Buying long-term care insurance: bargain or trap?
Taking out a payday loan to pay for immediate purchases: bargain or trap?

Check your answers with the correct ones below. How well did you do? If you got 8-10 questions right, you’re consumer intelligence IQ is off the charts; 6-7 correct, you do pretty well when shopping; 5 or less correct, you’ve likely been wasting money on your shopping trips.

These questions were designed to see if you could identify when a purchase was smart or a waste of money, a lifetime skill that can end up saving you a good amount of money over time. Lincoln Savings Bank hopes everyone shops with these tips in mind for a better, less stressful holiday season. Good luck, everyone!

Lincoln Savings Bank, Member FDIC

Answers: 

1. trap 2. bargain 3. bargain 4. trap 5. bargain 6. trap 7. bargain 8. bargain 9. bargain 10. trap

Despite all the bad things we hear on the news every night about our economy or how much credit card debt our nation has racked up, many of us still can’t resist a good sale. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving filled with massive sales from retailers nationwide, has actually become more popular since 2008.  Almost 250 million people visit stores on Black Friday with another 129 million shopping online on Cyber Monday.

We can't help with the crowds, but using these tips can help
bring a little sanity to your Black Friday

These big sale days are actually a great time to get holiday shopping done or at least started, but how do you resist the temptation to buy more than you should?

One word: BUDGET.

Here are a few savings strategies for those committed Black Friday shoppers this year:

• Find savings before hitting the store- sit down with a newspaper, look at deals on the “official” Black Friday website or even download a Black Friday app!
• Compare ads- the first price you find for an item may not be the lowest, so be sure to peruse the ads for lower prices.
• Make a specific list for each store- find what you want and buy ONLY those gifts.
• Set a budgeted amount for each person- use their wish list and research how much the items cost. 
• Use cash- if you absolutely can’t resist the urge to overspend despite doing all the above strategies, use cash.  Figure out the total amount you want to spend, get that amount in cash, and leave your debit or credit card at home to avoid going over the limit.

If you’re a serious Black Friday shopper, what strategies have you employed for successful savings? Hopefully whichever strategy you use will help you to spend smarter and actually save money that could go toward something more important like food or supplies for your favorite charity or non-profit (it is the season for giving and being thankful after all).

Most importantly, Lincoln Savings Bank wants you to stay safe this Black Friday. Drive carefully, park in well lit and populated areas and don’t leave purchased items in plain sight in your vehicle. We hope all goes well and look forward to seeing you soon!

Lincoln Savings Bank, Member FDIC

Market Commentary Highlights...

• It was a black Friday for investors as the holiday week closed with the S&P 500 turning in its worst performance during the week of Thanksgiving since 1932.

• Fear gripped the market that the risk of a default by a major European government that would trigger a financial crisis was rising.

• It is likely to take years to resolve the debt problems in Europe; however as with the lingering U.S. subprime mortgage debt and housing problems, merely stabilizing the problem may allow markets and the economy to heal from the damage.

• As progress in managing risks and efforts toward fiscal sustainability meets with setbacks and disruptions, expect continued market volatility — but not all of it to the downside as in the past seven trading days.

View the entire economic Commentary (pdf format)

Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are pleased to provide the above Market Commentary for the week of November 28, 2011. The commentary is prepared by LPL FINANCIAL RESEARCH, the broker-dealer partner for Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial. The above commentary and others like it can be found here.

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This information is being provided by Lincoln Savings Bank (LSB) / LSB Financial, an Iowa-based institution devoted to providing complete financial services since 1902. www.mylsb.com

Securities and Insurance products offered through LPL Financial and its affiliates, member FINRA / SIPC.

Not FDIC Insured	No Bank Guarantee	May Lose Value
Not a Deposit	Not Insured by any Federal Government Agency

Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are not registered broker/dealers, nor are they affiliated with LPL Financial. This site is designed for U.S. residents only. The services offered within this site are available exclusively through our U.S. Investment Representatives. LPL Financials U.S. Investment Representatives may only conduct business with residents of the states for which they are properly registered. Please note that not all of the investments and services mentioned are available in every state.

Economic Commentary Highlights...

• Europe, a full slate of economic data, the super committee’s failure and the run-up to Black Friday will drive markets this week.

• The index of leading economic indicators suggests that the chance of recession in the next 12 months is low.

View the entire economic Commentary (pdf format)
Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are pleased to provide the above Economic Commentary for the week of November 21, 2011. The commentary is prepared by LPL FINANCIAL RESEARCH, the broker-dealer partner for Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial. The above commentary and others like it can be found at www.mylsb.com/investments/commentary.aspx

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This information is being provided by Lincoln Savings Bank (LSB) / LSB Financial, an Iowa-based institution devoted to providing complete financial services since 1902. www.mylsb.com

Securities and Insurance products offered through LPL Financial and its affiliates, member FINRA / SIPC.

Not FDIC Insured	No Bank Guarantee	May Lose Value
Not a Deposit	Not Insured by any Federal Government Agency

Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are not registered broker/dealers, nor are they affiliated with LPL Financial. This site is designed for U.S. residents only. The services offered within this site are available exclusively through our U.S. Investment Representatives. LPL Financials U.S. Investment Representatives may only conduct business with residents of the states for which they are properly registered. Please note that not all of the investments and services mentioned are available in every state.

Market Commentary Highlights...

• Asking what Black Friday means for the stock market has the relationship backwards; it is the gain in the stock market this quarter that bodes modestly well for retail sales this holiday season.
• While Black Friday tells us little about how stocks might behave, there is a very consistent relationship between stock market performance in the months leading up to the holiday season and the gain in retail sales in the fourth quarter. This year, the performance of stocks in October and November points to a low-single-digit gain for holiday retail sales.
• Stocks, particularly those of the retailers, have reflected the improving consumer incomes and balance sheets and now sales may begin to reflect the release of pent-up demand. This may create a positive feedback loop, supporting job and economic growth in 2011.

Read the entire Market Commentary. (pdf format)

Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are pleased to provide the above Market Commentary for the week of November 29, 2010. The commentary is prepared by LPL FINANCIAL RESEARCH, the broker-dealer partner for Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial. This commentary and others like it can be found at www.mylsb.com/investments/commentary.aspx

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This information is being provided by Lincoln Savings Bank (LSB) / LSB Financial, an Iowa-based institution devoted to providing complete financial services since 1902. www.mylsb.com