Shopping

by Michael Schwanke (WICHITA, Kan.) If you're in the market for a rental home and you're shopping on Craigslist, area Realtors say be careful. Scammers are using the popular site to take your money. The scammers are stealing home listings off the Internet, and then re-posting them on Craigslist as a "Home for Rent. " Realtor Mike Grbic says it's been happening for several months, "But has gotten much worse the past couple of weeks. " We're getting a lot of calls from people thinking they're going to rent a $250,000 house for $900 a month.

Have you ever shopped under the influence? Apparently, it's happening. Shoppers admit doing it. Retailers say they have suspicions about impulse buying the the after-work hours, and some are timing promotions to start in the evening. Read more about it here , and let me know if you've every shopped under the influence.  I'm Cindy Klose on Facebook.

They say one man's trash is another man's treasure.  While some stores are selling shirts made out of recycled materials, others are offering up old shirts. Shopping.  We all do it, whether we like it or not.  Granted, buying new things isn't the most environmentally friendly thing you can do.  But we've got some tips for you. First, try ordering online.  Lots of stores now have websites to make it easy. "Order your Netflicks videos, instead of driving to the video store, just get them in the mail," reasoned Tonya Bronleewe of the Sedgwick County Extension Office.

Two weeks until Christmas and the parking lots are full. "We hit Rock Road and we found all the traffic," Joyce Younacha says.  "It's really busy out here. " At first glance it may appear that predictions for a prosperous retail season are coming true.  A lot of people were out and about this weekend visiting various stores.  But does that mean they are spending a lot of money?  Maybe yes, maybe no. During this season of giving, the owner of Imagine That Toys says there seems to be a lot of thinking going on. "I think people are buying more intelligently," Gwen Ottenberg says.  "They're thinking about their presents.  It's not so much about quantity.  It's about quality . " That seems to describe Younacha.  She says she's doing a lot of window shopping but not a lot of actual spending.

Wichita police  have a warning for drivers this holiday shopping season... Lock it...or Lose it.  Police officers spent part of Tuesday morning at the parking lot at Towne East Square addressing some common mistakes that can lead to thefts. Officers left notes on cars explaining what shoppers can do to protect their belongings. Photos: Lock it or Lose it The department says this is the fifth year they've proactively addressed vehicle larcenies around the holiday shopping season.

Some stores around Wichita might've closed early on Christmas Eve, but tons of people still showed up to shop. At Best Buy on Rock Road, people said they were looking for TV's, computers, and MP3 players. According to one survey, about 31 million people went shopping today. That's about 15 percent of the population.

It's a routine generally seen on Mondays at the Clearwater Retirement Community - loading up itn the mini-van for the weekly shopping trip to Duckwall's. But there was a reason for the repeat run on Friday, it's the last time residents there were able to do it. "It's just a great opportunity for them to get out and to purchase the things they need on their own and it's just gone be sad for them to realize next Monday we don't have Duckwall's to go to," explains Karen Van Allen, Activities Director at CRC. Alco, the stores parent company, announced in November it would close 20 Kansas stores,  including the one in Clearwater.

Here Are The Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #15188 Geography Surveyed: Wichita-Hutchinson Plus DMA Data Collected: 03/06/2009 Release Date: 03/06/2009 16:45 ET Sponsor: KWCH-TV Wichita 1 Asked of 500 Adults - Margin of Sampling Error for this question = ± 4.5% ...

Shopping for the holidays can be stressful and some people want to avoid getting headaches. Many local stores are taking part in Small Business Saturday. That's the day after Black Friday, when people are encouraged to shop locally. Part of the push for Small Business Saturday is not only to keep tax dollars in the community, it's to help keep local stores open. According to the governor's office, small businesses account for more than 50 percent of private sector jobs in Kansas.

If you're shopping online for holiday gifts, you're certainly not alone: consider Americans spent more than 27 billion dollars online last holiday season. It's convenient, but there are drawbacks. Consumer Reports tackles a big one—those hefty shipping charges that can really inflate your bill. There are sites that offer free or low-cost shipping, so check for those before you start shopping. Some like Zappos.com offer free shipping both ways, even if you decide to return an item.

Traditions Home is usually busy on Saturday's, but today was different. The store was empty of customers, and full of Shockers. "I think everyone is getting ready for the game or excited about the game," Cheri Anop, Traditions Home employee. "The Shockers are in the Final Four, the whole town closed today by 5:09. " Cheri and her employees counted their money, locked up and headed home an hour earlier than normal. They, too, wanted to watch the first Shocker Final Four in decades.

It was a long day for AAA tow truck driver Jon Burgette, going from one wreck to the next.  Kansas drivers are out of practice driving in snow and ice. "One minute it's dry, one minute it's wet.  You don't have much time to prepare for it," Burgette says.  "The best thing you can do is slow down. " Otherwise, your trip comes to a screeching halt.  Hopefully you're not injured as you wait for help and are kicking yourself for not being more careful. "Speed is a factor when it comes to snow and ice," Burgette says.

Four people were inside the Expectations Barber Shop on North Oliver Friday afternoon when three people came in with guns. The robbers demanded money from everyone inside even customers. They took the money and left. No one was hurt. 

Forty years' worth of pictures.  But just a few of them are the only ones people are talking about lately. "Lance Armstrong is still my idol for cycling, when I did go out and do it competitively as a kid,” Patrick Scanga said. He works at his family-owned business, “Bicycle X-Change Shops.”  Mixed-in with the posters, memorabilia, and new bikes… you'll find Lance Armstrong's impact. "A lot of people come in here and ask why are these bikes still here?  Well, they're not for sale,” Scanga said.

She has a gun, and knows how to use it.  And, she's just ten years old. "At first it's kind of scary, and then it gets kind of easy," Lauren Dodd says. She took up shooting a few months ago.  The fifth-grader says it's a fun way to spend time with her dad and a good thing to be able to do as she gets older. "I just like coming here to get some practice just in case somebody tries to come in my house. " Bullseye Shooting Range owner Mike Relihan says handguns are the hottest sellers right now. "There are specific reasons people are buying guns--and it's to protect themselves," Relihan says.

You've heard of black Friday, and cyber Monday -- well today is "Super Saturday. " That's because it's one of the busiest shopping days of a year. The national retail association predicts 73-percent of us still have shopping to do . It's the final Saturday before the Christmas holiday and last-minute shoppers are taking advantage. "I couldn't remember two of my members of my family so I just run to get something pretty fast," says Maria Cervantes . While some were cashing in on the sales at Bradley Fair, others were out to enjoy the good weather.

Black Friday draws big crowds to the big stores.  The following day is Small Business Saturday, which is aimed at helping the mom and pop shops compete. Bungalow 26 in the Delano District is among the stores that saw a spike in sales.  Owner Kelsey Metzinger says Small Business Saturday is a great way to kick off the holiday shopping season.  She says one of the benefits of shopping at a store like hers is that customers can be assured of what they're buying. "I buy everything because I love it, and I want you to love it," Metzinger says.  "If I don't stand behind something I don't have it. " American Express started Small Business Saturday in 2010.  Last year, it drew an estimated 100 million Americans to locally owned stores nationwide.

Mad scrambles for merchandise, fistfights, shootings--Black Friday sales whipped crowds into a frenzy across the country. Many people simply got caught up in the mob mentality.  But others were showing off a problem that haunts them all year long. Psychologist Molly Allen says compulsive shoppers are seeking to fill some unment emotional need, so they turn to shopping to make them happy.  That can ruin relationships and bank accounts in a hurry. Allen says shopping addicts need to find other things that bring love and excitement into their lives, while taking it one day at a time.

Maybe you like the big crowds and long lines, but the better deals may be found online this year.   “I would always check the on-line price before you go to the store,” says Ashlea Konecny, who started the Deal Detecting Diva website. Her obsession started with her first child.   “I got tired of paying for diapers,” says Konecny. She has advice for Black Friday shoppers. Shop online Use promo codes when buying online Start comparing ads now Take advantage of stores that price match Toys are usually cheaper 2 weeks before Christmas Electronics are usually cheapest on Black Friday “You can do most of your shopping this year online and some of the deals in the stores will be cheaper online.”   Konecny says if you don't buy online, that's where you should start this year.

Flowers make beautiful gifts. But ordering online can be pretty unpleasant, Consumer Reports discovered. It surveyed 28,000 of its subscribers about their experiences shopping at the 52 largest retail websites. Online florists 1-800-Flowers and FTD rated near the bottom. They had low marks for value, and there were lots of complaints about high shipping charges and customers having to wait longer than expected. Ticketmaster doesn't have a lot to cheer about either.