The Story of Stuff Project has created a brief video imploring Americans to "choose family over frenzy" this holiday season, and "visit www.buynothingdosomething.org to take the pledge to stay home this Black Friday." The day when retailers generally go from "red" to "black" in terms of profit, Black Friday has been getting more harried every year. This year, many stores are even opening on Thanksgiving evening -- a bad deal for families trying to enjoy Thanksgiving together and retail workers alike.

"When it comes time to buy, women are more often the decision makers and motivators. Recently, women have gained ground in earning, spending, and influence on household spending," notes a new infographic from MarketingZeus.com. Among the statistics: U.S. women contribute $7 trillion in consumer and business spending, and 85 percent of purchases and purchase influences are made by women. However, 91 percent of women say they think advertisers do not understand them.

A new study from leasetrader.com found that women are better car buyers than men. The study found that women ask more thorough questions than men and "are much more concerned with safety and overall functionality of the vehicle whereas men focus more on engine performance and looks of the vehicle and only some minor safety features," KTAR reports.