The official holiday shopping season is almost here and major retailers such as Macy’s are getting geared up for what is predicted to be a great season for retailers, despite the difficult economic times. Already, AAA is estimating that there will be about 3.8% more travelers on the road this year, even with high gas prices and unemployment ravaging many cities across the nation.

Macy’s has stepped up to the plate and is ready to supply the demand for holiday trinkets and gizmos. No matter who you are shopping for, you can save up to 60% everything from clothes to jewelry and kitchen appliances. There are even some incredible deals on electronics and toys. Here are a few highlights that you can look forward to during the Macy’s after thanksgiving sale this year.

Women’s

Charter Club Cashmere Crewneck Sweaters on sale for $39.99 (Reg. $109)

Select Women’s Coats – Plus and Petite sizes $79.99 -  $129.99 (Reg. $195-$300)

Guess Cold Weather Boots 50% off!

Rampage Boots $19.99 (Reg. $49-$59)

Marc Fisher, Nine West select boots $69.99 (Reg. $109-$139)

Carter Club Cashmere Cardigans $59.99 (Reg. $139)

Charter Club Plaid Cashmere Scarf $51.99 (Reg. $88)

Style&Co Tummy Control Jeans $19.99-$29.99 (Reg. $49.99-$59)

Men’s

Select Alfani, Oscar de la Renta & Geoffrey Benne Sweaters $21.99 (Reg. $59.50-$21.99)

Select Boots 20% Off

Select Outerwear 20% Off

Select Famous Maker Suits $199! (Reg. $650)

Geoffrey Benne Dress Shirts & Ties $24.99 (Reg. $52.50-$55)

Select Famous Maker Blazers $129 (Reg.$350)

American Rag Flannel Shirts $19.99 (Reg. $39.50)

Izod, London Fog, and Famous Maker Overcoats $99.99 (Reg. $300-$350)

Alfani Red & Izod Sport Coats $69.99 (Reg $250)

Jewelry

14k White Gold Pave Diamond Stud Earrings ½ ct $199 (Reg. $600)

Sterling Silver Diamond ¼ ct Oval Hoop Earrings $39.99 (Reg. 160)

Freshwater Two Row Cultured Necklace in Sterling Silver $69 (Reg. $300)

14k White Gold Stud Earrings with Black 2ct Diamond $399 (Reg. $900)

14k White gold Green Quartz 1 1/10 ct with 1/5 ct diamond $199 (Reg. $600)

14k Gold Diamond Accent Earrings $149 (Reg. $600)

14k White gold 1ct Diamond Studs $599 (Reg. $1,500)

14k Gold Round-Cut and Baguette Diamond Bypass Ring $899 (Reg $2,200)

14k White Gold Round Cut Diamond Pendant Necklace $499 (Reg. $1000)

Kitchen

Select Coffee Makers, Tea Kettles and Expresso Makers 40% off

Circulon 2 11 piece cookware set $99 (Reg. 229.99)

Dyson Vacuums $289.99 – $549.99 (Reg. $449.99 -  $749.99)

KitchenAid 4.5 Quart Mixer $199.99 (Reg. $2.99)

Cuisinart 7 Cup Food Processor $68.99 (Regular $149.99)

Select Blenders 40% Off

Bella Juicer $29.99 After Mail in Rebate (Reg. $99.99)

Wusthof Silverpoint Cutlery Set 18 Piece $149.99 (Regular $499.99)

Electronics

Kodak M577 Digital Camera 14 MP $99.99 (Reg. $139.95)

Money Jars 60% 0ff

Remote Control Helicopters 60% Off

Remote Control Cars 50% Off

Sharper Image iPhone and iPad Dock 50% Off

Select Interactive Games 50% Off

These are only a few items that will be sold at incredibly low prices this Black Friday. In just a few hours, Macy’s will announce the remainder their sale items along with all of the other retailers such as Walmart, Sears, Lowes, Target, Walgreens, Kmart, JcPenny and many more.

The day after thanksgiving sale is a great time to pick up Christmas gifts for everyone on your list. Many retailers will be opening their doors at Midnight or even sooner to accommodate shoppers. Shop till you drop this holiday season and enjoy all of the incredible sales that are being offered.

After the release of government reports indicating that crop such as soybean, wheat, and corn are getting smaller, the price of these grains reached their highest level since 2008. In addition to the smaller crops being produced, an increasing demand for food is also contributing to the rising prices. Worldwide grain inventories are quickly diminishing. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the supply of grain is expected to drop 2.2% in 2011. To contribute to the problem, many areas such as Ukraine, Europe, United States, and Russia are experiencing a drought, reducing output.

The price of grain such as corn affects the price of all food because this grain is a key ingredient to feed livestock. The increasing cost to feed livestock will ultimately be passed down to the customer. The corn has increased nearly 90% in the past year and wheat is up above 80% and soybeans prices increase 50%. Simply stated, the supply of grains being produced is not keeping up with global demand.

According to a report released by the United Nations, the price of food will continue to rise around 2011. So far this month, corn futures for March have risen 4% while soybeans futures for March increased 1.3% and rice is up 2.1%.

Companies such as Tyson Foods will be faced with the increasing cost to feed their livestock. These companies are expected to post smaller gains this year due to the increase.

Today, the GSCI agriculture Index reached 567.7. This index keeps track of eight commodities including cocoa, sugar, coffee, and cotton.

Author: John Zinsky

On Wednesday, an anonymous online group claimed responsibility for hacking into the website of the Egyptian government and shutting it down. Those who are responsible for this action are said to be antigovernment protesters. In the previous month, the same group backed into the Tunisian government website in an effort to remove the country’s dictator from office. The antigovernment protesters are looking for freedom from their government.

Other attacks have been seen in recent months by protesters of Wikileaks. After refusing to complete transactions for the website, the Visa, MasterCard, and PayPal websites were all hacked and shut down for a period of time.

Author: Greg Jackson

ob reports for the month of January 2011 were released on Friday from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, showing the national unemployment rate fell to 9% while fewer jobs than expected were added. Altogether, 36,000 jobs were created in the month of January in the United States which is far less than what analysts expected for the kickoff of 2011. On the upside, the national unemployment rate dropped .04% to 9%.

According to the report, the actual number of Americans working has remained the same. The report also shows that around 16.1 % of workers in the United States were either underemployed or unemployed. This is a slight improvement from January of 2010 when it was 18%.

Author: Mike Smitt

For the third week in a row, 30 year mortgage interest rates have been on the rise and are at their highest percentage in more than four weeks. 30 year fixed rate interest rates are currently averaging 4.81%. This was a slight increase from the 4.80% from the previous week, according to Freddie Mac. 15 year fixed-rate mortgages were down slightly from 4.09% last week to 4.08% this week. The 15 year mortgage is a popular choice for homeowners who are interested in refinancing their current mortgage with a lower interest rate.

One year adjustable-rate loans remained stagnant at 3.26%. Five-year adjustable-rate mortgages dropped from 3.7% to 3.69%.

Author: Carla Kessler