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The Deloitte Consumer Spending Index (Index) experienced its third straight month of decline in July, due in large part to weakness in the housing market. The Index attempts to track consumer cash flow as an indicator of future consumer spending.

As millions of young Americans head back to the classroom this season, the majority of parents are likely waiting until the last minute to start shopping and budgeting for their back-to-school purchases, according to a new poll released by Chase Card Services, a division of JPMorgan Chase & Co., and U.S. News & World Report. The Chase Slate-U.S. News Consumer Monitor found that 55 percent of families have not yet begun their back-to-school shopping, and that, overall, 62 percent of families have not set a budget for back-to-school purchases.

In 2009, holiday shoppers were on their marks and ready to go long before the traditional Black Friday start to the season, and some retailers were behind the curve.

Americans continued to show concern about the state of the economy and their personal finances in August. After increasing in April and then remaining stable in June, the COUNTRY Financial Security Index® dropped 1.1 points to 63.7 in August.

Women may be slightly outnumbered on the web compared with men, but their dollars aren’t. According to comScore’s “Women on the Web” white paper, women account for just less than half of US internet users but make up a disproportionately large share of online buyers, at nearly 58%.

A new study released by Bankrate, Inc. reveals that the costs associated with buying a home may are on the rise. Bankrate's 2010 Closing Costs Survey reveals that the average origination and title fees on a $200,000 mortgage this year totaled $3,741, up from $2,732 in 2009.

Whole Foods Market, the leading natural and organic foods supermarket, announced results from its annual Food Shopping Trends Tracker survey conducted online in June by Harris Interactive®, which found that organic foods are making a larger impact in consumers' shopping choices in 2010. While about three out of four adults continue to purchase natural and/or organic foods (75% in '10 and 73% '09), the number of organic products found in their grocery basket has increased. Notably, 27 percent of adults say that natural and/or organic foods comprise more than a quarter of their total food purchases this year, up from just 20 percent a year ago.

Beyond.com, Inc., the world’s largest network of niche career communities, released its Second Quarter 2010 Career Trend Analysis Report, which revealed more than 48 percent of industries experienced a quarterly percentage gain in online jobs posted, signifying a healthier economy leading into the second half of the year.

Amid growing concerns about a slowing economic recovery, middle-class Americans are struggling to shore up their family finances.

In 1920, 144 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, women in the United States were given the right to vote. Ninety years later gender equality is still discussed and debated. When it comes to whether things are fine between men and women, the nation is split – just over half of Americans (52%) disagree that things are fine between the genders while 43% say things are fine. But men and women have a different take on the situation with over half of men (55%) believing things are fine compared to just one-third (32%) of women who say the same.