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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, September 23, 2007

Billions of reasons why U.S. shoppers should clip coupons

Compiled by John MacIntyre

  • Percentage of the U.S. population that uses coupons, according to data from the Promotion Marketing Association Coupon Council: 86

  • Amount of money that shoppers saved in 2006 by using manufacturer's coupons: $2.6 billion

  • Amount offered by manufacturers in coupon savings in 2006: $330 billion

    CORPORATE GAMERS

  • Number of "white collar" workers who play casual video games, according to the results of a survey by PopCap Games: 80 million

  • Of those, percentage who said they play at work: 24

  • Percentage of CEOs, CFOs and other senior executives who say they play at work: 35

    AMERICANS TUNED IN

  • Year of the first daily radio news program, "The Radio Digest," hosted by George Thompson over WBAY in New York City, according to the U.S. Census Bureau: 1922

  • At the time, number of radio stations in the United States: 30

  • Estimated number of radio stations in the United States today: 11,000

  • Estimated number of radios in the average American home: 8

    Source: U.S. Census Bureau

    SAVVY TRAVELERS

  • Percentage of business travelers who say they save up to 10 percent on their annual leisure travel costs (not including spending money) by being a frequent business traveler (free airline tickets through mileage programs, hotel stays, etc.), according to the findings of the Orbitz Business Traveler Survey: 58

  • Percentage who said they save between 10 percent and 25 percent: 22

    NOTES TO SELF

    Percentage of business leaders who keep a to-do list during the day, according to a worldwide survey by NFI Research: 96

    Percentage who have 1 to 20 items on it: 81

    Percentage who say they generally complete their list: 83

    Source: NFI Research

    INEQUITY AT 62

    Amount of money tied up in home equity in households of people aged 62 and older, according to a study released by the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association: $4.3 trillion

    CAN'T BUY HAPPINESS

    Percentage of U.S. youths who say that money is the thing that gives them the most joy, according to a study conducted by The Associated Press and MTV: 1

    Percentage who say spending time with family: 20

    Percentage who say spending time with friends: 15

    SHALLOW JOB POOL

    Percentage of hiring managers who said it was difficult to find qualified candidates 12 months ago, according to an annual study by Robert Half International: 57

    Percentage who said recruiting is equally or more challenging today: 91

    Percentage of skilled labor workers who said they are more likely to negotiate a better compensation package today than 12 months ago (double the percentage from last year's poll): 58

    SOCIAL ISSUE

    Percentage of consumers who have been asked in the past year to provide their Social Security number in whole or in part by a business or government agency, according to a national poll by the Consumer Reports National Research Center: 87

    In the past year, percentage of consumers who have been asked by a financial institution or retailer issuing credit to provide their Social Security number: 60

    Percentage who reported that they received postal mail (other than tax documents) bearing their own or a family member's Social Security number in the past year: 14

    Percentage of Americans who agree that state and federal lawmakers should pass laws restricting the use of Social Security numbers: 89

    IDLE THOUGHT

    "Anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn't the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment."

    — Robert Benchley

    Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca