Time to Buy

Part of the fallout of these uncertain economic times is that consumers might hold off making purchases even for Christmas. The Conference Board of Canada says consumer confidence is at a 25 year low. But there are a couple of bright spots to consider.

Remember last year when our dollar was stronger than the US dollar?

Stores like Chapters were under a lot of pressure to lower prices. The answer then was that retailers had bought their stock when the dollar was lower and it would take time for the strong dollar to be reflected in lower prices. The reverse is true now.

Retailers have stocked up for Christmas when the dollar was strong. So prices now will reflect that. But the deals won't last forever.

"I think prices will go up in early 2009," predicted Ottawa area retailer Kat Keghley of Domus Housewares.

Marking another bright spot, the Retail Council of Canada says the lower gas prices we've been seeing mean more money in our pockets in time for holiday gift giving. And we'll likely see some good sales and healthy competition for our dollars.

On the down side --a recent survey of web companies found half were sending more email come-ons --or spam --to try to entice customers to buy. So, you'll likely see more emails in your in box

Halloween Safety

The countdown is on to Halloween. While the night is supposed to be a little "scary" it should still be safe.

Your children probably already know what they want to be. Fairytale princesses are always popular with girls. And Halo 3 is a hit this year with the boys. To find out what other costumes are popular this year we asked Donna Dobo of Just Imagine Clothing in Vancouver.

"Hands down Star Wars, for both little boys and little girls. Indiana Jones a hot second, Hannah Montana and all the High School Musical characters," she said. "Surprisingly, after all these years all the Harry Potter characters are hanging in there."

So what should parents look for in costumes?

"Costumes should be flame resistant material they should be close fitting to the child's body.

No flowing or loose material that could become a tripping hazard," says Alison McKendrick from Safe Start at Vancouver Children's Hospital.

And add some reflective tape to the costume to make it more visible at night masks often have eye holes that are not large enough -- but even cutting larger holes won't solve the problem. Vision is still restricted. Face paint is far better

"Face painting has become something that is accessible to everyone. Face paints are safe and they are made of pure ingredients and they are very comfortable on the skin," said McKendrick.

Carving a pumpkin looks easy in the hands of a professional, but it's a growing area of children's injuries.

"We would rather see children drawing the face on the pumpkin rather than actually handling the knives," said McKendrick.

Instead of putting a candle inside a pumpkin try a flashing light, or use a glow stick to add an eerie glow

And be careful what you give out on Halloween night. Small toys, balloons, hard candy and nuts -- are all poor choices that present choking hazards.

With Halloween on a Friday night BCAA has issued a special plea for drivers to slow down particularly in residential areas. Ten kilometers an hour slower can make a big difference as kids can be tough to see.

Pets are often spooked by Halloween. It's noisy and they are afraid of the ghosts and goblins that appear at their door. So find a quiet safe place for your pet and check on them regularly.

With a report by CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen