The North Carolina Bankruptcy Information Blog

Ghosts and goblins and ghouls are normally the horrifying hallmarks of annual Halloween holiday, satisfying generations of trick-or-treaters, horror movie aficionados, and lovers of frightfully fun parties during every seasonal stand.

But in these tough economic times, when consumerism can’t keep up with flagging incomes and mounting debt, the scariest thing about Halloween may be that we spend so much money on it.

A new report reveals a whole industry has emerged to deal with rising demand for costumes and other customary accouterments, raising Halloween-related revenues from around $6 million in 1988 to over $6 billion in 2011.

“Temporary Halloween stores have boomed in the years since the Sears experiment, growing in the past 10 years at a faster rate than spending for the holiday.…

For Americans laboring in long department stores lines, hot off the hunt for holiday deals, the cashier question “would you like to save 10% on your purchase today?” can be as common as a seasonal cold. And for well-known retailers seeking to make a profit this Christmas shopping season—from Target to World Market—pitching a retail credit card with the promise of an initial discount is an innovative way to make them fast money and you financially miserable.

With department stores facing tough financial times, they’re depending on customers just like you to buy more and more during the traditionally consumer-driven holiday season.…

The second largest shopping mall owner in the country has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, putting yet another stamp of certification that America is indeed waist-deep in a recession.

General Growth Properties, a publicly traded REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) which according to the Associated Press has a financial position in 200 shopping centers throughout 44 of our 50 states, filed bankruptcy as part of an effort to restructure $27 billion in debt. The company owns The Streets at Southpoint in Durham, Carolina Place in Pineville, Four Seasons Town Center in Greensboro and Valley Hills Mall in Hickory.

Chapter 11 bankruptcy is meant for companies to continue day-to-day operations while formulating a feasible restructuring of its debt.…