Care if you want coverage to start january 1st, but be aware, the white house says anyone who is logged in by today and doesnt get help can sign up tomorrow. A federal judge denied utahs request to block samesex marriages in the state as an appeal is underway. A ruling on friday lifted a ban on gay marriages therement. A water main break left thousands without water today in philadelphia. They have restored water to thousands of homes and businesses. Those are the headlines at this hour. Im tony harris. Real money with ali velshi is next. Dont give up now. There are last mief minute bargains everyone and the Competition Among retailers tonight is making history. Plus, a crucial survey for the university of michigan shows a key driver is ratcheting into high gear. If you have a product idea but dont know how to build or sell it, theres a new company that wants to help and they partnered with a huge american manufacturer. Im David Schuster in for ali velshi, and this is real money. This is real money, and you are the most important part of the show. Join our live conversation for the next half hour on twitt twitter ajrealmoney and facebook. Com ajrealmoney. Its down to the wire with more than a third of the shoppers this weekend still finishing up the christmas purchases. According to surveys out of that group of shoppers on the hunt, more than a quarter are Still Holding out for lastminute bargains between today and tomorrow when Christmas Eve starts. Thats smart, because analysts say 2013 is shaping up to be the most competitive season for retailers since the recession. For shoppers that means lots of discount promotions are available as the holiday approaches. For retailers, though, all that price slashing did not prevent a dropoff in shoppers in the final weekend. Store visits on friday and saturday, two of the most important shopping days of season, dropped by an estimated 7 compared to the same time last year. Thats according to retail next, an an will thetics firm. While Online Shopping is and internet shopping is a small slice on the overall pie. When you gien deep discounts, fewer store visits and worried retailers it could suggest that American Consumers are not very confident as 2013 winds down, but then again im a michigan grad so im a big fad of the Consumer Sentiment survey. The latest survey shows Consumer Sentiment figures have risen to the highest levels since july. Go blue. Furthermore, according to a new report by the commerce department, Consumer Spending in november ticked up by half a percentage point in the runup to the Holiday Shopping season. With employment picking up, home prices rising americans are indeed feeling more confident about their finances going into 2014, but none of this is keeping them from trying to save a buck this Holiday Season. Today on twitter and facebook weve been asking you, did you spend more this weekend on Holiday Gifts than expected and if so on what . Edgar said initially we agreeding to cheap but bought my wife a lot of things that added up. Shipping the gifts was crazy. Next year im starting earlier. Tell us what you think by tweeting us or leave us a comment on facebook. Lets go to the front lines in the battle for your holiday dollars. Pete is the green apple books in San Francisco. Independent bookstores like his are a surprising bright spot in the economy since the recession. Pete, how was the weekend . How did you do . Its good. We were up a couple Percentage Points from the same weekend last year. We were happy. What is the key to having a successful season as a retailer . Its hard to know. We rely you know, we dont play the price game. We can never win that game. We rely more on the animal spirits. People coming in to get what they need when they need it and offering what we do yearround, a good selection of books and real people to help them find the real gifting. Youre offering more than just books helping the bottom line . Most of our sales are books, 85 of our sails are books, but we also sell a variety of other products, things you expect to find a bookstore like journals and cards but things like lps and posters and that kind of stuff. So lps and posters. Has that been a surprise to you . Well, lps have really resurged in the last few years. People switch to cd and started to download and come back to the richelle sound of vinyl. We expand that section every year. This year we sold actual record players. If people are buying records, they need something to pay them on. How have those sales for record players been . Thats going retro, right . I guess, yeah. The company that we bought them from makes really cute retrolooking record players, and people have been buying them. Were happy. Then i understand another part of the popular seller have been calendars, the paper calendars that people put on the wall or desk. Are you seeing the same trend . The sales have been stable. Its one of the things like magazines. We expect expecting to seles of every year, but we put up the same amount or more calendars every year, and people keep coming back and buying it. I dont know if its a tradition or people need that physical reminder. People like to of leave the Digital World sometimes and have real products, i think. A lot of retail bookstores have closed over the past few years. Has that helped your independent business . When the borders chain shut down, we experienced a low doubledigit growth right away and managed to hold onto most of that. There are no chain stores in San Francisco anymore. Theres 35 or 40 book sellers and all the chains are gone, and that can only help us. Were happy that San Franciscoians voted with their pocketbook to keep us open when borders are gone. How do you stay competitive . Is there any particular strategy you have thats beneficial . Wow. We try everything we can from managing the back end, keeping costs down as best as we can on credit card processing, offering a wide selection of products new and used. A lot of stores are new or used, and we sell both. We try to have books that we think other stores might not carry. We have a broader selection in a lot of places, but most stores in the city San Francisco is a city of neighborhoods, and so people have their neighborhood bookstore. There are a couple of Destination Stores like ours, i think, but each neighborhood has one or two of their own little bookstores. Again, San Franciscoians keep voting with their wallets to keep us in business. Pete, thank you for coming on the program. Sure. Of course, independent shops are ant part of the picture. The big chains offer steep, lastminute discounts. Online sellers break records, and he hope you keep spending even after christmas. Heather, what is the best advice for consumers still looking to do shopping . When is the optimal time to find that discount over the next 36 hours . I think pretty much at any point in the next 36 hours. You see where everything in stores is 50 office, and so the afterchristmas sales started before christmas already, so the discounting has started. Unless you want a play stas or dp box 1, you could go out and get something with a good discount. What about the idea that while Online Shopping is up, is it better nowadays if people dont like the crowds . Can they find the same discounts online like on the stores . Sometimes. It depends where you shop. If walmart or target wants you to come in the store, they offer you a better enticement to come into the stores so you might pick up other things while there. The specials might be different. Amazon without the stores or having new stores, they can do what they can to make sure you buy it on amazon and never leave the house. What have you seen as far as Sales Numbers from this crucial Holiday Weekend that just finished . We were looking at the traffic, for example, to the websites. That was only up about 4 yearoveryear. From all indications that we see, the sales just overall retail sales have not been that strong in stores. So maybe it was the weather. In new york it was really warm, so maybe people didnt feel like shopping, but we see where it continues to be a bit soft even though the retailers are offering a lot of discounts. Have you seen any only technical dotal of it based on the behavior youre monitoring . We have a Consumer Sentiment index, and its flat yearoveryear. One thing thats important that we noticed is people in terms of making a major purchase or buying something, you know, a big ticket item is actually down 20 yearoveryear. People may hold off a little bit on those big ticket items. We may see where theyre willing to spend on smaller items, maybe apair rel, since its so heavily discounted right now. We have hesitation a bit from some consumers. When we look at retail traffic by affluent adults, so those that earn 100,000 or more, their traffic is much higher than others. Its really the people that have money that are going to go out and shop more. Theyre the ones boostering that index. Is there any particular type of product or sector in the Retail Industry that is a great bargain for consumers as they look at the end . A great bargain . Apparel is one of the big sale items. Amazon have been very aggressive with the kindle fire pricing offering lots of discounts there. Gadgets are one of the most popular gifts of the Holiday Season. While you may not find too many more discounts on ipads or iphones, there are other products like Samsung Galaxy tablets and like kindle fire with good discounts to be had. People that havent finished their shopping or take advantage of sales after christmas, will they be there . They need to get it out of the store and they want to move on to spring. They will find deals from now through january. Heather, thank you so much for coming in. We appreciate it. Thanks. For one retailer that got awful publicity last week, this is a Holiday Season to forget. After a credit card hacking scandal breached the data of 40 million customers of target, the retail giant offered a 10 discount to try to lure shoppers into its stores over the weekend. The wall street journal reports traffic and sales were down at target stores compared to the same weekend last year. Also, three class action lawsuits have been filed over the massive data theft seeking a combined 5 million in damages on top of attorneys general in four states investigating target for the breach. A day after apples landmark deal with china mobile, the biggest mobile phone company in the world with 760 million subscribers, its become clear that there may be some hurdles before iphones fly off the shelves in china. We learned today that the Sticker Price of each iphone is more than 700 a pop so it will feel like sticker shock to many chinese consumers, given their Median Income is onetenth of American Consumers. They plan to roll it out on the new 4 g network, but only a fifth of chinese subscribers made the earlier switch to 3g because the speeds were too slow. They believe customers may take a wait sx sand see position. Americans shopping for Health Insurance have been making a list and checking it twice. Coming up, we have a first hand look from one buyer as a key obamacare deadline looms. Plus, the Startup Company thats like an incubator for inventions and the ideas often come from middle class americans like you. That story and more as real money continues. These fields grow on floors on at Industrial Park and farmer john adel and his staff agrees user. My shipping proceed did you say 1500, 2,000 miles to get are. The plant of the indoor as the indoor formers call it doesnt grow corn or soybeans but mustard, high end micro greens on the plates of whitenapkin restaurants. These fish supply the vert liser that number issues the the official deadline to sign up for obamacare that begins january 1st is midnight tonight. The Obama Administration says the deadline will be extended another 24 hours until 11 59 p. M. Tuesday night Christmas Eve. The Administration Says it added the extra day to help with the high traffic on healthcare. Gov. The Administration Says more than a Million People visited the site today, five times as many as last monday. The extra 24 hours will be good news for people who have been carefully weighing their options. Many americans are shopping for insurance for the first time in years because until now they were denied coverage over a preexisting medical condition. That denial is now against the law under obamacare. Jackie anderson owns a boat repair shot in newton, New Hampshire. You were diagnosed some time ago with ms, and so you couldnt shop for Health Insurance. Whats it been like this time around . What are you feeling . Well, the first thing im feeling is extreme relief at finally being able to purchase Health Insurance after three years of not having it. And tell us the process that you went through. Where did you look and what did you end up with . Well, the first thing right off the bat we decided to wait for the sharp exchange to open up in New Hampshire, because the sharp exchange is the exchange opened to Small Business employers. In our particular case, as it turns out, the Shop Exchange in New Hampshire is no better than the regular exchange. So what were actually going with is just a regular policy, a private policy, if you will, through our agent that weve had for, you know, more than two decades. The exchange is going to do wonderful things for a lot of people, but in our particular state at this particular time its not going to its going to do anything wonderful for us because Anthem Blue Cross is the only supplier at this time. I dont know how to actually articulate this, but youve done a very great job. Theyre the only ones, and theres no competition so theres no pressure to bring prices down. Exactly. Theres no marketplace when theres one supplier. What our hope is that in 2014 and 2015 other insurers will jump on board. You know, that will create some competition. Thats really what were hoping for. Now, you have a small boat repair business, and i gather that the costs for you and your husband for medicine and whatnot have been high over the last couple of years. Tell us about it. Yes, it has. Its been as naum cal. Weve had Health Insurance weve been married 28 years, so weve been insuring ourselves for 28 years of marriage. About three years ago we were informed we were going to lose our coverage when our company ceased to cover employers who had less than 25 employees. At the time we really didnt think that was a big deal. We assumed wed go with the next company to come along. What we learned rather shockingly was that nobody was going to be offering me coverage because i have multiple cler sclerosis. For the past three years ive been without insurance. Thats been a feeling of extreme insecurity and honestly not because of the multiple sclerosis because i dont tax the system at that way at all. Im a driver. I could be in a car accident tomorrow. I could slip in my driveway and break a leg. Im 50 years old, my husband is 49. Theres a host of medical conditions that could require hospitalization. Lets face it, insurance is there because of what if. We havent had that, you know, comfort or security. So to finally just know that we can purchase the coverage is really the most important thing to us. Jackie, congratulations to you. It sounds like an incredible relief to get the Health Insurance coverage. Jackie anderson, shes the owner of a boat repair shop in newton, New Hampshire. Thank you for joining us. Thank you very much. Youre welcome. A followup now from a story we first reported in the summer. Big bertha, the largest tunnel Boring Machine bigging an underground highway through Seattle Waterfront has run into an obstacle. An unknown obstacle that brought the drilling to the halt. Since august it hallowed 2,000 feet into a 2 mief mile long tunnel that will reroute traffic on highway 99 under downtown. Last week contractors halted the 3. 1 billion rig. Rumors are swirling as to what theyre dealing with. Perhaps a very large boulder on an old downtown building from another era that sunk into the soil from years ago. Whatever it is well keep you posted. There was more back and forth drama between two mens apparel retailers trying to find a merger that fits. Joseph a. Banks rejected a bid from larger rival mens warehouse. That no thank you came weeks after mens warehouse jeekted a 2. 3 billion acquisition bid. This is known as a pacman defense when they turn the tables. If these two clothiers get together, theres it is fourth large mens apparel retailers with more than 1700 stores in north america. We go inside a startup that helps real people get their new product idea on the shelves in a matter of months. This is model shops where were making all sorts of prototypes of latest and greater quirky products. That and more, when real money continues. We have a look at whats coming up on the stream. I hear youre looking at little brother, but not just any. Fill us in. Right, david. Everybody has heard of big brother, but tonight were looking at little brother. Local police and their use of surveillance for counterterrorism. Critics allege its government excess and supporters say its keeping us safe. We want them to tell us what theyre thinking thestream. If you have an idea for a new product or service but dont know how to turn your idea sgu a business, theres a new Startup Company that may help calmed quirky. The Company Welcomes invention or product ideas and lets Internet Users pick the best one and develops and markets three ideas every month. The company has become known for the speed and success rates so much so that it has caught the attention of general electric, which is now partnering with quirky. Its good news for quirky and better news for inventors who get quirkys help. Patricia has the story. This red light means not open the door. Yeah, im probably going to open it up. It smells like [ bleep ]. 27yearold entrepreneur ben kaufmann is used to charging into the unknown. Hes the founder of ceo of quirky, a 4yearold company that has successfully launched over 400 products through the simple notion. Let people come up with inventions and vote on the best ideas torre ta for retail. We can commercialize a product and capitalize on it and do it with a Global Community that can help. They bring 3,000 products to market and constantly field ideas from the public. This is the model shops where we make prototypes. Their speedy style and success in retail has caught the attention of powerhouse general electric. I think they do like the fact that we are fast. Ge is a pretty quick company, but theres as quick as they can be with 300,000 employees. Ge has invested 30 million in quirky, and together the two companies hope to forge a new market in what they call smart homes, household devices you control through your smartphone. In six months theyve launched four new products together. This is actually a they tell you how many eggs you have. If youre at the market and wonder whether you need to buy eggs, you pull up your phone check how many eggs. They hope to build a 25 million connected Devices Market with quirky in the next five years. Theyre banking on quirky to expand the brand and audience. Welcome to quirky product evaluation. And quirky has quite the audience, 664,000 in their online community. Were here every thursday night doing what we do best, which is making invention accessible. On thursday quirky stages e val, a product evaluation meeting with a game show flare. Its webcast live and its introduced and debated. The grilled steak in under 25 seconds. And put to a vote on whether to prototype and market them. Should he be a quirky inventor. That is the majority. Congratulations for your idea. The inventor gets 4 of the Product Sales plus their name and photo on the box. Kaufmann says it builds a natural audience of potential consumers. When we make a product, well sell a certain amount of them. That predictability is something Consumer Product companies doans have. The formula is working so far. Quirkys revenue has tripled every year since the launch in 2009. They estimate they will bring in 50 million this year, and quirky has raised a total of 170 million from investors including ge. Next on their agenda . An app called wink that connects peoples appliances to their smartphone. Were excited by it. We think people are going to live an appy life very life. Appy happy . Terrible . No. Cut it out. Another impressive move. Ge gave quirky access to hundreds of patterns hoping they will use the technology to create more products. Quirky hopes this is the First Step Towards a growing database of patents around the world. Dont forget our question today. Did you spend more this weekend on Holiday Gifts than expected . If so, what . Tweet us or leave a comment on our facebook page. If you want to see more about our stories, logon to our website. Finally, over the weekend ten of the worlds most advanced hum humanoid robots participated in a competition. The event in florida drew time teams from around the world. They were tasked with a variety of disaster aid challenges, including navigating through debrie fields, Opening Doors and cutting through parts of wall and carrying hose. A japanbased Company Called shaft won the day. The robot dominated the field. However, shaft lost points when a gust of wind blowing a door out of the robots hand and the robot after driving the vehicle was unable to get out. Oops. Nonetheless, amidst the video and gee whiz stories we should remember it was sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research projects agency part of the pentagon to boost the u. S. Militarys technological superiority. Theres nothing wrong with Companies Competing for the money and theres nothing wrong with the Defense Department staying on the cutting edge. A little perspective is warranted as well. The main mission for the u. S. Military and the primary use for new technology at the pentagon is not to conduct rescue operations. Thats our show for today. For tomorrows Christmas Eve special, ali velshi focused on the opportunities and the minefields of getting a College Degree in america. If youre home Christmas Eve and want to know more about the value of your College Degree, tune into real money. Im David Schuster in for ali. Thanks jor for joining us, everybody. Have a great holiday. Hey, im wajahat. Ali. Youre on the stream. You hear about local police durng into little brother. Turning into little brother. Lisa fletcher is out, but weve got omar, as digital producer. I. T. Has really lit up. We put out the question of whether investingon