What Is Deadweight Loss and How It Applies to Gifts

On Black Friday, the biggest Holiday shopping day of the year, Ed and I thought it would be fun to review the book, Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn't Buy Presents for the Holidays, by Joel Waldfogel, published in 2009. Waldfogel estimates that giving gifts nobody wants is a deadweight loss to the economy to the tune of approximately $12 Billion, mostly on credit cards. Money we don't have to buy things people don't want. As he writes, when you say to your mother-in-law, "A cribbage board. You shouldn't have." Indeed, she shouldn't have, according to the author. As you prepare to go out and contribute to the expected $77.5B in the Holiday shopping spree, have a listen to a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of giving gifts.