A telling Google Trends chart

[acanthurus]

Google Trends for the search term "Personal Finance"

http://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=%22personal%20finance%22

I'm most interested how it so reliably peaks in January after the Holiday spending sprees...

[arebelspy]

I'm most interested how it so reliably peaks in January after the Holiday spending sprees...

New Year's resolutions.

[mpbaker22]

Would be interesting if MMM had the same trend.  I'm guessing when you track one site vs. the entire web you'll see a lot more spikes (like the Wash-Po article).  But I bet he gets a small, bust statistically relevant, spike every January so far.
Interesting to see the trend going down every year.  I wonder if that's a result of other things to search for on the internet.  Or maybe people have their personal finances more in order after 2008 - let's hope.

[arebelspy]

Would be interesting if MMM had the same trend.  I'm guessing when you track one site vs. the entire web you'll see a lot more spikes (like the Wash-Po article).  But I bet he gets a small, bust statistically relevant, spike every January so far.
Interesting to see the trend going down every year.  I wonder if that's a result of other things to search for on the internet.  Or maybe people have their personal finances more in order after 2008 - let's hope.

It's been trending down since 2005 though.  I'd have expected it to rise up in 08-10, then start falling again, but it's just been basically steady down.

[Nords]

I'm most interested how it so reliably peaks in January after the Holiday spending sprees...

New Year's resolutions.

January's credit-card bill for December's spending...

[acanthurus]

January's credit-card bill for December's spending...

"Debt consolidation" shows and interesting but less severe pattern of upticks in January as well as July/August every year. I wonder what happens in the summer months?

[galaxie]

Vacations?

[MorningCoffee]

January's credit-card bill for December's spending...

"Debt consolidation" shows and interesting but less severe pattern of upticks in January as well as July/August every year. I wonder what happens in the summer months?

I also immediately thought credit card bills for January.
Maybe it's the upcoming back to school for the peak in July/August? For many families, it feels like a new year, new beginning...

[iamsoners]

Maybe it's the upcoming back to school for the peak in July/August? For many families, it feels like a new year, new beginning.

Or possibly new graduates looking to consolidate loans?

[acanthurus]

Vacations?

Wow. I guess it's been that long since I've actually taken one that I didn't even think of this :(

[Nords]

"Debt consolidation" shows and interesting but less severe pattern of upticks in January as well as July/August every year. I wonder what happens in the summer months?

Kids are outta school.  Graduation presents, summer school, summer camp, family vacations with driving/plane tickets, SAT/ACT prep classes, college campus visits, college seminars, and back-to-school clothing/supplies. 

Maybe even a little parental unpaid leave to take care of the kids on days when they can't be home alone.