Consumer Catch-up: Macy's holiday hiring, Stamp price debate, Required income for home purchase

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Macy's expands holiday hiring

Still looking for a holiday job? Check out Macy's. The retail giant announced it's hiring another 7,000 seasonal associates for the holidays.

The company says traffic at its stores across the country has been high. Temporary hires will work on the sales floors as well as fulfill online and pick-up-in-store orders.

Most of the jobs are part-time, and are in addition to the 80,000 temporary workers Macy's announced earlier this fall.

USPS may raise stamp prices again

Mailing a letter by way of the U.S. Postal Service is cheap, only $0.49, but that may not last. Federal regulators are moving toward allowing the USPS to raise stamp prices beyond the rate of inflation.

The decision by the Postal Regulatory Commission is part of a much-anticipated 10-year review of the Postal Service's stamp rates. Next year you may have one more reason to scale back your holiday card list.

Bay Area far outpaces national average for housing costs

The Bay Area is topping another housing list - and it is not good news. USA Today took a look at the nation's most expensive housing markets and found what a consumer must earn to buy an average home.

The national average is just more than $55,000 a year. That compares with a more than $216,000 income required each year in San Jose, and $171,000 dollars a year in San Francisco.

In fact, when you factor in San Diego and Los Angeles, California cities make up 4 of the top 5 cities where workers need to earn the most income to purchase a home. New York City is fifth.

Click here for a look at more stories by Michael Finney and 7 On Your Side.

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