The Sunday after Halloween, my wife and I were driving near Target in West Manchester Township. What a traffic nightmare! Cars were everywhere, trying to make the turn into the shopping centers in the area.

I couldn't believe it. Was this the new Black Friday?

I haven't really see the crowds since - and I live nearby and drive through there a good bit. Has the peak of the shopping season past us? And regardless, who started shopping so darn early this year?

I think it was people doing their shopping before things got worse, when they'd be able to talk themselves out of getting gifts for people, or really wouldn't have the money for it. But I could be crazy, too.

What do you think?

On Sunday night, I was on the phone with my mother-in-law who told me, with no sugar coating, that my method of spending money was anti-American. I contended that my motto this holiday shopping season would be: one gift for one person. That means that if I decide to buy my father a DVD, it means I buy him one DVD and not five just because I don't think that I spent enough money.

We've seen the construction on the outside of the CODO building at 241 N. George St. for months, so below are some pictures recently released showing what's inside the property.

It looks fairly sharp, and you can see the George Street skyline outside the one window.

The project is expected to be completed in March. Click here for more information, including how to rent one of the lofts. Applications are currently being accepted.

A little background: CODO is a more than $11-million redevelopment project of the former York Auto Parts building, 241 N. George St. The structure will feature loft-style apartments, a rooftop lounge and street-level cafe. The building, with units designed for renters, is expected to attract young professionals to York.

So what do you think? Is this somewhere you would want to live?

Our staff writers share their thoughts on the bailout plan. Take a listen.

To all the faithful readers of York Common Cents, I have a bittersweet announcement to make. After 10 months with the York Daily Record/Sunday News, I'll be leaving to take a job in Washington, D.C.

I'm sad to leave, but I know that Brent, Sean and Cathy will continue keeping this blog up to date with the latest money news. Check back often for updates on gas prices and what's going on in the local business community.

I encourage you to check out the gas map on inyork.com/drive. A few stations in the area have officially dropped below $2.00 per gallon!

I'm glad I get to leave you with a bit of good news before I leave! It's a welcome change from all the negative economy news lately!

I get really jealous whenever anyone has cheaper gas than me. I wasn't having too much of a problem with it earlier this year because York County definitely seem to have some of the cheapest prices around.

Now it seems we have some of the highest (at least in my little realm of reality). My friends in Maryland are telling me how they're filling up for less than $2.

To make myself feel better I hopped over to inyork.com/drive to look at the map provided by Gas Buddy of station prices. It made me feel a little better to see we still have cheaper gas than lots of places in Lancaster County. And we have cheaper gas than my little brother in Philly.

I recommend checking out the map. It's interesting to see where York County falls in the spectrum of gas prices.

Citigroup is one of the biggest banks standing after the last round of failures around the industry, and today it said it won't be foreclosing on people who want to stay in their homes.

How would you feel if you saved all your money and bought nothing you wanted just so you could pay your mortgage, and your neighbor parked a big boat in the driveway and put in a pool, then told Citigroup he was out of money and couldn't pay ... and they let him off the hook for a while?

I bet more people will go out and get a boat and a pool. Is this a message financial institutions should be sending?