Survey: U.S. to Rein in Holiday Spending .......

[cthrumatrix]

Survey: U.S. to Rein in Holiday Spending

Tue Oct 5,12:06 AM ET Business - Reuters



NEW YORK (Reuters) - Most Americans are planning to curb their holiday spending this year, making it a challenging shopping season for U.S. retailers, according to a holiday buying survey by The NPD Group.


Nine out of 10 consumers said they will spend the same or less when they shop for the holidays than they did in 2003. On average, Americans plan to spend an average of $655 during this holiday season, the survey showed.


A sluggish economy and nagging labor market weakness are making consumers keep a tighter hold on their wallets, Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst for The NPD Group, said.

snip

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=568&ncid=749&e=2&u=/nm/20041005/bs_nm/retail_npd_survey_dc

[Hekate]

1. The average person displays more economic common sense than Bush

n/t

Hekate

[rooboy]

2. The average person can't sell T-bills to the Chinese. n/t

[cthrumatrix]

9. this is "telling"...people know thier personal with the economy is

"not roses"....

Or...maybe we should all just use the phrase "hard work".

[soothsayer]

3. cheney will use this tonite to show that the economy is improving!

Ah, to live in their dreamland....

[demnan]

4. People are learning

that credit card debt can destroy them. Also a lot of people bought their first homes this year (like me) so there is far less discretionary income than there used to be.

[snowFLAKE]

5. And as a corollary: Iraq to Reign In Freedom

[hang a left]

7. good one. lol. n/t

[hang a left]

6. We ALWAYS go big during Christmas. Thousands of dollars

on expensive presents for the kids and each other. Not this year. Our budget is on a low-fat diet.

[durablend]

8. Flip flop...

Or should that be "flimflam"?

Wasn't it just last week they were saying that holiday spending would be up 5.something percent over last year?

So which is it? Or is it just another flim flam depending on the audience the message is being relayed to?

[KayLaw]

10. I sure want to cut back

I may need a new computer since mine is so old and has been hijacked and I can't find software to help with my Windows 95. Also, I always buy for my sons' wonderful teachers and bus drivers and my sons, of course. I want to lay off the credit cards as much as possible- unlike the borrow-and-spend Republicans. I think I'll haunt the garage sales and flea markets and do a lot of baking.

[snowFLAKE]

11. You're going to do A Lot of Baking - Bravo!!

That'll be one more manufacturing job for the Feds to add to the statistics.

See - thing aren't So Bad after all.

[llmart]

14. Can I give you a piece of advise?

The teachers and bus drivers get so much crap from kids at Xmas that they really wish the parents wouldn't do that. Baking something for them is really a nice gift. Don't waste your money on some cheap made-in-China crap that they'll toss in a landfill later.

[KayLaw]

16. I know what you mean

My husband was a teacher and brought home bags of things when he worked at a private school. He didn't make much of a salary, so he pulled out the Godivas for me , then weeded through the gifts to re-gift others. I've been giving gift certificates to a restaurant called Sweet Tomatoes. Since one son has autism and has two teachers, three assistants, a speech therapist, an occupational therapists, a bus driver and bus assistant, I could save a ton by baking.

[catmandu57]

15. I don't know where you're at

but in KC they have a surplus exchange where you can buy computers and office equipment at bargain basement prices. I got the system I'm using now for 80.00, I had to install my os, but, there were others there that were complete for not much more.
If there is something like that in your area you can get a decent system that won't break your bank.

[KayLaw]

17. Good advice

I'm in the Tampa Bay area and am very open to something like that. I'll look into it. Thanks!

[ScreamingMeemie]

12. Big Lots.

For all your holiday shopping needs, at far less expense. :hi:

[booksenkatz]

13. You could drown my Xmas budget in a bathtub this year

We've cut back every year since Blinky von Dingleberry has been in the White House. I don't even see how people can afford groceries anymore, much less extras and gifts.

[hatrack]

18. Wow! Ya think?

And remember, these people get paid to do this kind of work and come up with these kinds of "analysis".

[slojim240]

19. I remember a DU family doing something similar to a boycott of

Xmas shopping last year. I think the entire family of about 168 individuals with children decided to just make gifts or give none and just spend time with each other.

Sounds good to me.

On edit, this sounds like a really good way to send a message to busniness community that unless they work to get the Republicans out they will be facing less profits all of the next four years as Americans reign in spending on a host of things in protest. Nothing speaks louder than hitting business in profit pocketbook.

[Amigust]

20. Too bad it's coming *after* the election.

Maybe businesses will wake up to the fact that the thieves in charge are not as $profitable$ for them as they thought.

[bleedingheart]

21. Maybe they figured out Christmas is about Love and not Greed

sorry but for me Christmas is a time of fellowship, of good food, good conversation and remembering those who are no longer with us to share in the prospect of a new year coming.

Going into debt because of a perverse "holiday peer pressure" is absurd.

My husband and I won't exchange gifts this year but we will buy a few selected things for the kids...but not too much.