Americans Will Spend Less $$$ This Holiday Season

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I'm sure the results are the same every year, but in reality the actual spending is probably flip-flopped to what people say: http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=1bd05c28-6bf4-4907-bf1b-5476c0fbb405

More - 11%
Less - 56%
Same - 31%
Not Sure - 1%

How much less:
A little - 39%
A lot - 57%
Not Sure - 4%

How are you financially:
In Debt - 42%
About Even - 36%
Ahead - 21%
Not Sure - 1%

[Gabu]

The headline really should read "Americans say they will spend less this holiday season".

[MODU]

I'm already planning some big ticket purchases this year for gifts, so I'll be spending more this year than last.  Of course, I'll be getting my stuff on sale, so I'll still be saving.  hahaha

I need to get my niece a large computer monitor so she can see while doing her homework and playing games on the computer, for starters.  I never realized how close to the screen she has to be to currently read the text until recently when my sister bought her a webcam and we began chatting online with each other (she has vision problems resulting from two brain surgeries to remove tumors).  One of my other relatives will be getting a laptop with wireless internet capabilities since it is getting difficult for her to constantly go up and down the stairs in her house to check her e-mail periodically during the day.  This way, she can have a laptop downstairs next to her chair for her to use when needed.

And then there is my gift for myself. 

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I'm already planning some big ticket purchases this year for gifts, so I'll be spending more this year than last.  Of course, I'll be getting my stuff on sale, so I'll still be saving.  hahaha

I need to get my niece a large computer monitor so she can see while doing her homework and playing games on the computer, for starters.  I never realized how close to the screen she has to be to currently read the text until recently when my sister bought her a webcam and we began chatting online with each other (she has vision problems resulting from two brain surgeries to remove tumors).  One of my other relatives will be getting a laptop with wireless internet capabilities since it is getting difficult for her to constantly go up and down the stairs in her house to check her e-mail periodically during the day.  This way, she can have a laptop downstairs next to her chair for her to use when needed.

And then there is my gift for myself. 

Are you married?

[MODU]

Are you married?

Nope.  And I don't see it happening any time soon either.  hahaha

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Are you married?

Nope.  And I don't see it happening any time soon either.  hahaha

OK - I was going to say - the whole buying yourself a present thing made me wonder - but I thought you were single.

[MODU]

Are you married?

Nope.  And I don't see it happening any time soon either.  hahaha

OK - I was going to say - the whole buying yourself a present thing made me wonder - but I thought you were single.

I always spoil myself for Christmas.  It's my way of rewarding myself for saving as much money as I do during the year.  Last year I bought the XBox 360 (and gave my nieces my old XBox as their gift).  The year before that was my brand new computer monitor (old monitor recycled).  The year before that was my original XBox.  Year before that was my big screen tv (which I actually bought during the Summer when it went on sale).  Etc...

[Verily]

The headline really should read "Americans say they will spend less this holiday season".

Perhaps, "Americans allege they will spend less this holiday season." Better negative connotations there.

[Lief 🗽]

Whoa. 42% of the country is in debt?

And of course people are spending less. They can barely afford gas, food and health care, not to mention useless consumer garbage.

[memphis]

Whoa. 42% of the country is in debt?

And of course people are spending less. They can barely afford gas, food and health care, not to mention useless consumer garbage.

Way, way more than 42% of the country is in debt. I'm thinking a similar number either don't realize it (there are some stupid people out there) or are too ashamed to admit it.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Yeah seriously. This reminds me of a poll of Minnesota college students that said something like 34% are in debt. Uh, college students? Try well over twice that.

[Gabu]

Way, way more than 42% of the country is in debt. I'm thinking a similar number either don't realize it (there are some stupid people out there) or are too ashamed to admit it.

Much as I hate to think about it, yeah, it probably is likely that some people don't know their in debt, or don't consider what they have as being "in debt".

"I'm not in debt, I just have maxed out credit cards!"

[Ban my account ffs!]

Yeah seriously. This reminds me of a poll of Minnesota college students that said something like 34% are in debt. Uh, college students? Try well over twice that.

Don't under estimate the power of "Daddy"... but I guess that applies mostly to St. Thomas students

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Whoa. 42% of the country is in debt?

And of course people are spending less. They can barely afford gas, food and health care, not to mention useless consumer garbage.

Way, way more than 42% of the country is in debt. I'm thinking a similar number either don't realize it (there are some stupid people out there) or are too ashamed to admit it.

How many people buy a house with cash?  Walk into the Honda dealership with $20,000 in small bills?

I'm gonna be spending like crazy this holiday season.  I'm already trying to figure out what kind of lovely gifts to give to myself courtesy of some leaked "Black Friday" ads.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Are you married?

Nope.  And I don't see it happening any time soon either.  hahaha

OK - I was going to say - the whole buying yourself a present thing made me wonder - but I thought you were single.

I always spoil myself for Christmas.  It's my way of rewarding myself for saving as much money as I do during the year.  Last year I bought the XBox 360 (and gave my nieces my old XBox as their gift).  The year before that was my brand new computer monitor (old monitor recycled).  The year before that was my original XBox.  Year before that was my big screen tv (which I actually bought during the Summer when it went on sale).  Etc...

So you regifted a gift that you gave yourself!  Wow - that's LOW! 

[Hash]

If 42% admit they're in debt, the real number is over 50%

[MODU]

So you regifted a gift that you gave yourself!  Wow - that's LOW! 

Thank you. 

Actually, it was in great shape (I treat my stuff really well), and my nieces are very young, so it's ok if they bang it up.  Of course, the girls have been playing with that Xbox more than I have by the time I gave it too them, so I don't think they really cared that it was used.  hahaha

[DownWithTheLeft]

I could see not wanting to disclose that information, but how does 1% of the country not know their own financial state?  This is worse than that poll that showed 3% of people in 2007 in America never heard of George Bush and took a poll over the internet

[Verily]

Whoa. 42% of the country is in debt?

And of course people are spending less. They can barely afford gas, food and health care, not to mention useless consumer garbage.

Way, way more than 42% of the country is in debt. I'm thinking a similar number either don't realize it (there are some stupid people out there) or are too ashamed to admit it.

How many people buy a house with cash?  Walk into the Honda dealership with $20,000 in small bills?

I'm gonna be spending like crazy this holiday season.  I'm already trying to figure out what kind of lovely gifts to give to myself courtesy of some leaked "Black Friday" ads.

Mortgages may technically be debt, but I wouldn't count it as debt unless the person is actually missing mortgage payments or else the value of the house has declined to below the initial value of the mortgage.

[Gabu]

Whoa. 42% of the country is in debt?

And of course people are spending less. They can barely afford gas, food and health care, not to mention useless consumer garbage.

Way, way more than 42% of the country is in debt. I'm thinking a similar number either don't realize it (there are some stupid people out there) or are too ashamed to admit it.

How many people buy a house with cash?  Walk into the Honda dealership with $20,000 in small bills?

I'm gonna be spending like crazy this holiday season.  I'm already trying to figure out what kind of lovely gifts to give to myself courtesy of some leaked "Black Friday" ads.

Mortgages may technically be debt, but I wouldn't count it as debt unless the person is actually missing mortgage payments or else the value of the house has declined to below the initial value of the mortgage.

Why would you not count it as debt?  You owe someone money; I thought that was the definition of debt.

[patrick1]

Whoa. 42% of the country is in debt?

And of course people are spending less. They can barely afford gas, food and health care, not to mention useless consumer garbage.

Way, way more than 42% of the country is in debt. I'm thinking a similar number either don't realize it (there are some stupid people out there) or are too ashamed to admit it.

How many people buy a house with cash?  Walk into the Honda dealership with $20,000 in small bills?

I'm gonna be spending like crazy this holiday season.  I'm already trying to figure out what kind of lovely gifts to give to myself courtesy of some leaked "Black Friday" ads.

Mortgages may technically be debt, but I wouldn't count it as debt unless the person is actually missing mortgage payments or else the value of the house has declined to below the initial value of the mortgage.

Why would you not count it as debt?  You owe someone money; I thought that was the definition of debt.

I agree Gabu.   I have to muster up sympathy for those who were conned into bad floating mortgages and cannot pay.  The consumer culture that has been fostered sucks in the suckers.  Anything you cannot pay with your own financial reserves is debt and someone will invariably call on it if you are late. 

[12th Doctor]

In terms of finances and the economy polls are generally a poor indication of how things are in reality.

[Jaggerjack]

The headline really should read "Americans say they will spend less this holiday season".

Indeed. Most people probably aren't going to live up to what they say they'll do. I know my parents sure as hell won't.

[Verily]

Whoa. 42% of the country is in debt?

And of course people are spending less. They can barely afford gas, food and health care, not to mention useless consumer garbage.

Way, way more than 42% of the country is in debt. I'm thinking a similar number either don't realize it (there are some stupid people out there) or are too ashamed to admit it.

How many people buy a house with cash?  Walk into the Honda dealership with $20,000 in small bills?

I'm gonna be spending like crazy this holiday season.  I'm already trying to figure out what kind of lovely gifts to give to myself courtesy of some leaked "Black Friday" ads.

Mortgages may technically be debt, but I wouldn't count it as debt unless the person is actually missing mortgage payments or else the value of the house has declined to below the initial value of the mortgage.

Why would you not count it as debt?  You owe someone money; I thought that was the definition of debt.

I agree Gabu.   I have to muster up sympathy for those who were conned into bad floating mortgages and cannot pay.  The consumer culture that has been fostered sucks in the suckers.  Anything you cannot pay with your own financial reserves is debt and someone will invariably call on it if you are late. 

That's the point: you can pay off a mortgage with your own financial reserves (assuming, again, that your interest rates are within reason and the house has not devalued). You have the asset of your house that covers the mortgage. By accepting a mortgage, you are not necessarily entering into debt because the house itself is worth most of the money you owe for the mortgage.

Now, mortgage is not necessarily not debt, either. If you're missing your mortgage payments, or if your payments are on a floating rate that has ballooned to well beyond the value of the home, or if the price of your home has plummeted since you entered the mortgage, you are in debt.

[MODU]

The headline really should read "Americans say they will spend less this holiday season".

Indeed. Most people probably aren't going to live up to what they say they'll do. I know my parents sure as hell won't.

HAHAHA