Money Beat

If things don't start getting better my house won't have to worry about Christmas shopping. Maybe we will convert back about 100 years and make each other something out of things we find around the house.

Thank you Bush!

Hey Beck, McCain could help you on your plan to "convert back about 100 years and make each other something". He has first hand knowledge of the period you mention.

Or better yet Beck, just ask McCain what his favorite gift was 100 years ago. He claims a good memory.

ABC asks if the election will delay Christmas sales. I can't speak for everyone, of course, but in our family, the answer is YES. We will spend NOTHING on Christmas (road trips or gifts) if there is a chance Obama will be elected. And if he IS elected, it will be up to Credit Counselors how much we're allowed to spend on Christmas. With Obama as President, we will be more concerned with keeping our home after our tax is doubled. We have already stopped buying anything other than necessities.

Actually inexpensive handmade gifts are the most meaningful. My kids get made in China garbage from extended family, and I have to cart all of it over to Goodwill after the holidays.

Oh come on the real reason why they're waiting is retailers are afraid of another racial unrest seen after the verdict against the police from the Rodney King incident. The closer we get to November 4 the more and more you start reading and hearing of "there's hell to pay" if Obama doesn't get it. Like the presidency is "due" to a person based on race (and half at that). Retailers rather minimize their losses if/when such an event happens rather than take the risk of major losses in looting. Don't believe it or think it's "racist" I'd recommend reading up on what happened in the 1992 and reading up on current crime trends in predominate black areas.

crashnebula21-are trying to make a point?

Delay Christmas merchandising? If only. Someone please spread the word to the local stores that already have their Halloween stuff out. It means the Christmas "season," the one that lasts from August to December 24, only a week or two away. What would they fill their shelves and windows with, if not Christmas merchandise? Most big box stores are well-oiled machines that have every linear foot of shelf space sold and mapped out a year in advance. Having empty shelves would be worse for business than Christmas merchandise too early and nobody buying.
My kids are getting clothing for their birthdays--those clothes they'd normally get for back to school are now becoming birthday gifts. I'll let the grandparents buy the fun stuff. And for Christmas they'll probably get one new gift and two "pre-owned" ones. One tradition I'd like to start is making our stocking gifts our only Christmas gifts.

A Santa Gas Card in every stocking

LeeAnn...

There is little question that stores won't delay Christmas MERCHANDISING. The REAL question is how much most people can affords to SPEND, especially on meaningless gifts which (in most cases) the recipients don't need!

It looks like Obama will be our next President, and unless something changes, my wife and I will continue to buy NOTHING except food, and will use ANY "extra" money to pay down our debt.

Fun times are over for us, but we're in our 70's anyway, so it doesn't matter. The younger generation wants us "dinosaurs" gone ASAP, and I'm already worth more dead than alive.