Holiday shopping

Halloween spending may be a harbinger of bad news to come for retailers. Consumers are expected to spend less this entire holiday season than they did last year.

The National Retail Federation predicts that spending on Halloween costumes and party supplies will drop by 15% this year. Even pumpkins aren't selling well. But that doesn't mean the holiday won't be any fun.

According to BIGResearch, the economy is forcing Americans to get more creative. So how are people in your community saving money at Halloween? Are you seeing fewer carved pumpkins on doorsteps? Are people making their own costumes or recycling old ones?

Looking ahead to the rest of the holiday shopping season, the NRF says consumers may need to shop earlier and in different places if they're looking for bargains. Another NRF study estimates consumers will shell out an average of $682 this year, down from $705 last year. KSHB-TV in Kansas City reported on where that money is likely to go:

But not all forecasts are quite as gloomy. The consulting firm Deloitte Research says holiday sales may be flat, which would be an improvement compared to last year's decline of more than 2%.

What are retailers in your area doing to entice customers to spend? If you haven't already looked into our earlier suggestion about the return of layaway plans, now may be a good time to check that out.

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