Article: Surviving 'Black Friday'

I should probably do a Google Alert on Black Friday news items, but alas and again, I am lazy.  And why I am up at this hour, I do not know.  Anyway, here is an article by Ethan C. Nobles of FirstArkansasnews.net on how consumers are going to get through the holiday season.  He cites a recent FICO survey on how people will shop this year:

* 40 percent say their biggest worry heading into 2011 is credit card debt.
* About half expect to charge an extra $100-$500 this season – and many will take up to six months to pay it off.
* Three-quarters of people are changing their holiday traditions because of the economy.
* Only 15 percent will pay cash for holiday shopping.
* Most have not made advance preparations for holiday bills.

Nobles considers these findings concerning, but I found the fact that "Three-quarters of people are changing their holiday traditions because of the economy" to be rather encouraging. 

I'll be in and out throughout most of this Thanksgiving week - have to update on the kombucha!  So much has happened!  Please send me Black Friday stories, either first-hand accounts or news items from your neck of the woods - tmgnordlie@gmail.com. 

I'll update if I can locate the link to the whole FICO survey.